Women Soccer Team Preps For NCAA Tourney
November 7, 2000 | Women's Soccer
BOSTON -- The Terrier women's soccer team will make its first appearance ever in the NCAA Tournament on Wednesday (November 8th) when it travels to Worcester to play Holy Cross in a 1:00 p.m. game at Hart Field.
NCAA Division 1 Tournament First Round Vs. Holy Cross * November 8, 2000 * at Worcester, MA
TERRIERS MAKING FIRST APPEARANCE AT NCAA TOURNAMENT: This marks the Terriers' first appearance in the NCAA Division 1 tournament. In fact, prior to the 1995 season, women's soccer was not a varsity sport at B.U. It was elevated to varsity status in time for the 1995 season, and the Terriers compiled a 10-3-2 record. The following year, B.U. was 14-4-0 overall and, competing in America East for the first time, the team was 3-4-0 in league play. In 1997, the Terriers were 13-7-1 overall and 7-2-0 in the league. It marked the first time the Terriers qualified for the America East post-season tournament, but they lost to Towson, 2-0, in the first round. In 1998, the Terriers were 10-8-2 overall and 7-1-1 in the league. Again, they qualified for the post-season tournament, and again they lost in the first round. This time it was a 1-0 shutout against New Hampshire. Last year, B.U. was 13-8-0 overall and 8-1-0 in the league. For the third straight year, the Terriers advanced to the America East tournament. However, unlike the previous two years, they won their first-round gamea 1-0 blanking of Hofstra. However, they lost to Hartford, 2-1, in the title game. Then, this past season, the Terriers were 13-6-0 overall during the regular-season. They finished their league schedule with a perfect 9-0-0 record and their first America East regular-season title. Then, in the post-season tournament, they defeated Towson, 2-1, in the semifinals and Hartford, 4-1, in the championship game.
RECORD WIN TOTAL: The Terriers come into today's match against Holy Cross with a school-record 15 wins. The previous record was 14 by the 1996 team.
75-36-5: In the six-year history of the program, the Terriers have compiled an overall record of 75-36-5 for a .668 winning percentage.
THIRD TOURNAMENT THIS YEAR: This is the Terriers' third tournament this year, and they are 2-2 in their two previous tourney appearances. They were 0-2 at the MSI/ECAC Women's Soccer Classic on September 8th and 10th. They lost to Boston College, 4-2, in the first round and to Brown, 1-0, in the second game. Then, they came back to post a 2-0 record in the America East post-season tournament on November 3rd and 5th. They defeated Towson, 2-1, in the semifinals and Hartford, 4-1, in the title game.
SIX-GAME WINNING STREAK: The Terriers come into the NCAA Tournament on a six-game winning streak. Since their 3-1 loss to Harvard on October 18th, the Terriers have reeled off two wins each against Hartford and Towson and a victory each over Vermont and Towson. During this stretch, they have outscored their opponents, 18-2. They closed out their regular season with four straight 3-0 shutouts over Hartford, Vermont, Delaware, and Towson. Then, in the America East post-season tournament, they defeated Towson, 2-1, and Hartford, 4-1During this six-game stretch, they have outshot their opponents, 131-58, and had an edge in corner kicks, 29-21Only once in the last six games did they not have at least 20 shots, and that came in the America East tournament title game against Hartford. In the 4-1 win, B.U. had just seven shots compared to nine by the Hawks.
FOURTH MEETING BETWEEN TERRIERS, CRUSADERS: This marks the fourth time the Terriers and Crusaders will be meeting, and the Terriers have won two of the three previous matchups. In the first meeting, on October 14, 1995 at Holy Cross, the Crusaders defeated the Terriers, 2-1, in overtime. They met again on November 3, 1996, at B.U., and the Terriers blanked the Crusaders, 2-0. Their third meeting came at B.U. on September 6, 1997, and B.U. won again by the 2-0 margin.
COMMON FOES: Both B.U. and Holy Cross have played the following common opponents this year:
Boston College: Both teams lost to the EaglesB.U. by a 4-2 score on September 8th and Holy Cross by a 9-0 margin on September 3rd.
New Hampshire: The Terriers blanked the Wildcats, 3-0, on September 28th, while Holy Cross lost, 1-0, on September 6th.
Brown: Both teams lost by a 1-0 score. B.U. suffered its loss on September 10th in the MSI/ECAC Women's Soccer Classic. Holy Cross lost in two overtimes on September 27th.
Hartford: The Terriers are 2-0 against the Hawks this year3-0 on October 20th and 4-1 on November 5th in the title game of the America East Tournament. Holy Cross lost to Hartford, 3-0, on September 30th.
Northeastern: B.U. blanked the Huskies, 2-0, on October 13th, while Holy Cross posted a 1-0 win on October 10th.
FELDMAN FAMILIAR WITH THE NCAA's: Even though this is the first time she is taking the Terriers to the national tournament, head coach Nancy Feldman is no stranger to the NCAA Tournament. Prior to her being named B.U.'s first women's soccer head coach in March, 1995, she was the head coach at Plymouth State for five years. In each of those years, she took the Panthers to the NCAA's. In fact, in her final season, she guided both the soccer and basketball teams to the NCAA Tournament. Also, in 1987, she was an assistant coach on the UMass/Amherst team that finished 20-2 and advanced to the finals of the NCAA Tournament.
TERRIERS ON A TEAR: The following players are coming into the NCAAs on hot streaks.
Danielle Demers: The junior goalie from Portland, ME is undefeated in her last six matches. Dating back to the 3-0 win over Hartford on October 20th, she is 6-0-0. She has allowed two goals and had 20 saves for a .909 save percentage. She has played 540 minutes and has an 0.33 GAAShe also has four shutouts during that six-game stretch to give her 8 for the season.
Deidre Enos: The senior forward from Milton, MA, she has 9 goals and 2 assists for 20 points in her last 7 games. Three of her goals have been game-winners.
Suzanne Hudak: The sophomore midfielder from Harleysville, PA had 2-15 in the last four regular-season games. Both goals were game-winners. They came in the 3-0 win over Hartford on October 20th and in the 3-0 win over Towson on November 3rd.
Allison Merkle: The sophomore midfielder from Baltimore, MD has 1-68 in her last 7 games. She had 0-55 in the Terriers' final five regular-season games and then had 1-13 vs. Hartford in the America East title game. In the 4-1 win, she scored the game-winning goal and added an assist.
TERRIERS AMONG THE NATIONAL STAT LEADERS: Deidre Enos is tied with Cal Poly's Michele O'Brien for 11th in the country in goals a game with 0.95. In addition, both Enos and Danielle Demers are just shy of the cutoff to be included in the Top-20 in the nation. Enos is averaging 2.05 points per game, while O'Brien is 20th with 2.14 ppg. Demers' 0.76 GAA is just shy of Natalia Garcia of Cal Poly, who is 20th with an 0.74 GAA.
TERRIERS AMONG AMERICA EAST LEADERS: Enos leads the conference in both scoring (2.05 ppg) and goals (0.95 gpg). Demers is first in the conference in GAA with her 0.76. Allison Merkle is fourth in assists per game with 0.35. Finally, the Terriers' team 0.91 GAA leads the conference.
