Orono, Maine -- For the first time in program history, the University of Maine field hockey team will compete in the NCAA Tournament when it travels to meet Miami University in Oxford, Ohio on Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 2 p.m.
Wednesday's NCAA Opening Round contest will be live streamed for free at the
Miami University Athletics website with live stats provided by Miami University at this
link.
A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
The Black Bears are appearing in their first NCAA Tournament after capturing their first America East conference tournament championship with a 2-1 win in an overtime shootout. Maine, which has won six in a row, enter play with the nation's 11th best scoring offense at 2.71 goals per game. The Black Bears are second in America East and 13th nationally in points per game (7.71) and rank first in the league and second nationally with 8.29 penalty corners per game. Defensively, Maine boasts a 1.69 goals against average.
Poppy Lambert, an America East First Team All-Conference selection, enters play with a four-game goal scoring streak and leads the Black Bears with 15 goals on the season and a team-high 30 points.
Brooke Sulinski is chipping in 11 goals and four assists for 26 points while
Chloe Walton, also an America East First Team All-Conference selection, rounds out Maine's double-digit goal scorers with 10, including a team-high six game-winners, to go along with six assists for 26 points.
Hana Davis, an America East Second Team All-Conference honoree, is adding nine goals and two assists for 20 points. In the cage, Maine features the America East Goalkeeper of the Year in
Mia Borley. Borley is is 14-5 on the year with a 1.84 goals against average and a .712 saves percentage with 89 total saves on the season.
A LOOK AT MIAMI UNIVERSITY:
The RedHawks earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament after capturing the MAC Tournament championship with a 2-1 win over Longwood. Miami University, winners of each of its last four games, are led by the MAC Offensive Player of the Year, Claudia Negrete Garcia. Garcia has tallied a MAC best 17 goals to go along with eight assists for 42 points. Garcia has provided the RedHawks with the majority of their offense this season as the next closest offensive threat is Lexie Nugent who checks in with six goals and two assists for 14 points. Isabelle Perese has played all 21 games in the cage for Miami University and enters play with an 11-9 mark to go along with a 1.73 goals against average and a .713 saves percentage. The RedHawks rank third in the MAC in goals per game (2.00) and tops in penalty corners, seventh nationally, with 7.76 per contest.
-UMaine-
