Pioneers and Hawks Face Off for NEC Title - Game Notes
5/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
May 7, 2006
Complete Sacred Heart vs. Monmouth Game Notes in PDF Format
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Pioneers and Hawks Face Off for NEC Title... The Sacred Heart Pioneers will make their first-ever appearance in the Northeast Conference Championship game Sunday afternoon, taking on the top-seeded Monmouth Hawks. The Pioneers advanced to the title game via their 12-9 win over #3 seeded Quinnipiac on Friday. Monmouth moved on thanks to their 11-9 win over the #4 seed Mount St. Mary's. The Pioneers lost to Monmouth at home earlier this season, their only loss in the NEC this year.
The Series... Monmouth leads the all-time series, 9-1. The Hawks won the first meeting, 15-11, in 1997 and then rattled off six-straight in the series before SHU collected their only win in 2003, a 15-13 win at home. The Hawks posted 13-4 (2004) and 15-5 (2005) wins at home over the past two years and won a 15-8 decision back on April 9th in Fairfield this season.
NEC Tournament History... This is Sacred Heart's fifth trip to the Northeast Conference Tournament but their first as anything other than a #4 seed. The Pioneers are 0-4 in the tournament, losing three times to UMBC and once to Mount St. Mary's. SHU's last appearance came in 2004 when they fell to the Mount, 6-5. In 2002, SHU lost to UMBC 16-4 and in 2000 they fell to the Retrievers 14-8. The Pioneers first tournament trip came in 1999 when they lost to UMBC, 19-6.
Up Next... The winner of today's game moves on to the NCAA Tournament.
Last Meeting with Monmouth... Monmouth got five points from Katie Degen and Kristin Ray as the Hawks outscored Sacred Heart 8-3 in the second half to post a 15-8 win on April 9th. The Hawks scored the last five goals of the game to pull away after leading 7-5 at the half. MU's Carolyn Raveia registered back-to-back scores followed by Erica Evangelisti, Jeanette Stott and Ray to close it out for the 15-8 win. Degen and Ray finished with three goals and two assists each while Stott had three markers and an assist in the win. Both Riveia and Evangelisti had two goals apiece. Monica Johnson made 10 saves in goal to earn the win. SHU's Heather Gureckis and Mary Montesarchio had a goal and two assists each while Brianna Bubeck and Amanda Williams each had a pair of scores. Senior Candice Celebre made 15 saves in the loss.
Last Time Out... Led by three goals from Heather Gureckis, the Sacred Heart Pioneers advanced to the Northeast Conference championship game with a 12-9 victory over third-seed Quinnipiac University on Friday afternoon at Kessler Field on the campus of Monmouth University. Gureckis led a balanced attack each which four players collected three points and the Pioneers held off any rally attempts by the Bobcats to secure them a spot in their first-ever NEC title game. Gureckis added three goals to the Pioneer attack and was joined by Amanda Williams, Brianna Bubeck and Katie Salamone who each netted two goals and an assist as all four players collected three points on the day. Candice Celebre was stellar in goal as she stopped 10 shots on the day to preserve the victory. Second-team All-NEC goaltender Ashley Thompson took the loss as she faced 11 shots, but did not record a save.
A Return to the NEC Tournament... After a 0-7 start to the 2006 season, the Northeast Conference Tournament seemed miles away for the SHU women's lax teams. But the Pioneers rattled off seven wins in their last eight games to close out the regular season and clinched a spot in the conference tournament.
NEC Records... The 2006 Pioneers have posted their best-ever record in conference play at 7-1. SHU will be the #2 seed in the NEC Tournament, their highest seeding in the playoffs in their five appearances.
Offensive Attack... The Pioneers have three players with 30 or more points and eight with at least 10 points heading into the conference tournament. Junior Brianna Bubeck leads all scorers with 38 points on 30 goals and eight assists. Junior Heather Gureckis and freshman Mary Montesarchio have 33 points apiece. Montesarchio leads the team with 12 assists on the year. Sophomore Liz Ottey has made her first year with the Pioneers memorable with 21 goals and five assists. Ottey transferred from the University of Oregon.
History... This is the Pioneer's eighth year of competition in the Northeast Conference. Sacred Heart has qualified for the NEC Tournament five times and posts a 80-64 Division I record. The Pioneers have posted 10 wins the past three years and have not had a losing season since 1998.
