No. 2 Field Hockey Hosts NCAA First and Second Rounds
11/12/2004 7:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Nov. 11, 2004
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
NCAA TOURNAMENT FIRST & SECOND ROUNDS
Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex (College Park, Md.)
Sat.-Sun., Nov. 13-14, 204
SATURDAY, NOV. 13 - First Round
Delaware vs. #3 seed Maryland, 11 a.m.
Iowa vs. American, 2 p.m.
SUNDAY, NOV. 14 - Second Round
Game time - 2 p.m.
Terps Host NCAA First & Second Rounds
• Second-ranked Maryland hosts the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The No. 3 seed in the tournament, the Terps are making their 17th national tournament appearance and 10th-straight.
• Maryland faces 14th-ranked Delaware in the first round on Saturday, Nov. 13 at 11 a.m. Seventh-ranked American rounds out first-round action playing No. 11 Iowa at 2 p.m. on the same day. The second round tilt takes place on Sunday, Nov. 14 with the game slated for a 2 p.m. start. The winner of this bracket moves on to the NCAA Tournament semifinals in Winston-Salem, N.C., next weekend.
Terps in the Polls
• Maryland earned its highest ranking of the season since the week of Sept. 20, closing out the year with a NO. 2 rating in the final NFHCA Coaches Poll. The Terps earn a top-five rating for the ninth-consecutive week.
• The ACC is the strongest conference in the nation, evidenced by the final NFHCA Top 20 poll. The top four teams in the nation are ACC squads, while all five are among the top 20. North Carolina leads the way in the No. 1 spot, followed by the Terps, No. 3 Wake Forest and Duke occupying the fourth spot in the nation. Virginia is ranked 18th.
About the NCAA Tournament
• Sixteen teams earned bids into the NCAA Tournament, with four sites hosting the first and second rounds of action. Only the top four teams are seeded, three of which are ACC squads. ACC Champion North Carolina earned the top seed in the tournament, followed by two-time defending NCAA champion Wake Forest. Maryland is the third seed and Michigan, the only non-ACC squad to be seeded, is the No. 4 seed.
• Six teams captured its conferences automatic berth: Ivy League Champion Harvard, America East Champion Northeastern, Big East Champion Connecticut, Big Ten Champion Michigan, Colonial Athletic Association Champion Delaware and Patriot League Champion American.
• There are eight at-large bids, four of which went to the four participating ACC squads. Old Dominion, Michigan State, Boston College and Iowa also received automatic berths. Both Richmond and Pacific won play-in games to claim a spot in the tournament.
• College Park is one of four sites selected to host the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Chapel Hill, N.C. (North Carolina), Cambridge, Mass. (Harvard), and Ann Arbor, Mich. (Michigan) were the other three sites awarded first and second round games.
• The winners of each of the four sites go on to play for the national championship. The NCAA Tournament semifinals and title game will be held in Winston-Salem, N.C., on Nov. 19 and 21. The games will be played at Kentner Stadium, home of the two-time defending NCAA Champion Wake Forest.
The ACC in the NCAA Tournament
• The ACC claims the most teams of any conference participating in the NCAA Tournament. The three top seeds in the tournament are ACC squads, including Maryland who garnered the No. 3 seed. North Carolina is the top seed, followed by Wake Forest. The Big Ten's Michigan is the only non-ACC team to earn a seed and heads into the tournament as the fourth seed.
• The Big Ten has the second-most teams playing in the NCAA Tournament with three (Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa). The Colonial Athletic Conference (Old Dominion, Delaware) and Big EAST each have two squads (Connecticut, Boston College).
Terps in the NCAA Tournament
• Maryland is 28-14 all-time in postseason tournaments (includes a 3-1 outing in the 1979 AIAW Tournament). Making their 10th-straight NCAA Tournament appearance and 18th national championship appearance overall, the Terps have captured the national crown three times (1987, 1993, 1999). Head coach Missy Meharg has guided the Terps to 15 of those national tournament appearances, winning to NCAA title twice.
• College Park is playing host to the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament for the 11th time in 14 years.
Terps vs. the Field
• Maryland is 6-5 this season against the field of 16. The Terps have posted two wins over Duke, including a 3-2 victory in the semifinal of the ACC Tournament. Old Dominion forced a split in the regular season after the Terps won the first meeting. Maryland posted victories over Boston College, Michigan and Delaware, while falling to American and Wake Forest. North Carolina also defeated Maryland twice this season, including a 3-1 win in the ACC title game.
ACC Title Game=Magic 8 Ball?
• The ACC has long been considered on of the top field hockey conferences in the nation. With that said, being successful in the ACC Tournament requires NCAA Tournament-level play in order to capture a title. With the nation's top teams competing for the conference crown last weekend, it can be said the ACC title game could be a preview of the NCAA Tournament Final Four and championship games.
