Field Hockey Announces 2009 Schedule
4/14/2009 11:51:34 AM | Field Hockey
2009 Schedule
SYRACUSE – The Syracuse University field hockey team, fresh off its best season in program history, announced its 2008 schedule on Tuesday, April 14. The Orange will play 18 regular-season games including six BIG EAST contests, eleven home games and six games against teams that earned NCAA Tournament bids highlight the 2009 agenda. SU returns eight starters from a team that earned SU's first-ever No. 1 ranking and the first NCAA Championship semifinal appearance in school history.
The season begins with two road contests at Northeastern on Fri., Aug. 28 and New Hampshire on Sun., Aug. 30. The Huskies finish the 2008 season 7-13, and tied for seventh in the CAA with a 1-7 conference record, while the Wildcats (9-11) finished as the America East Tournament runner-up. Syracuse defeated UNH, 10-0, last season, its only win against New Hampshire in five tries.
The Orange opens its home schedule with four consecutive contests at J.S. Coyne Stadium. SU hosts Ohio State on Fri., Sept. 4, Princeton on Sun., Sept. 6, Old Dominion on Fri., Sept. 11 and Michigan State on Sun., Sept. 13.
Ohio State (14-7) advanced to the Big Ten championship game for the first time since 2001. Princeton posted a 17-3 record and advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the second time in three years, losing to SU 3-2 in overtime. Old Dominion finished the 2008 season with a 10-13 overall record and reached the championship game of the CAA Tournament. The Orange defeated ODU, 5-0, to open last season's schedule. Michigan State went 17-6 on the year, tying for third-most wins in a single season. The Spartans advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time in school history, upsetting North Carolina, the defending National Champion, in the first round, 3-2. The Spartans then fell to Big Ten foe Iowa, 1-0, in the second round. Syracuse defeated MSU 3-1 in East Lansing, Mich. last season.
The Orange begins BIG EAST play at Louisville on Fri., Sept. 18 and will remain in Kentucky for a contest with Michigan on Sat., Sept. 19.
The Cardinals finished the 2008 season with a 14-7 overall record, including a 5-1 mark in the BIG EAST Conference en route to earning a share of their third straight regular season title. UofL spent the entire season in the NFHCA top 20, reaching as high as No. 11 and earning their second trip to the NCAA tournament. SU defeated Louisville, 3-1, last season at J.S. Coyne Stadium. Michigan wrapped up the 2008 season with an 8-12 record.
Syracuse's schedule does not get any easier as the Orange return home for six games against Providence (Sat., Sept. 26), Columbia (Sun., Sept. 27), Massachusetts (Sat., Oct. 3), Albany (Sun., Oct. 4), Georgetown (Fri., Oct. 9) and Dartmouth (Sun. Oct. 11).
The Friars finished the season with a 12-9 overall record and qualified for the BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship for the third-consecutive season. SU defeated PC twice last season, 4-2, in the regular season and 3-1 in the BIG EAST Championship semifinal. Columbia finished the season 11-6 for the second consecutive year. Massachusetts' (17-5) season culminated with its 11th A-10 title and 21st NCAA appearance. Syracuse also defeated the Minutewomen twice last year, 5-4, in the regular season and 3-2 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Albany (12-10) finished the 2008 season with a loss to top-ranked and eventual national champion Maryland in the NCAA Tournament. The Orange won at Albany, 3-1, last season. Georgetown was 0-17, including a 16-0 loss to SU. Dartmouth went 6-11.
The much anticipated rematch with BIG EAST rival Connecticut highlights Syracuse's final road trip of the season. The Orange travels to UConn on Sat., Oct. 17, Villanova on Fri., Oct. 23 and Boston College on Sun., Oct. 25.
Connecticut (17-4) clinched a share of the BIG EAST Regular Season title and lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Syracuse and UConn split their two games last year, the Huskies won at Syracuse, 1-0, but the Orange defeated UConn, 1-0, in the BIG EAST Championship game. Villanova finished fifth in the BIG EAST with an overall record of 12-7 and 2-4 in conference play. SU defeated 'Nova, 5-0, last season. Boston College (12-7) lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Wake Forest. Syracuse recorded a 3-1 win against the Eagles last year.
The Orange concludes the regular season with a home contest against Rutgers on Sat., Oct. 31. The Scarlet Knights finished 2008 with a 14-6 record. SU posted a 7-1 win at Rutgers last season.
The top four BIG EAST teams earn a spot in the BIG EAST Championship, hosted by Providence, Nov. 7-8.
