Sept. 14, 2007

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The No. 2-ranked Maryland field hockey team begins ACC action this weekend at No. 11 Boston College on Saturday, Sept. 15. The Terps are looking for their 11th-straight victory, dating back to last season, and the seventh-consecutive of the season. The game will be streamed live to the internet and can be watched at www.accselect.com with a paid subscription.

The series against Boston College is fairly young. The teams first met in 1997, but not again until 2004, the year before the Eagles joined the ACC. Aside from the overtime win it claimed that year, the other three games have been convincingly won by Maryland, with the last two coming by shutouts.

BC is 5-1 on the season and is also opening their conference portion of the schedule this weekend. The Eagles are among the top half in the league in offense, ranking third in scoring margin (+3.65) and goals per game (4.17). Leading the way for Boston College is Chelsey Feole, who is second in the ACC in goals (7) and points (16), behind Maryland freshman Katie O'Donnell (Blue Bell, Pa.) (8 goals, 25 points). Defensively, goalkeeper Julia Berkowitz is third in the conference with a 1.07 goals against average, playing 384 of BC's 419 minutes this season.

Maryland's attack is tops in the ACC, averaging 4.67 goals a game (tied for first) and a +5.07 goals against average. The defense has been just as solid, posting a league-leading 0.84 goals against average, on the strength of All-American Kathryn Masson's (Richmond, British Columbia) 0.81 GAA.

The Terps have played two ranked teams this season, disposing of then-No. 6 Old Dominion (4-1) and then-No. 12 Michigan (3-2) and are looking to continue that trend against the Eagles. BC has played one ranked opponent, defeating local-rival then-No. 18 Boston University.

Maryland is also looking forward to playing at BC because it is the site of the 2007 ACC Championship in early November. The familiarity with the field will, hopefully, give the Terps an edge in their goal to win their seventh conference crown.

-TERPS-