Syracuse University
Rutgers University
SU Travels to Garden State for Two
9/15/2010 3:39:45 PM | Field Hockey
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The eighth-ranked Orange field hockey team (4-2, 0-0) travels to the Garden State for a pair of contests this weekend. The Orange opens BIG EAST Conference play at rv Rutgers (1-5, 0-0) on Saturday, September 18 at 1 p.m. Syracuse concludes the weekend at regional rival No. 4 Princeton (3-0) on Sunday, September 19 at 2 p.m.
Rutgers Series Notes
Syracuse and Rutgers meet for the 23nd time with the Orange boasting a 16-6 advantage. SU has won the last six meetings, including last season's 6-1 win in Syracuse. The Orange is 6-3 all time in Piscataway and has won the last four contests in New Jersey.
Last Meeting with the Scarlet Knights
The Orange secured its sixth BIG EAST Regular Season Championship with its 6-1 victory versus Rutgers on October 31, at J.S. Coyne Stadium.
Current senior forward Kristin Girouard scored twice for the Orange. Tracy Deitrick, two-time All-American Lindsey Conrad and current senior back Maggie Befort all had one goal and one assist for Syracuse. Current sophomore back Amy Kee added a goal and current junior forward Heather Susek added an assist. Current sophomore goalkeeper Leann Stiver made one save in the cage for SU. The Orange outshot Rutgers, 19-5, and held a 5-2 advantage in penalty corners.
Princeton Series Notes
The Orange and Tigers have met 13 times, with Princeton boasting a 10-3 advantage. Syracuse is 2-5 all-time against the Tigers in Princeton, including a 7-3 setback in the second round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament and a 3-0 setback in the first round of the 1995 NCAA Tournament. SU advanced to its first Final Four in program history with a 3-2 overtime win against Princeton at J.S. Coyne Stadium in 2008.
Last Meeting with the Tigers
Syracuse's 2009 season come to an end in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Class of '52 Stadium on the campus of Princeton University. Princeton outscored Syracuse 5-0 in the second half to defeat Syracuse 7-3 and advance to the Final Four.
Two-time All-American Lindsey Conrad, All-American Martina Loncarica and current sophomore back Amy Kee each scored for the Orange. Current senior back Maggie Befort and Loncaria were credited with SU's two assists. Current sophomore goalkeeper Leann Stiver and current manager Ashleigh McGowan combined to make six saves for the Orange. Jennifer King had four for the Tigers. Princeton outshot Syracuse, 23-12, and held a 9-6 advantage in corners.
Current Princeton junior Kathleen Sharkey scored four goals for the Tigers. Kaitlin Donovan scored twice and now sophomore Michelle Cesan tallied the other Tiger goal.
Orange Players Against Rutgers
Seven current members of the Orange have registered at least one point against the Scarlet Knights. Two-time All-American Lindsey Conrad has registered nine points off four goals and an assist. Senior back Maggie Befort has recorded six points off four assists and one goal.
All-American Martina Loncarica has tallied four points off four assists and senior forward Kristin Girouard has notched four points off two goals.
Sophomore back Amy Kee and junior midfielder Nicole Nelson have each registered two points off one goal and junior forward Heather Susek has one point off one assist.
Scouting the Orange
Syracuse is led by freshman midfielder Leonie Geyer's team-best four assists and team-high tying eight points. Junior forward Heather Susek has also recorded a team-best eight points off a team-high tying three goals and two assists.
Two-time All-American Lindsey Conrad's has scored a team-best tying three goals. Sophomore back Amy Kee and All-American Martina Loncarica have each registered two goals and two assists for a total of six points.
Senior back Maggie Befort has tallied five points off two goals and one assist. Senior forward Kristin Girouard has notched three points off one goal and one assist.
Senior forward Shelby Schraden and sophomore back Iona Holloway have each scored once.
Sophomore goalkeeper Leann Stiver has played all but eight minutes for the Orange. She has a 1.30 goal-against-average and a .723 saves percentage.
Befort has scored a school record 110 points in her four-year career. Befort is also second on SU's all-time assist chart with 46.
Conrad is now tied with Kelly Larkin (1988-91) for second on SU's all-time goals scored list with 41. She is also second on SU's all-time points list with 100.
Loncarica ranks first on SU's all-time assists list with 50. She is also tied for third on the all-time points list with 94.
The Orange is now 50-37-12 all-time in overtime contests.
