NEW PALTZ, N.Y. - After taking down Keene State 6-3 in the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament, the State University of New York at New Paltz field hockey team will play at No. 4 The College of New Jersey on Saturday, Nov. 15 at 11 a.m.
TALE OF THE TAPE: The Hawks are 15-6 after their 6-3 win over the Owls on Wednesday evening and have won four straight games... The Lions are 19-1 and have won 11 straight contests.
THE NEW PALTZ HAWKS (15-6)SUNYAC TITLES: 2014, 2013, 2012 (3)NCAA APPEARANCES: 2014, 2013, 2012 (3)NCAA RECORD: 2-2 (Last won 6-3 over Keene State in 2014 First Round)REACHING THE SECOND ROUND: T
he Hawks used a four-goal second half to beat host Keene State College, 6-3, in the NCAA Tournament first round at Owl Stadium... New Paltz dominated the stat sheet, finishing with a 27-8 margin in shots and a 12-6 cushion in penalty corners... Junior goalkeeper Alayna Wageman made four saves in the win... Junior back Jessica Caruana tallied a penalty stroke goal in the eighth minute... Freshman forward Sam Eberle scored in the 17th minute... Sophomore forward Erin Landy tallied a goal less than two minutes into the second half... Senior forward Alex Gallo, sophomore forward Kayla McKeveny and senior midfielder Deirdre O'Neill all scored second half goals.Box Score I
Recap I
Postgame Inteview with head coach Shanna VitaleSCOUTING THE HAWKS: New Paltz is 9-3 on the road this season… New Paltz has won two one-goal games and has one overtime victory… The Hawks have earned four All-SUNYAC selections this season as junior forward/midfielder Dani Ackerman, Caruana and O'Neill were First Team honorees and McKeveny was named to the Second Team... Following the title game, Caruana and Wagemen were named the SUNYAC Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively. STATISTICAL LEADERS: The Hawks have three double-digit goal scorers and eight players with 10 or more points… McKeveny leads the team with 28 points… McKeveny and freshman forward Justine O'Reilly lead the squad with 11 goals… Ackerman has fired in 10 goals and leads the team with 110 shots… O'Neill has recorded nine goals and eight assists… Caruana has registered six goals and nine helpers… Landy has five goals and four assists… Eberle and Gallo both have five goals each… McKeveny and O'Neill have three game-winning goals apiece… Caruana is 3-for-4 on penalty strokes… Wageman is 15-6 with a goals-against average (GAA) of 1.75, a .752 save percentage, 106 saves and three shutouts. TEAM STATISTICS: New Paltz has outscored teams 27-18 in the first half and 35-19 in the second period… Overall, the Hawks have outscored opponents 63-37, outshooting teams 431-238… New Paltz has attempted 261 penalty corners while allowing 108.
THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY LIONS (19-1)
NJAC TITLES: 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993,1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2014 (22)
NCAA APPEARANCES: 2014, 2011, 2010, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987, 1986, 1985, 1984, 1983, 1982, 1981 (31)
NCAA RECORD: 71-20 (Last won 3-1 over Middlebury in 2011 National Championship)
NCAA TITLES: 2011, 1999, 1996, 1995, 1991, 1990, 1988, 1985, 1983, 1981 (10)
REACHING THE NCAA TOURNAMENT: The Lions defeated Rowan 3-2 in overtime to reach the NCAA playoffs... Danielle Andreula and Lindsey Hatch scored in regulation and Erin Healy notched the game-winning goal... Kelly Schlupp made three stops during the contest... Erin Waller recorded two assists... Andreula was credited with one helper... This was the first NJAC title for TCNJ since 2011.
Box Score I
RecapSCOUTING THE LIONS: TCNJ is the No. 4 team in the nation… The Lions are led by 30
th-year head coach Sharon Pfluger '82, who has accrued 533 career victories and eight NCAA championships… Pfluger is also the head women's lacrosse coach and has won 11 NCAA titles… The Lions last won the NCAA field hockey title in 2011… TCNJ is riding an 11-game winning streak and is 10-0 at home this year… The lone Lion loss occurred on Sept. 27 at Salisbury (L, 3-1)… TCNJ squeaked by Rowan 3-2 in OT to claim the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) title… Senior forward Lindsey Hatch ranks third in the NCAA in points (78) and fifth in goals (29).
STATISTICAL LEADERS: The Lions feature a trio of players with 16 or more goals… Hatch leads the team with 29 goals and 20 assists for 78 points… Hatch has fired off 143 shots with 87 on target… Hatch also has seven game-winning goals… Sophomore midfielder Jaclyn Douglas has 21 goals and seven assists for 49 points… Senior forward Erin Healy has 16 goals and 11 assists for 43 points… Sophomore goalkeeper Kelly Schlupp is 19-1 with a GAA of 0.89, a .717 save percentage, 38 saves and two shutouts.
TEAM STATISTICS: The Lions have outscored opponents 97-19, holding a 519-116 shots advantage… TCNJ holds an impressive 348-69 shots-on-goal margin… The Lions have attempted 290 penalty corners while allowing just 91… The Lions have outscored teams 55-8 in the first half and 41-11 in the second period.
LAST MEETING: The Hawks fell at TCNJ 7-0 when these two teams last met on Saturday, Sept. 9 2006.
WHAT'S NEXT: The winner of this contest will take on the winner of the Catholic/Messiah game played later on Saturday at TCNJ at 2 p.m.
