NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The third-ranked and fifth-seeded Merrimack College field hockey program will begin play in the fifth NCAA Tournament in program history on Sunday afternoon when the Warriors face third-ranked and fourth-seeded Shippensburg University at 1 p.m. from the Robb Sports Complex in Shippensburg, Pa.
The Warriors and Raiders were tied in the most recent Penn Monto/National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll, hence the identical national ranking. Merrimack finished the regular season with 18 victories and claimed its first Northeast-10 Conference Championship while the Raiders reached the finals of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament following a 3-0 upset of No. 2 East Stroudsburg in the PSAC Semifinals.
Ticket prices for Sunday's opening-round game will be $7 for adults and $5 for students. Seniors (60 and over) will be charged $5, while children (5 & under) will be charged $2
Inside the Series:
- Sunday will be the first-ever meeting between Merrimack and Shippensburg
- The Warriors played one PSAC institution this season, falling in 3-2 fashion to No. 2 East Stroudsburg in the second game of the regular season
- Shippensburg went 2-0 against NE10 institutions in the regular season, topping Southern Connecticut (5-0) and Saint Michael's (2-1)
NCAA Tournament History:
- Merrimack boasts a 4-4 overall record in the NCAA Tournament, reaching the postseason in the 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015 seasons
- Sunday will be the Warriors' fourth time in in the opening round, with the program boasting a 3-0 all-time record in first-round contests. The Warriors won opening-round games in 2012, 2013 and 2015
- Merrimack's most recent berth, 2015, saw the Warriors reach the national championship game for the first time in school history. Merrimack has reached at least the national semifinals in each of its previous four appearances
- Shippensburg will be making its 14th tournament appearance, making the field in every year since 2003 expect for the 2007 and 2015 campaigns. The Raiders bested Stonehill (6-1), East Stroudsburg (2-1) and LIU Post (4-1) last year en route to the national championship
Five Things to Know:
- The Warriors' victory in the NE10 Championship last Sunday featured the game-winning goal occurring with 0:00 on the clock. With the score deadlocked at 1-1, Merrimack won a penalty corner and senior Mary McNeil delivered the championship-winning goal for the Warriors.
- Merrimack had lost its previous two appearances in the NE10 Final (2011, 2012). Junior Miranda Judd potted the Warriors' other goal of the day, while the victory gave Merrimack its single-season record setting 18th triumph of the season. McNeil was named the Tournament's Most Outstanding Player while senior Delaney Yule and junior Katharina Ohmen joined McNeil on the All-Tournament Team
- McNeil's performance in the NE10 Championship moved the Canton, Mass. native within on point of just the fourth 50-point season in school history, and one assist from tying the program's single-season assist record (16). She leads her team in goals (17), assists (15), and points (49) while also ranking second in the country in assists per game (.71), and 10th in points per game (2.33)
- As a team, Merrimack ranks fifth in the country in goals per game (3.33), seventh in points per game (8.48), second in save percentage (.823), fifth scoring average (3.30), fourth in scoring margin (2.12), third in winning percentage (.857), and first in penalty corners per game (12.48)
- Merrimack also received a NE10-leading eight all-conference selections during tournament week: Yule was named NE10 Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first player ever at Merrimack to win the award. Ohmen was named NE10 Goalkeeper of the Year, and fellow senior captain McNeil joined the major award winners as a all-conference first-team member. Junior Miranda Judd received second team honors, senior Samantha Bartush and junior Jessica Palmer received third team honors, and freshmen Juliane Ohmen and Bridget Shanahan were slated as part of the all-rookie team.
Inside the Matchup:
| #3 Merrimack (18-3) |
Category |
#3 Shippensburg (16-4) |
| 3.33 |
Scoring Offense |
3.50 |
| 1.19 |
Scoring Defense |
1.40 |
| Mary McNeil (17-15—49) |
Leading Scorer |
Jazmin Petrantonio (23-5-51) |
| McNeil (17) |
Goals Leader |
Petrantonio (23) |
| McNeil (15) |
Assists Leader |
Jenna Sluymer (9) |
| Miranda Judd/Delaney Yule (3) |
Defensive Saves Leader |
Caitlyn Wink (1) |
| Katharina Ohmen (1.30) |
GAA Leader |
Ally Mooney (1.34) |
| Ohmen (.806) |
Save Percentage Leader |
Mooney (.786) |
Up Next
With a win, Merrimack will advance to the national semifinals and face No. 1 and top-seeded West Chester University at 2 p.m. on Thursday afternoon. The national semifinals and championship game will be played as part of the NCAA Division II Fall Festival, and hosted at Duquesne University's Rooney Field in Pittsburgh, Pa.