Syracuse's 2-1 overtime loss to Kent State on September 4 was its first loss to a non-ranked team since October 25, 2007 (52 games ago).
SU's 20.17 shots per game is the best in the BIG EAST by 2.34 shots.
Stiver ranks first among active players in career saves percentage at .840 and ninth in career goals-against-average at 1.29.
Conrad ranks second among active players in career points with 144 and third in career goals with 60.
Befort is fourth among active players in career assists with 46 and eighth in points with 110.
Loncarica is third among active players in career assists with 50.
Head coach Ange Bradley's winning percentage (.715) ranks sixth among active coaches.
Syracuse has been raked in the top 10 for 24 consecutive weeks. SU was ranked 17th on August 28, 2008, but moved up to number seven a week later and has not dropped out of the top 10 since.
Scouting the Scarlet Knights
Rutgers (1-5) lost a pair of contests to nationally ranked opponents last weekend at the Terrapin Invitational. The Scarlet Knights lost to No. 20 American, 3-1, on September 11 and to No. 2 Maryland, 8-1, on September 12.
Five different Scarlet Knights have scored at least one goal this season. Junior back Christie Morad leads the team with three points while four players have two points each.
Scouting the Tigers
Kathleen Sharkey scored seven goals and added an assist for 15 points in Princeton's (3-0) two wins last weekend, including a six goal performance against Richmond, which set the school record for points and goals in a game. In three wins, the Tigers have outscored their opponents by a 17-2 margin.
Five other players have tallied at least one goal for Princeton. Christina Maidi has played every minute in cage for the Tigers, registering a 0.67 goals-against-average and a .833 saves percentage.
Susek and Stiver Earn Weekly Honors
Two Syracuse University field hockey players earned BIG EAST Player of the Week accolades for their efforts in SU's 3-1 victory at No. 17 Old Dominion and 2-1 overtime setback against No. 3 Virginia last weekend. Junior forward Heather Susek earned Big East Offensive Player of the Week honors for the first time in her career after leading the Orange's offensive onslaught versus Old Dominion and pressuring the opposing defense against Virginia. Sophomore goalkeeper Leann Stiver was named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week following two strong performances in the cage. It was Stiver's second career BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week recognition and first this season.
Susek scored two goals, including the game winner in Syracuse's triumph versus the Lady Monarchs. She tallied one shot on goal in the Orange's loss against the Cavaliers. Susek's three goals this season are tied for most on the squad with two-time All-American Lindsey Conrad.
Stiver recorded 11 saves and only allowed three goals in two games against nationally ranked foes. She registered three saves against ODU. Stiver played a key role in keeping Virginia scoreless in the second half as she recorded six of her eight total saves during the game's second stanza. Stiver ranks second in the BIG EAST with an 1.30 goals-against-average and .742 saves percentage.
SU Sixth in WomensFieldHockey.com Poll
The Orange squad received a No. 6 ranking in the first womensfieldhockey.com poll of the year.
Last Weekend in Review
Syracuse went 1-1 last weekend against two ranked opponents.
Junior forward Heather Susek scored twice as the Orange defeated No. 17 Old Dominion on September 11 at the Powhatan Sports Complex. Freshman midfielder Leonie Geyer scored SU's other goal. SU outshot ODU, 19-10, but the Lady Monarchs held a slim 5-4 advantage in penalty corners. Sophomore goalkeeper Leann Stiver made three saves for the Orange.
Syracuse lost an overtime thriller, 2-1, to undefeated third ranked Virginia on September 12 in Norfolk, Va. All-American midfielder Martina Loncarica gave SU the early 1-0 lead 31:45 into the game off an Orange penalty corner Sophomore back #Amy Kee# provided the assist on the play. The Cavaliers outshot the Orange, 16-11, and held an 8-4 advantage in penalty corners. Stiver made eight saves for SU, including six in the second half.
Catch The Action With Live All Access
Orange All Access (OAA) brings exclusive coverage of Syracuse's Olympic sports to subscribers this fall with live game webcasts. A total of 19 home events, encompassing five sports, are scheduled to air on SUathletics.com through Nov. 1.
The last three home games for the SU field hockey team, including its highly-anticipated matchup with BIG EAST rival Connecticut on Oct. 23 will all air live on OAA
Subscriptions for OAA start at $5.95 for a 24-hour pass. A monthly subscription is $9.95 and it's $79.95 for the year. For more information log on to suathletics.com/showcase.
The fall webcast schedule is subject to change. The OAA webcast schedule for the winter and spring will be released at a later date.