• In the history of the ACC Tournament, a tournament finalist reached the NCAA Final Four 22 times. Sixteen of those teams advanced to the national title game and nine times the NCAA Tournament Champion was an ACC Tournament finalist. Of the 21 teams crowned ACC Champion, seven also captured the NCAA Tournament title that same year.
Home Sweet Home
• The Terps' loss to North Carolina in overtime at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex is just the third home loss for Maryland in the new facility. UM is 8-2 so far at home this season, including five shutouts.
• Maryland went 13-1 last year on the brand new, state-of-the-art Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex. The wins included eight victories over teams ranked in the national top 20 at the time of the meeting with three of those coming over top 10 squads. The Terps' only loss on the new turf was to eventual NCAA Champion Wake Forest.
Series Versus...
• AMERICAN: Maryland leads the all-time series with a commanding 25-1 edge. American's only victory over the Terps happened earlier this season on the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex when the Eagles prevailed with a 2-0 victory. The teams have never met in the NCAA Tournament.
• LAST MEETING: After the Terps led 1-0 at the break, AU scored three goals in the second period to mark its first win over Maryland in the 30-year history of the series. The Terrapins dominated statistically, attempting 25 shots while drawing 15 penalty corners. But American was efficient, tallying its three goals on just four shot attempts. Heidi Hershberger scored two of AU's three tallies.
• DELAWARE: Maryland leads the all-times series, 17-10-2, with the teams meeting every year since the inception of the Terps' program in 1974. This will be the first meeting between the teams in the NCAA Tournament.
• LAST MEETING: Maryland rallied, coming from behind to defeat the Blue Hens, 4-3, in Newark, Del. The Terps trailed, 3-1, late in the second half, but Maryland rallied to score three goals in the final 22 minutes to claim the win. Colleen Barbieri notched two goals, but junior Emily Beach record the game winner to avoid the overtime.
• IOWA: The teams have met only 11 times in the history of the program, with Maryland winning seven of those meetings and one going to overtime. Four of those games were in the NCAA Tournament and Maryland won each time. The only second-round meeting came in 1991. The Terps came out victorious with a 2-1 decision. The three other meetings in the postseason were in the semifinals and were decided by one tally.
• LAST MEETING: The Terps 13 minutes and 29 seconds in overtime to defeat the Hawkeyes in the semifinals of the 1999 NCAA Tournament. Maryland went on to win its third NCAA title with a 2-1 victory over Michigan.
Terps in the ACC Stats
• Maryland's points and goals leader, junior Tiffany Marsh's 34 points are good for ninth in the ACC, while her 0.65 tallies per game ties for 10th. All-ACC performer Lauren Powley's 0.60 assists per game ranks sixth in the conference and Freshman of the Year Janneke van Leeuwen is ninth with 0.45 helpers per game. All-ACC standout Paula Infante and Marsh are both in the top 10 in shots, with Infante ranking third with 4.00 attempts per game while Marsh's 3.40 shots per game are ninth.
• Freshman netminder Kathryn Masson has averaged 2.83 saves per game which is fifth in the ACC and her 1.35 goals against average is fourth overall. Sophomore Christina Restivo's 0.31 shutouts per game is second in the league, as is her 1.29 goals against average.
Terps Earn All-Conference Honors
• Three Maryland Terrapins were selected to the All-ACC squad which was announced at the annual conference tournament banquet. Sophomore Paula Infante and junior Lauren Powley were named to the All-ACC team for the second-straight year. Playing in her final season in a Maryland uniform, Sara Silvetti earns ACC honors for the first time in her career.
• Infante was named to the All-ACC team last year as a defender and repeats this season, but was picked this time as a midfielder. An All-American midfielder for the last two seasons, she was named to the all-conference team as a midfielder, once again. Silvetti was selected as a defender.
All-Tourney Honors
• Senior Kristin Harris and sophomore Paula Infante earned all-tournament nods at the conclusion of the ACC Tournament. Helping the Terps reach the conference championship game, the accolade is the first conference honor for Harris. Infante was named to the team for the second-consecutive year.
Van Leeuwen Named Top Rookie
• Janneke van Leeuwen has impressive this season in her first campaign and has been named the 2004 ACC Freshman of the Year which was announced at the conclusion of the conference tournament. She becomes the first Terrapin since Colleen Barbieri in 2001 to earn the honor and is the fifth Terp overall to garner the award.
• van Leeuwen has played in every game this season, starting in 13. A tall midfielder, she is second on the team with nine assists. She has also scored seven goals on the season. Van Leeuwen was selected National Rookie of the Year by www.womensfieldhockey.com on Sept. 20.
