Utica Set to Host 2011 E8 Field Hockey Championships
Utica, N.Y. (11/1/2011) - The Utica College field hockey team is set to host the Empire 8 Conference Field Hockey Tournament for the first time in program-history this weekend. The top-seeded Pioneers will open up play on Saturday morning when they host fourth-seeded Washington & Jefferson at 10:30 a.m. The second semi-final game will feature second-seeded Stevens Institute of Technology against third-seeded Nazareth College at approximately 1:30 p.m. The tournament finals will take place on Sunday at 12 p.m.
“This is an exciting time for our program,” said third year Head Coach Sarah Elleman. “We are building a rich tradition of good field hockey teams here at UC and I hope that this year’s squad can continue that legacy. We have to take it one game at a time and it all starts with W & J on Saturday morning.”
Live video will be available for all three contests at
www.empire8.tv. Links for live stats are also available at the tournament webpage:
Click Here.
#1 Utica College (11-7, 6-1 Empire 8)
UC enters the Empire 8 Conference Tournament after posting a 6-1 record in conference play this past season. The Pioneers lone conference defeat came by way of a 1-0 overtime loss on the grass at Elmira College. UC is hosting its first Empire 8 Conference Championship after winning the regular season crown, outright, for the first time in school-history. Back in 2006 the Pioneers shared the conference’s regular season title with Ithaca College.
Utica is led by the conference’s top goal scorer – freshman Louise Steel-Norton. Steele-Norton finished her freshman campaign with 15 goals and one assist. Not far behind was classmate Hannah Mackey, who posted 30 points on 13 goals and four assists this year. The Pioneers’ defensive unit is led by senior defender Jessica Ahearn and senior goalie Monica Storms. Ahearn totaled eight points on three goals and two assists, while making three defensive saves. Storms currently ranks second in school-history with 24 career victories and eight shut outs.
#2 Stevens Institute of Technology (11-6, 6-1 Empire 8)
The Ducks head into the conference tournament having won six of their last seven contests. Their lone conference loss of the season came at the hands of Utica College at DeBaun Field. After opening the season with three losses, the Ducks went on an incredible tear, winning 11 of their final 14 games.
Stevens has won three straight Empire 8 Conference Championships headed into this weekend. Last season the Ducks advanced to the Regional Semi-finals of the NCAA Tournament after knocking off visiting Geneseo in the first round.
The Ducks are led by sophomore forward Rachel Chavez, who tallied a team-best 30 points on 11 goals and eight assists. Six different players scored at least 21 points for Stevens this year including a 27 point effort from Mary Nikish (team-high 12 goals). Senior keeper Krysten Suarez is the probable starter for the Ducks after totaling 71 saves and a 2.41 goals against average in 12 games played this year.
#3 Nazareth College (6-11, 4-3 Empire 8)
Nazareth College earned the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament by edging Hartwick College 2-1 in overtime on Saturday. The Golden Flyers have caught fire at the right time, having won three of their last four games, including a 2-0 win on the road at Washington & Jefferson on Oct. 15. Nazareth took top-seeded Utica College to overtime and they also defeated Elmira and St. John Fisher on its way to a 4-3 conference ledger.
Junior Kailee O’Hara enters the conference tournament as the Golden Flyers leading scorer with 17 points on six goals and five assists. Classmate Tessa Knapp has totaled 16 points this season, while junior Lindsey Smith posted four goals and added five assists. Smith was recently named the Conference’s Player of the Week after scoring the game-winner in overtime Saturday to propel the Golden Flyers into the conference tournament for the second consecutive year. Freshman goalie Sophia Rhoades leads the young group of Naz net minders as she finished the regular season ranked fourth in the E8 with 7.92 saves per game.
#4 Washington & Jefferson (12-4, 4-3 Empire 8)
Washington & Jefferson enters the conference tournament as the No. 4 seed after a 4-1 loss at Stevens last Saturday. If Hartwick would have defeated Nazareth on Saturday, the Presidents would have earned the No. 3 seed. W & J has made four straight appearances in the Empire 8 Conference Tournament and they have won four straight conference tournament semi-final match-ups. The President’s hope to get over the hump this post-season after having lost in the E8 finals for four consecutive years.
They opened their 2011 campaign by winning 11 of their first 13 games and they only lost one non conference contest all season. As a team the Presidents have outscored their opponents 48-24 through 16 games. Their offensive attack features three 25+ point scorers including Erin Barno (28), Jennifer Marabella (26) and Amanda Pflumm (25). Marabella led W & J with 12 goals, while Pflumm tied for the team lead with nine assists. Senior goalie Shelby Coyler has started six straight games for the Presidents and she has posted a 1.69 goals against average to go along with two shut outs.