Orange at the Final Four
11/20/2008 3:00:45 PM | Field Hockey
LOUISVILLE – The third-ranked Syracuse University field hockey team (22-1) plays the second-ranked Demon Deacons of Wake Forest (21-3) on Friday, November 21 at 7:30 p.m. in the national semifinal. The Orange advanced to its first NCAA National Semifinal by posting two victories last weekend. The winner of the Syracuse-Wake Forest contest will play the winner of the Maryland-Iowa (Friday, November 21 at 5 p.m.) for the NCAA Division I National Championship on Sunday, November 23 at 1 p.m. The Final Four will be held at Trager Stadium on the University of Louisville campus. The NCAA.com with webcast both semifinal contests and the championship game will be televised on CBS College Sports Network. Live statistics of SU’s games will be available on SUAthletics.com.
Syracuse advanced to its first NCAA National Semifinal by posting two victories versus No. 17 Massachusetts and No. 9 Princeton last weekend at J.S. Coyne Stadium. Senior midfielder Shannon Taylor scored a pair of goals to lead SU to a 3-2 win against UMass in the first round on Saturday, November 15. Freshman forward Nicole Nelson’s overtime goal propelled Syracuse past Princeton in the second round on Sunday, November 16. Freshmen Martina Loncarica and Shelby Schraden scored the other two goals for SU
The Orange is 4-3 (.571) all-time in NCAA Championship play. SU made the NCAA Tournament in 2001, 1995 and 1993. SU went 1-1 in its last appearance, defeating California, 2-1, in the first round, before losing to Maryland, 6-0, in the second round. SU lost at Princeton, 3-0, in the first round in 1995. The Orange advanced to the second round in 1993, defeating Penn, 3-0, in the first round, before losing at Penn State, 4-0.
Friday’s game makes the first meeting between Syracuse and Wake Forest.
The second-ranked Demon Deacons of Wake Forest (21-3) advanced to the National Semifinal for the ninth consecutive season with wins against No. 18 American and No. 12 Virginia. The Demon Deacons’ 7-1 victory was by far the largest margin of victory across the board in this year’s opening round matches. Five of Wake Forest’s seven goals were netted during penalty corner plays. Hilary Moore and Minou Gimbrere scored two goals each and Melissa Martin dished out four assists. Michelle Kasold scored twice and Moore has two assists for Wake Forest. Crystal Duffield recorded eight saves. Kasold has registered a team-best 56 points and 30 assists. Moore has scored a team-high 19 goals. Duffield has started every game in goal, recorded a 1.77 goals-against-average and a .701 saves percentage.
Syracuse and Wake Forest have three opponents in common. Both teams defeated Michigan State and Boston College. SU beat MSU, 3-1, on September 7. Wake Forest defeated MSU, 2-1, on October 11. The Orange beat BC, 3-1, on October 25. The Demon Deacons defeated BC, 4-1, on November 1 and 4-3 on November 6. Syracuse beat Maryland, 2-1, on September 13. Wake Forest lost to Maryland, 4-2, on September 27 and 4-3 on November 9.
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