Field Hockey Battles UConn for Sole Possession of the BIG EAST Regular Season Title
10/26/2001 2:34:41 PM | Field Hockey
#18 Syracuse (12-3, 4-0 BIG EAST)
vs.
Connecticut (8-8, 1-3 BIG EAST)
Sunday, Oct. 28, 2001, 1:00 p.m., Coyne Field, Syracuse, N.Y.
Syracuse Notes
Sunday will mark the 21st meeting between Syracuse and Connecticut. The Huskies own a 15-4-1 advantage in the all-time series and have won the last 10 meetings between the two teams. Last season, UConn beat Syracuse in the final regular-season game in Storrs, 2-0. The Orangewomen returned a week later for the BIG EAST semifinals where they lost a 1-0 overtime decision.
Syracuse moved up one spot to No. 18 in this week's STX/NFHCA Division I Coaches Poll. It is the fourth-straight week the Orangewomen are ranked. SU is still the only BIG EAST team to be ranked in the top 20. Connecticut received six votes in this week's poll, while Providence received three.
The Orangewomen had a 10-game winning streak snapped at No. 13-ranked Penn State on Tuesday. SU lost a 2-0 decision. The 10-game win streak was the longest since the 1991 Orangewomen won a school-record 12 games in a row.
Syracuse, one of the only teams to qualify for all 13 BIG EAST Tournaments, will be the No. 1 seed in the 2001 conference championship. The tournament, which is being held at Boston College, begins on Sat., Nov. 3, at 11 a.m. The second game on Saturday starts at 1 p.m. The championship match is scheduled for Sun., Nov. 4 at noon. On Fri., Nov. 2, an awards banquet will be held to announce the All-BIG EAST teams and players and coach of the year.
The Orangewomen have won all eight of their games at home this season and are winners of their last nine at Coyne Field dating back to Oct. 22, 2000 when they cruised past Quinnipiac, 4-0.
Sophomore goalkeeper Betsy Wagner has made three consecutive starts. She was named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week and the ECAC Division I Goalkeeper of the Week for her play in victories against Providence and Quinnipiac. Wagner owns a 1.17 goals against average and an .867 save percentage.
Seven different Orangewomen have been responsible for SU's 12 game-winning goals this season. In its last five contests, SU's 14 goals have been registered by eight different players.
In this week's national statistics, Syracuse was leading the country in winning percentage (.857). The Orangewomen were ranked: 16th in scoring defense (1.24), 16th in scoring offense (2.82) and 11th in margin of victory (1.58).
Individually, Kristin Aronowicz was ranked 11th in the nation in points (28) and seventh in points per game (2.00). Kristin was tied for sixth in the country in goals (13) and fifth in goals per game (.929). Michelle Aronowicz was tied for 13th in assists (nine) and ranked eighth in assists per game (.692). Ann-Marie Guglieri was ranked 18th in the country in assists per game (.571).
Junior midfielder Kristin Aronowicz was named the BIG EAST co-Offensive Player of the Week. She scored her second hat trick of the season last week against Quinnipiac. It was the third three-goal game of her career.
Connecticut Notes
A trip to the BIG EAST Conference Tournament will be at stake on Sunday for the Huskies. However, their fate may be decided by two other teams. Even if Connecticut beats Syracuse, it could be knocked out of its first conference tournament in 13 years - if Rutgers beats Boston College on Sunday afternoon. The Scarlet Knights and Huskies are coming into their final regular-season contests with 1-3 league records. A Rutgers win in Chestnut Hill, Mass. or an SU triumph would end Connecticut's season by virtue of RU's 2-1 victory against the Huskies on Oct. 13. Syracuse and Connecticut are the only BIG EAST teams to qualify for all 12 conference tournaments. The Orangewomen are guaranteed a 13th-straight visit. The Huskies are not.
Connecticut comes into Sunday's contest with an 8-8 overall record and a 1-3 mark in the BIG EAST. The Huskies are 1-4 on the road this season.
UConn has appeared in the last five NCAA Tournaments (1996-2000). In that span the Huskies won five-straight BIG EAST regular-season championships and four BIG EAST Tournament titles. They have won the league tournament the past three seasons. In 1998 and 1999, UConn advanced to the NCAA Final Four.
Lauren Henderson leads the team and the BIG EAST in scoring with 37 points (15 goals, seven assists). Amy Marland and Kelly Stolle have each tallied more than 20 points. Mary Jo Malone has registered four goals in UConn's last three games, all Husky wins.
