#3 Field Hockey Poised to Face #5 Lowell in NCAA Tournament Final Four Friday
Game Notes / Live Stats / Video
The Particulars:
The #3 Merrimack field hockey team is making its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. The Warriors earned the top seed in the North Region which was accompanied by a first-round bye to the Final Four. Merrimack will take on #5 UMass Lowell November 11 at Bloomsburg University.
About Merrimack:
Merrimack boasts a 17-2 overall record on the year. The Warriors claimed their first-ever Northeast-10 Conference regular season title in 2011 with a perfect 10-0 record in league play.
All-Time Tournament:
This marks Merrimack's first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament. Only three teams in school history have ever reached the Final Four, hockey in 1978 , softball in 1994 and men's lacrosse in 2009. The hockey and softball squads both went on to claim the national title.
Last Time Out [UMass Lowell 3, Merrimack 2 - NE-10 Tournament Final]:
The Warriors suffered a 3-2 loss to local rivals UMass Lowell in the championship game of the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament. April Daugherty and Candace Waldie both netted first half goals for Merrimack.
All-Conference Accolades:
Merrimack garnered eight Northeast-10 All-Conference honorees in 2011. April Daugherty, Jen Otis and Kerri Bergquist were all tabbed to the first team. Jessica Otis, Stephanie Heasman and Katie Zubkus all earned a spot on the second team. Abbey Stacey and Kristen Connolly were selected to the All-Rookie team.
Awards Galore:
Junior April Daugherty was named the 2011 Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Year, marking the first Warrior to earn the award. Classmate Kerri Bergquist was chosen as the 2011 Northeast-10 Conference Goalie of the Year, becoming the second-ever Merrimack backstop to receive the distinction. Head coach Anne Rounce was voted the 2011 Northeast-10 Conference Coach of the Year, the Warriors' first head coach to be recognized with the honor.
Laying Eggs:
Merrimack has posted 10 shutout-victories this season. The Warriors strung together six-consecutive clean sheets between September 8 and 22. During the span, Kerri Bergquist held opponents scoreless for 449:31. Bergquist is the all-time program-record holder with 16 career shutouts.
Deciding Factor:
The Warriors have had eight separate players notch game-winning goals this season. April Daugherty leads the squad with six game-winners on the year. Sophomore Jessica Otis ranks second with three while Jen Otis has tallied two.
Savings Account:
Senior Caitlin Kamide leads the team with four defensive saves this season. Kamide has 14 career defensive saves to her credit, tying her with Ashley Nadeau for tops in program-history. Stephanie Heasman has recorded Merrimack's only other defensive save this fall.
Perpetual Performer:
Senior Victoria DeLacey holds the program record for most games played in a career. In four years, DeLacey has appeared in 78 contests for the Warriors. Of those 78 games, she has started in 73 of them.
2011 Captains:
Senior Caitlin Kamide and junior April Daugherty have served as team captains this season. Kamide is a back from Southbury, CT and is majoring in athletic training at Merrimack. Daugherty is a forward out of Wakefield, RI and is majoring in communications and education.
Preseason Prognositications:
Merrimack was tabbed to finish sixth among the 11 teams in the Northeast-10 Conference. The Warriors exceeded all expectations this fall as they rattled off a perfect 10-0 record in league contests to finish atop the standings.
Merrimack Head Coach Anne Rounce:
In her fourth season at the helm of the Merrimack field hockey team, Anne Rounce owns a 43-35 career record. Rounce, a 200-7 graduate of Merrimack College and four-year member of the field hockey squad, guided the Warriors to their first-ever Northeast-10 Conference regular season title and first-ever NCAA Tournament berth this season.
Follow from Home:
Live stats and video will be available for every contest of the NCAA Final Four, provided by the NCAA.
