Field Hockey Hosts Quinnipiac and UConn This Weekend
10/19/2005 7:01:45 PM | Field Hockey
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The Syracuse field hockey team has a chance to lock down the No. 1 seed in the BIG EAST Conference Tournament if it can beat No. 12-ranked Connecticut at home on Sunday, Oct. 23, at 1 p.m. The Orange is in first place in the BIG EAST standings with a 3-1 league record. The Huskies are in third place with a 2-1 mark and are 11-4 overall.
Win or lose, chances are pretty high that SU will appear in the BIG EAST Conference Tournament for the 16th time in 17 years of the postseason event.
Syracuse (8-7) will first have to deal with Quinnipiac on Friday, Oct. 21, at 1 p.m. It will be the first of two consecutive games against teams from the state of Connecticut for SU this weekend. The Bobcats enter the game with a record of 9-6. Their 5-2 mark in the Northeast Conference has them in a tie for third place in their league standings. QU is led in scoring by freshman Danielle Avenoso (eight goals, four assists) and in the cage by senior Erin McKay (1.19 goals against average).
The Orange is riding high after two-straight BIG EAST Conference wins, including a 4-3 upset of #17 Villanova on Oct. 8. Following an overtime loss at Albany on Oct. 12, SU knocked off conference foe Providence by a score of 2-1 last Saturday.
SERIES WITH QUINNIPIAC
This will be just the third meeting between Syracuse and Quinnipiac and the first since 2001. The Orange has come away victorious in each of the first two contests. In 2000, Syracuse handled the Bobcats in a 4-0 win. In 2001, SU posted a 6-2 victory on its way to a 16-4 season.
SULLIVAN LIFTS SU TO VICTORY
Senior forward Paige Sullivan scored in the 56th minute of last Saturday’s game against Providence to give the Orange a 2-1 come-from-behind win. Sullivan’s game-winning goal, which tied her for the team lead with nine on the year, also helped her earn recognition on the BIG EAST Honor Roll this week.
HESS EARNS HONORS
Freshman goalkeeper Heather Hess was named the BIG EAST and ECAC Goalkeeper of the Week after minding the net during SU’s wins against Colgate and #17 Villanova. She posted a season-high 11 saves in the victory against the Wildcats. She owns the second-best goals against average in the BIG EAST (2.30 GAA), behind Connecticut's Melissa Bostwick (1.24 GAA).
ESPNU TO CARRY BIG EAST TITLE GAME
Should Syracuse be fortunate enough to reach the championship game of the BIG EAST Conference Tournament, it would find itself on national television. ESPNU, the network dedicated to college athletics, has announced that it will broadcast the title game from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ. Last year, Syracuse lost 1-0 to Boston College in the semifinal round. The Orange hosted last year's BIG EAST Conference Tournament.
SOLA STILL HOT
Junior back Michelle Sola recorded her fifth goal of the season in the win at Providence. It was her fifth goal in five games. She has scored 12 goals during her SU career. She ranks third on the team in scoring with 15 points (five goals, five assists) behind Ashley Fry (21 points) and Paige Sullivan (20 points).
