University of Massachusets Athletics
Field Hockey Travels To No. 4 UConn On Saturday
September 20, 2007 | Field Hockey
Sept. 20, 2007
AMHERST, Mass. - UMass Field Hockey (4-4) takes to the road again this weekend, as the Minutewomen travel to Storrs, Conn. to take on the UConn Huskies (8-1) in a 1 p.m. game Saturday at the George J Sherman Family Sports Complex. UMass is coming off a 2-1 victory at Siena on Sunday. The Huskies, ranked fourth in this week's STX/NFHCA Division I Poll, defeated Harvard on Wednesday by a score of 2-0.
Series History:
This will be the 42nd meeting between the two programs. UMass has played UConn more than times than any other opponent. The Minutewomen's all-time record against the Huskies is 12-26-3. UConn has won the last six meetings. The last UMass win in the series came on September 30, 2000, when the No. 9 Minutewomen defeated the No. 7 Huskies by a 2-1 score. It marks the last time UMass defeated a top-10 ranked opponent.
Last season, UConn shutout the Minutewomen, 6-0. Sarah Williams (Colorado Springs, Colo.) made a career-high 18 saves in the contest. It was also her first career start. Six different Huskies scored.
UMass Report:
Head Coach Justine Sowry's club will be looking for their second road win of the week, after defeating Siena 2-1 in Loudonville, NY on Sunday. That win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Minutewomen, which followed up a three-game winning streak.
UMass will be looking for its first victory over a ranked opponent since October 4, 2000, when No. 7 UMass defeated No. 14 Boston University, 2-1 on penalty strokes.
The biggest strength of the team continues to be the defense. Led by experienced seniors, Erin O'Brien (Annandale, Va.) and Kristina DoRosario (Oakville, Ontario), and a talented rookie, Jaime Bourazeris (New Hyde Park, NY), the defense has allowed only 35 shots on goal (4.38 per game), fewest in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Those three players also occupy the top three spots on the team in minutes played this season.
The goalkeeping tandem of Williams and senior Becky Letourneau (Greenfield, Mass.) continues to play well. Williams is 3-1 after getting the win Sunday. She posts a 0.68 goals against average and a .824 save percentage. She currently ranks fifth in the country in goals against average. Letourneau is currently 1-3 with a 1.35 GAA and a .722 save percentage. They have combined for three shutouts, placing UMass ninth nationally in shutouts per game. The team's 0.99 GAA is the 12th best in the NCAA.
Cher King (Christ Church, Barbados) leads the team in goals (5), points (11), and shots (33). The sophomore midfielder also has defensive save. Freshman Katie Kelly (Dedham, Mass.) has two goals on the season. Both goals were game-winners, to tie her with King for the team lead. Junior midfielder Erin Parker (South Deerfield, Mass.) has one goal and leads the team with two assists. Her four points ties her with Kelly for second on the club.
UMass assistant coach Chrissy Needham played at UConn from 1996-2000. She was named to the Big East Academic All-Star Team every year she was there.
UConn Report:
UConn enters the weekend on the heels of a 2-0 victory over Harvard on Wednesday. After starting the season with seven straight wins and reaching third in the polls, the Huskies dropped their first game last Sunday to Villanova, 3-2.
The Huskies are led by head coach Nancy Stevens. She is in her 18th season at UConn and 29th overall. She has taken two programs to the heights of being ranked No. 1 (Northwestern in 1985 and UConn in 1999) and her 442 career wins entering this season ranked her second overall. In 2006, she led the team to its fifth straight NCAA appearance, where they advanced to the National Semifinals, losing to eventual champion Maryland 2-1 on penalty strokes.
Associate Head Coach Paul Caddy is in his seventh season with UConn. He was a volunteer assistant coach with UMass in 1999 when the Minutewomen compiled a 13-8 record and went to the NCAA Tournament.
On offense, UConn is paced by senior Lizzy Peijs. The Dutch forward leads the team in goals (6), points (15), and shots (38). Junior midfielder Lindsey Leck leads the team in assists with five and has four goals, for fourteen points. Junior Lauren Aird has chipped in with four goals of her own.
Nine different players have scored goals for the Huskies this season. They are outscoring their opponents 23-11 and outshooting them 140-60. UConn keeps the pressure on opposing defenses, forcing nine penalty corners per game, fifth best in the country.
Sophomore goalkeeper Andrea Mainiero has played every minute in goal this season and has thus compiled an 8-1 record. She has a 1.55 GAA and a .771 save percentage.
Looking Ahead:
Following Saturday's game, the Minutewomen return home for Wednesday night's 7 p.m. match-up with the Brown University Bears. The game will be web-cast on UMass All-Access and live stats will be available on Gametracker, all at UMassAthletics.com. Next weekend, UMass travels to Albany on Sunday to take on the Great Danes in a 3:30 p.m. game.