CHAMPS AGAIN: Orange Defeats UConn, 3-2

Sunday, November 6

J.S. Coyne Stadium

1 p.m.

Syracuse University

No. 4 University of Connecticut

11/6/2011 3:59:34 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score | Season Stats | Photo Gallery | NCAA Selection Show (Tuesday, 8:00 p.m.)

The Syracuse field hockey team (18-3) captured its second straight BIG EAST Championship title on Sunday with a 3-2 victory against top-seeded Connecticut at J.S. Coyne Stadium. The Orange took an early 3-0 lead in the first 19 minutes of play before Connecticut answered with two goals late in the first half.

The Orange, which earns an automatic bid into the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Tournament, will await its fate with the NCAA Selection Show on Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. on NCAA.com. The tournament begins next Saturday, Nov. 12.

Lauren Brooks, who scored two goals during the weekend, was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Brooks was joined by Liz McInerney, Iona Holloway and Leann Stiver on the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team.

Brooks got the scoring started in the fourth minute of the game when Martina Loncarica sent a pass through the circle for a shot past Connecticut goalkeeper Sarah Mansfield (four saves). Just 55 seconds later, McInerney dribbled through the Huskie defense and fired a shot from the center of the circle past Mansfield for her second goal of the season.

Both teams exhibited physical play throughout the contest with a combined three yellow cards and two green cards, and the Orange capitalized on a UConn miscue as Heather Susek was taken down in the circle, earning a penalty stroke. Loncarica took the stroke for SU, and buried it past Mansfield for her fifth goal of the season, and fourth via penalty stroke.

Minutes later, Susek was whistled for a 10-minute yellow card, and Connecticut began to chip into the Syracuse lead as Anne Jeute deflection a pass from Kim Krzyk past Stiver to make it 3-1.

UConn would earn a penalty stroke of its own with 9:09 left in the first half, and Rachel Heistand made it a one-goal game with a shot past Stiver.

The Syracuse defense would preserve the win in the second half, limiting UConn to just one shot in the final 35 minutes and only two penalty corner opportunities.