Terrier Field Hockey Prepared For Semifinal Match With Delaware
November 1, 2001 | Field Hockey
Northeastern, BU, Delaware, Maine in 2001 Field Hockey Championship
Northeastern University (9-0 in America East, 14-5 overall) will host the America East Championship November 2 and 4 at Sweeney Field on Huntington Avenue. The Huskies have earned the right to host the championship as the No. 1 seed.
Boston University (6-3, 8-10) is the No. 2 seed. University of Delaware (6-3, 12-7) is the No. 3 seed and University of Maine (6-3, 10-7) is the No. 4 seed.
The Terriers, Blue Hens and Black Bears all concluded the America East season at 6-3 and each was 1-1 vs. the other two. The America East tie breaker then compares each team’s record vs. the standings in descending order.
All three teams lost to No. 1 Northeastern. Each of the three defeated Drexel. However, Boston University and Delaware defeated Hofstra, while Maine lost to the Pride. The Terriers then earned the No. 2 seed based upon their head-to-head win over the Blue Hens (5-4 in OT on September 28).
On Friday, Northeastern meets Maine at 3 p.m., with Boston University playing Delaware at 5:30 p.m. The championship game is set for Sunday at 2 p.m.
Terriers In The America East Championship In the 12 years that the America East Conference has held a championship in field hockey, Boston University has been a part of it. The Terriers have been the top seed seven times, and have won four championships. As a two seed last season, B. U. defeated Delaware and New Hampshire, each by the score of 2-1, to take the title.
Third Consecutive Semifinal Meeting Between B. U. and Delaware This year’s semifinal matchup between B. U. and Delaware marks the third straight year that the two teams have met in the first round of the America East Championship. In 1999, top seeded B. U. upended the Blue Hens, 2-1, to advance to the title game against Northeastern. The Terriers won their third conference title with a 2-0 victory over the Huskies.
Last year, the second seeded Terriers again beat the Blue Hens by the score of 2-1, and won its second consecutive championship with a 2-1 win over top-seeded New Hampshire.
Series Record Vs. Delaware, NU, Maine Boston University leads the all-time series against Delaware, 12-2. Earlier this season the Terriers defeated the Blue Hens in come-from-behind fashion, 5-4 in overtime, at Delaware. The two teams have met four times in the America East Championship since the 1996 season, with B. U. winning each of games. The Terriers come into today’s game with a seven-game winning streak against UD.
If B. U. advances to the championship game, they have fared well against Maine, but not as well against Northeastern. The Terriers hold a 15-4 all-time advantage over Maine, but trail the series against Northeastern, 17-15.
Felicia Cappabianca To Set Games Played Mark In Today’s Game Senior forward Felicia Cappabianca will break the Boston University record for games played when she takes the field today. During her four-year career, the North Caldwell, NJ, native has played in 85 games. That ties her for first place with former teammate Robyn Kenney.
Cappabianca In A Class of Her Own Last Saturday’s game between B. U. and Yale marked the final home game for the Terriers’ lone senior – Felicia Cappabianca. The North Caldwell, New Jersey native has been a large part of B. U.’s two America East regular season championships, two America East Championship titles, and two NCAA Tournament appearances.
A Second Team All-Conference selection for the past two seasons, Felicia enters today’s game in the Top 20 in career points at B. U., having scored 21 goals and assisted on 7 others. By starting today’s game, she takes over sole possession of first place on the Terriers’ all-time games-played list.
Meredith Long Garners Rookie of the Week Honor Boston University forward Meredith Long, an All-Rookie Team selection this season, was selected as the America East Rookie of the Week for the week ending Sept. 30. The freshman tallied two goals and one assist, helping the Terriers to a 3-0 conference mark during the week.
Long scored her first collegiate goal in the Terriers 5-1 conference win over Albany on Sept. 25 after being moved from a defensive position to the attack in an effort to jumpstart the B. U. offense. In B. U.’s 3-2 overtime win at Towson on Sept. 30, Long tallied one goal and one assist as the Terriers overcame a 2-0 deficit with 7:12 remaining in regulation to secure the victory. She assisted on the Terriers first goal, scored by sophomore Celeste Hubbard. Her unassisted goal, scored with 3:27 left in regulation, tied the score at 2-2 and sent the game into overtime, where teammate Jane Rogers scored the game-winner with only one second left in the overtime.
America East Championship Experience Entering this year’s America East Championship, the members of the Boston University field hockey team have accumulated 23 games of conference tournament experience. In those 23 games, they have scored three goals – each of them scored by junior Jane Rogers. Susan Harrington has played in four games for a total of 210 minutes. She got the win in both tournament wins last year, and played the second half in the Terriers two wins in 1999. She has eight saves for a save percentage of .800, with a goals against average of 0.66.
NCAA Experience The Terriers advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 1999 and 2000, facing Massachusetts both times. If you count the NCAA Play-in game against Rider last year, the current crop of Terriers have scored five goals and tallied four assists in NCAA Championship competition. Terrier goalkeeper Susan Harrington has played in each of the games, for a total of 175 minutes.
Statistical Breakdown The Terriers have played better in the second half of games this season, both on the field and in the statistics. B. U. has won three games with second-half, come-from-behind goals. Below is a comparison of the first-half, second-half, and overtime team performances this season:
| | 1st | 2nd | OT | TOT |
| GOALS | 10 | 21 | 3 | 34 |
| ASSISTS | 5 | 11 | 1 | 17 |
| SHOTS | 83 | 145 | 14 | 242 |
| OPP SAVES | 46 | 79 | 6 | 131 |
| PENALTY CORNERS | 67 | 94 | 7 | 168 |
Sally Starr Leads Terriers Into Postseason Once Again Terrier head coach Sally Starr has led the team into the America East Championship in each of the last 12 seasons. She and the Terriers have taken the next step and advanced to the NCAA Tournament a total of seven times. In her 21st season at B. U., Starr enters today’s game with a 248-153-19 record (.613). Including the two years she spent as the head coach at Bucknell, she has a 262-176-24 record (.593). Her overall postseason record stands at 18-16.
