BU Ready to Face Iowa in NCAA First Round
November 10, 2007 | Field Hockey
Nov. 10, 2007
Tournament Notes | Tournament Central
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STORRS, Conn. - Making its third straight appearance in the NCAA tournament - and 10th overall - the 11th-ranked Boston University field hockey team (17-5) will take on No. 5 Iowa (17-3) in a first-round match-up at the University of Connecticut on Saturday (Nov. 10) at 2 p.m. The Terriers will look to advance to the national quarterfinals for the first time since 1991.
UConn (20-2) will play UMass (14-8) in the site's other first-round contest. Saturday's winners will meet on Sunday at 2 p.m. for the right to advance to the national semifinals.
The Terriers, who are are 3-10 all-time in the NCAA tournament, qualified for this year's bracket by capturing the America East title for the third straight year with a 4-1 triumph over No. 15 Albany. BU has amassed 17 wins this season, tying the program record set in 1985 and matched in both 1996 and 1999.
BU is winless in its six previous meetings with Iowa, including a 4-2 decision last season in a neutral-site contest held at Providence. This will be the fourth time the Terriers have faced a Big Ten school in the NCAAs.
NOTES
SISTER ACT: Senior back Laura Dean will see a familiar face on the opposing Hawkeye squad, as her younger sister, Tricia, is a sophomore midfielder for Iowa.
IN A CLASS OF ITS OWN: The Terriers eight-member senior class will go down as one of the best ever at BU, as the group has been a part of 60 victories during its four years, matching the school record set by the Class of 1997.
SPUEHLER CLOSING OUT STANDOUT CAREER: Senior Pam Spuehler has saved her best season for last, as the two-time All-American (2006 second team, 2005 third team) has recorded a team-high 37 points, including a conference-best 15 assists. She ranks sixth in the country with 0.68 assists per game, and 10 of her helpers have been primary assists. Her 29 career assists rank seventh all-time at BU. Spuehler became the first player in program history to earn all-conference honors all four years and is the only player in league history to be named the Most Outstanding Player of the America East Championship twice.
HOME AND AWAY: Once again, the Terriers were impressive at home this season, posting a 8-1 record at Jack Barry Field. However, BU also was strong on the road, winning seven of their 10 tilts on opposing fields.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: The Terriers played arguably their toughest schedule ever this season, facing eight ranked opponents, including three of last year's national semifinalists. All five of BU's losses this year came against teams currently ranked in the top 16.
PURE SHUTER: Senior forward Sarah Shute has tallied a team-best 15 goals this season, giving her 45 for her career, good for third all-time at BU. Earlier this season, Shute became just the fourth Terrier to eclipse the 100-point mark, as she enters the NCAAs with 107 in her career.
QUITE A QUARTET: For the fourth straight year, a Boston University player was been named the America East Rookie of the Year. Freshman goalkeeper Kim Kastuk earned the honor this year after posting a 16-4 record in the BU cage. Current sophomore Suus Dekker was named AE Rookie of the Year last season, while Holly Wiles and Pam Spuehler received the honor in 2005 and 2004, respectively.
EVERYBODY WINS: When it comes to game-winning goals this season, all hands have been on deck for the Terriers. Five players share the team lead with three apiece - Pam Spuehler, Sarah Shute, Holly Wiles, Hadley Adams and Suus Dekker.
CONFERENCE STANDOUTS: Senior Sarah Hudak was named America East Defensive Player of the Year and head coach Sally Starr was honored as Coach of the Year, as announced at the conference's annual banquet on Nov. 1. The Terriers had a league-high six players named to the all-conference teams. Hudak and senior classmates Pam Spuehler and Sarah Shute were selected to the All-Conference First Team, while senior Hayley Hamada, junior Holly Wiles and sophomore Suus Dekker earned second-team recognition. Freshman Kim Kastuk and redshirt freshman Maryette Stuart were picked to the All-Rookie Team. BU was represented on the league's All-Academic Team by Hudak and Dekker.
SCOUTING THE HAWKEYES: Led by tournament MVP Caroline Blaum, Iowa earned its second consecutive Big Ten title with a 4-1 victory over Michigan on Sunday and is making its 19th trip to the NCAA tournament. Last season, Iowa dropped a 1-0 decision to Virginia in the first round. The Hawkeyes are 10-1 in their last 11 games and of their three losses, only top-ranked North Carolina was able to beat them by more than one goal. Senior Lauren Pfeiffer leads the team in goals (15) and points (38), while Blaum has a team-best 11 assists. Junior goalkeeper Lissa Munley has recorded a 1.23 goals against average in 20 starts. Tracey Griesbaum is in her eighth season at the helm of the Hawkeye program.
COMMON OPPONENTS: BU and Iowa have played four common opponents this season - Michigan State, Duke, Providence and Fairfield. Both teams picked up wins over the Friars and the Stags. The Terriers dropped a 3-2 overtime contest to Duke, while the Hawkeyes scored a 2-0 road victory against the Blue Devils. BU's first loss of the season was a 3-0 setback at Michigan State. Iowa split with the Spartans, dropping a 1-0 home contest in the regular season before getting revenge in a 3-2 overtime victory in the conference semifinals.
LATE JUMP: In the final STX/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll, which was released on Tuesday, Nov. 6, BU moved up two spots to No. 11, its highest ranking in 11 years.
27th SEASON AT THE HELM: Terrier Head Coach Sally Starr is in her 27th season at BU, the longest head-coaching tenure of any women's sport in school history. This is her 29th season overall, as she coached two seasons at Bucknell before coming to BU in 1981. Starr's teams have posted winning records in 21 of the past 24 seasons.
