Syracuse University
Rutgers University
Outright BIG EAST Regular-Season Championship In Sight
10/28/2009 9:37:59 AM | Field Hockey
Game Notes| Live Stats | Halloween Fyler
SYRACUSE – The fifth-ranked Syracuse University field hockey team wraps up its regular-season schedule against Rutgers on Sat., Oct. 31 at J.S. Coyne Stadium at 1 p.m. Syracuse will honor senior forward Tracy Deitrick, graduate goalkeeper Ashleigh McGowan and junior back Lena Voelmle before the contest. Fans are encouraged to dress up in their Halloween costumes to win prizes as the Orange attempt to break the J.S. Coyne Field attendance record of 862 set last season.
SU already owns a share of the BIG EAST Regular-Season Championship and the No. 1 seed in the BIG EAST Championship in Providence, R.I. on Nov. 7-8, but a victory on Saturday would give the Orange the outright BIG EAST Regular-Season Championship. Syracuse has now won six regular-season championships and back-to-back championship for the first time since it won three consecutive in 1993, '94 and '95.
Syracuse and Rutgers meet for the 22nd time with the Orange boasting a 15-6 advantage. SU has won the last five meetings, including last season's 7-1 win in New Jersey. The Orange is 7-1 all time in the Salt City.
SU had its 12-game winning streak snapped by No. 10 Boston College, losing to the Eagles, 1-0. Syracuse outshot Boston College, 17-2, but was shutout for the first time since Oct. 18, 2008, a streak of 25 games. Junior forward Lindsey Conrad has recorded a team-best 35 points off a team-high 14 goals and seven assists. Both rank second in the BIG EAST. Sophomore midfielder Martina Loncarica leads the team in assists with 12, which is ranked fifth in the BIG EAST. Freshman goalkeeper Leann Stiver has a goal-against-average of 0.94 and a saves percentage of .766 in the cage for the Orange. Her GAA ranks first in the BIG EAST and her saves percentage is second.
Rutgers (2-15, 0-5) has lost its last two contests to Lafayette (2-0) and Connecticut (3-0). Jessika Hoh and Brittany Byble lead the Scarlet Knights in scoring with 19 points apiece. Hoh has recorded a team-best nine goals and one assist. Byble has registered eight goals and three assists. Melissa Bowman has dished out a team-best four assists. Vickie Lavell has registered a 4.96 goals-against-average and a .573 save percentage in the cage.
