Syracuse University
No. 7 University of Connecticut
Orange Sees BIG EAST Championship Slip Away
11/8/2009 3:28:23 PM | Field Hockey
Box Score
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The fifth-ranked and top seeded Syracuse University lost to seventh-rank and two seed Connecticut, 2-1, today in the final of the BIG EAST Championship at Friar Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex. The Orange earned its fourth second-place finish in the tournament. The Orange moved to 17-3, while the Huskies improve to 19-2.
Connecticut opened the scoring six minutes into the game as Loren Sherer sent a crossing-pass behind freshman goalkeeper Leann Stiver to the stick of Ali Blankmeyer who then poked it into the cage.
The two teams played even the remainder of the half, with both squads recorded three shots and one penalty corner.
Syracuse was without freshman back Amy Kee for eight minutes during the second half. The Huskies took advantage of the man-up opportunity scoring one minute later off a penalty corner. Sherer beat Stiver right post on a hard sweeping shot from the left of the side. Jestine Angelini provided the assist for UConn.
The Orange was two-men down for four minutes as junior back Maggie Befort was sent out for a yellow card at 25:56. The two teams played 10-on-10, as Kee returned and Blankmeyer was sat down for eight minutes due to a yellow with 22:32 remaining in the game.
With both teams playing at even strength sophomore forward Nicole Nelson cut the margin to 2-1 with seven minutes left in the contest. The Telford, Pa. native used a great one-on-one move to make space to a shot low and left. It was Nelson's first tally of the year.
The Orange could not create another chance and lost to the Huskies, 2-1.
In the second half, UConn held a 6-5 advantage in shots and a 3-2 advantage in penalty corners.
Overall, shots were 9-8 in favor of Connecticut. Stiver and UConn goalkeeper Andrea Mainiero each made two saves. The Huskies registered four penalty corners to Syracuse's three.
Junior back Kim Coyle, Kee, sophomore back Martina Loncarica and junior midfielder Lena Voelmle were named to the all-tournament team.
The 16-team field for the NCAA Field Hockey Championship will be released on Tuesday, November 10 at 8 p.m. NCAA Division I and CBS College Sports have announced that the NCAA Division I Field Hockey selection show will be broadcast on broadband via www.NCAA.com.