Bonus Hockey
• Maryland has played five overtime contests this season, four coming in the last five games. The Terps are 3-2 when extra time is needed. The Terrapins defeated Boston College, 3-2, in OT to open the season, then defeated Duke, 5-4, at home in the extra period. Maryland dropped two overtime contests in a row, falling to Old Dominion and North Carolina by identical scores of 2-1. But the Terps bounced back to top James Madison in the regular-season finale, 1-0, in the "bonus" period.
• The Terps 21-11 in single overtime games all-time.
Barbieri Moves Up Record Books
• Her goal vs. Duke moved senior Colleen Barbieri into a tie for seventh place on Maryland's all-time career goals list. Her 51 tallies equals Judy Dougherty who played from 1977-80. With her tally at Virginia, Barbieri became one of just eight Terrapins all-time to score at least 50 goals. Barbieri is a 2002 first team All-American and was named the 2001 ACC Rookie of the Year.
• Barbieri has also amassed 119 career points during her time in College Park. She is three points behind Nadine Bennett (94-96) who is ninth on the all-time list with 122.
Marsh Makes Move
• Junior Tiffany Marsh has jumped out in front of a balanced Maryland attack. She leads the team with 13 goals, five more than her previous personal best, and 34 points, more than double her previous high. This year, Marsh made the move from midfield to attack and has proven to be the right move for the Terps, who have 12 different players with a goal.
• Marsh has tallied at least a point in all but two games this season, recording a season-high four in the first game of the season vs. Boston College.
Taking it to the Beach
• Redshirt junior Emily Beach has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. Before coming to Maryland, she had not scored a goal in her two seasons with the Virginia Cavaliers. This season, she had tallied three goals, two of which were game winners. Her first-career goal was the deciding goal in the 4-3 win at Delaware. She also notched the game winner against James Madison.
Ciconte Earns ACC Weekly Nod
• Junior All-American Jackie Ciconte was named co-ACC Player of the Week on Oct. 11 after scoring a pair of goals, including the game-winning tally, in the 5-4 overtime win over Duke in a crucial ACC matchup. Ciconte is the only Terp this season to earn the honor. It is the second time in her career she has been selected ACC Player of the Week.
Masson Tabbed Rookie of the Week
• Maryland goalkeeper Kathryn Masson was selected National Rookie of the Week by www.womensfieldhockey.com on Oct. 11 after making nine saves and allowing just two goals in her first-career ACC start. She becomes the second Terp this year to earn the accolade.
Van Leeuwen Earns National Honors
• After scoring her first-career goal against Towson, freshman Janneke van Leeuwen went on to have a breakout weekend, leading the Terps with four goals on five shots and 10 points en route to National Rookie of the Week honors on Sept. 20. She gave the Terps a 1-0 lead over Princeton after the teams were deadlocked for 25 minutes. She went onto score another goal in that game and also dished out two assists. In Maryland's come-from-behind victory at then-No. 14 Delaware, van Leeuwen's tally tied the game at 3-3 late in the second half.
Terp Attack
• Boasting a balanced attack, 12 different Terps have tallied at least a goal with junior Tiffany Marsh leading the way with 13 goals. The Maryland offense notched at least three goals in 11 games, outscoring its opponents, 71-27, so far this season. The Terps' offense ranks sixth in the nation as of Nov. 8 at 3.42 goals per game.
• The Terps' high-powered from a year ago returns intact. Ranked fourth in the nation in 2003, Maryland scored 92 goals on the season with four players scoring at least 15 goals each. Sophomore All-American Paula Infante was the team's goal leader with 19, followed by senior Anja Boettcher with 18. Junior All-American Jackie Ciconte contributed 17 goals and senior Colleen Barbieri, a 2002 first team All-American, knocked in 15 on the year.
Defense!
• Jumping off the box score after the 2-0 win over Northwestern was the fact that the Maryland defense did not allow a Wildcat shot or a penalty corner for the game and it repeated that feat in the very next game vs. Towson. The Terps allowed just two goals from Aug. 29-Sept. 17, a span of seven games. The defense also put together a streak of 191 minutes of shutout hockey, which was snapped in the win over Drexel. Maryland opponents have been limited to four shots or fewer 12 times and one penalty corner or less nine times.
• With eight shutouts under its belt, the Terrapin defense is 16th in the nation as of Nov. 8, limiting opponents to 1.32 goals per game.
Aye, Aye Captain
• Seniors Kristin Harris and Sara Sivetti are serving as team captains for the second-straight year. The two Pennsylvania natives have played in almost every game since 2001. Last year, both were named to the NFHCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region team.
Up Next
• The winners of all four brackets move on to play for the NCAA title beginning with the semifinals in Winston-Salem, N.C., on Nov. 19. The championship game will be played on Nov. 21.
