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South Easton, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts Lowell
and the Stonehill College field hockey teams will be meeting for
the third time this season as both teams will match up in the NCAA
Division II semifinals set for Friday evening at 5 p.m. at W.B.
Mason Stadium on the campus of Stonehill College.
This is the seventh straight appearance for the River Hawks in the
national semifinals after they defeated Bentley University, 5-2, in
the opening round last weekend. Stonehill earned a first round bye
and automatically advanced to the semifinals. This marks the first
time since 2005 that the Skyhawks have reached the semifinal round.
Stonehill defeated UMass Lowell in its previous two meetings this
year including a 2-1 victory at home back in September and then a
3-1 triumph at Lowell in October.
UMass Lowell (17-5) leads the Northeast-10 in scoring this season
averaging 3.86 goals per game as the River Hawk offensive attack is
led by NE-10 Player of the Year, Sammy Macy (Tewksbury,
Mass.). Macy leads the team and conference with 23
goals, while teammate and All-Northeast-10 selection
Katie Enaire (Amesbury, Mass.) is second
with 22 goals scored. On the defensive side, the River Hawks are
led by a duo of All-Northeast-10 selections including
Laura Sullivan (Norwood, Mass.) and
Ashley Smith (Killingworth, Conn.). UMass
Lowell has held its opponents to only 1.50 goals per game which is
third best in the NE-10.
Stonehill (17-4) is led by a duo of All-Northeast-10 selections in
seniors Claire Hourihan (East Amherst,
N.Y.) and Jackie Ladino (North Dartmouth,
Mass.). Hourihan ranks third in the conference with
20 goals scored, while Ladino is tied for seventh with 12. The
Skyhawks are averaging 2.57 goals per game which is third best in
the Northeast-10. The conference’s Defensive Player of the
Year senior Stephanie Kott (Rutland,
Mass.) anchors a defense that has recorded six
shutouts and has only surrendered 23 goals this season. Goalkeeper
Courtney Osier (South Dennis, Mass.) has
a goals against average of 0.98 to go along with six shutouts and a
save percentage of .683.
The winner will advance to the National Championship game on Sunday
and will face the winner of the earlier semifinal contest between
Shippensburg and Bloomsburg. The championship final is set for 1
p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 15 at W.B. Mason Stadium. The semifinals and
the final will be broadcast live as fans can catch all the action
by visiting www.ncaa.com.
With 16 member institutions the Northeast-10 shares the distinction
of being the largest Division II conference in the country along
with the PSAC and WVIAC. Its 23 championship sports provide
athletic opportunities for over 5,500 student-athletes, the largest
such program of any Division II conference.
-NE-10-
2009 NCAA Division II Field Hockey Championship
Hosted By Stonehill College – W.B. Mason Stadium
Friday, November 13
National
Semifinals
#2 Shippensburg (20-2) vs. #1 Bloomsburg (20-1), 2 p.m.
#3 UMass Lowell (17-5) at #1 Stonehill (17-4), 5 p.m.
Sunday, November 15
National
Championship
Semifinal winners, 1 p.m.
