Syracuse University
No. 19 Providence College
Orange Opens Six-Game Homestand
9/24/2009 8:45:02 AM | Field Hockey
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SYRACUSE – The No. 6 Syracuse (7-1, 1-0) field hockey team starts a six-game homestand this weekend with matches against BIG EAST rival No. 19 Providence and Ivy League counterpart Columbia. The Orange battles the Friars on Sat., Sept. 26, at noon. SU then takes on Columbia on Sun., Sept. 27, with game time set at 1 p.m.
The Orange holds the lead in the all-time series against Providence. In 27 contests played dating back to 1984, Syracuse has posted a 17-6-4 record. The clubs played twice last season, with SU emerging victorious in each contest. The first game was played in Rhode Island, where the Friars were held off for a 4-2 Syracuse win. The teams met again in the semifinals of the BIG EAST Tournament, where SU defeated Providence 3-1 to earn a berth in the BIG EAST Championship game. The last PC victory came in 2007 when the Friars held off the Orange for a 3-2 victory at home.
SU and the Lions have only one previous match up against each other. In 2003, Columbia traveled to Syracuse, where the Orange handily won by a 4-0 margin.
Syracuse enters the weekend riding a four-game winning streak. Last weekend the Orange defeated No. 16 Louisville and Michigan in a pair of games played in Louisville, Ky. Sophomore midfielder Martina Loncarica scored the game-winner in the first game, sealing a 3-2 victory over the Cardinals. Freshman back Amy Kee provided the game-winning tally in overtime against the Wolverines.
Kee leads the Orange in several statistical categories including points (12), assists (6) and shots (30). Junior forward Lindsey Conrad leads the Orange in goals (5), while Kee and junior forward Shelby Schraden have each amassed a pair of game-winning tallies. In net the Orange are led by freshman Leann Stiver (4-1) and graduate student Ashleigh McGowan (3-0). Stiver has posted a 1.41 GAA and a .815 Save Pct. in three starts. McGowan owns a 2.55 GAA and a .733 Save Pct. in five starts.
