Field Hockey Set For NEWMAC Tournament

Tournament Bracket | NEWMAC Field Hockey
NEWMAC Field Hockey Tournament History

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (Oct. 28, 2009) – For the 12th year in a row, the Mount Holyoke College field hockey team has qualified for the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament. The sixth seeded Lyons will square off against third seeded Clark University in the Quarterfinal Round on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in Worcester, Mass.

NEWMAC TOURNAMENT: The NEWMAC Tournament will kick off with four Quarterfinal Round contests on Saturday, October 31. Semifinal Round matches are slated to take place on Saturday, November 7, and the Championship will be held on Sunday, November 8.

Quarterfinals: Saturday, October 31 at higher seed's site:
#8 Wheaton College at #1 Wellesley College - 12:00 p.m.
#7 Babson College at #2 MIT - 1:00 p.m.
#6 Mount Holyoke College at #3 Clark University - 1:00 p.m.
#5 WPI at #4 Springfield College - 1:00 p.m.

Semifinals: Saturday, November 7 at highest remaining seed
Winner #4/Springfield/#5 WPI vs. Winner #1 Wellesley/#8 Wheaton
Winner #3 Clark/#6 Mount Holyoke vs. Winner #2 MIT/#7 Babson

Championship: Sunday, November 8 at Semifinal Site:
Semifinal Winners – 1:00 p.m.

TOURNAMENT HISTORY: Springfield College has captured five straight NEWMAC Tournament Championships and seven overall. Mount Holyoke took home the title in both 2001 and 2003, while Wellesley College finished on top in 1998 and 2002. The Lyons edged Clark 2-1 in the Quarterfinal Round of the 1999 Tournament. In 2002, the Cougars returned the favor, winning by a score of 2-0 in the Semifinal Round.

THE MATCHUP: Sixth seeded Mount Holyoke travels to third seeded Clark for a NEWMAC Tournament Quarterfinal Round match on Saturday, October 31. The contest will take place at Granger Field beginning at 1:00 p.m. In 18 previous meetings between the programs, the Cougars own a 10-8 advantage. The Lyons have come out on top in each of the previous two tilts between the teams.

MOST RECENT MEETING: When the two squads met during the regular season on October 20, Mount Holyoke picked up a thrilling 3-2 triumph. Sophomore forward Shara Robertson figured in on all three goals for the Lyons, scoring two and assisting on the other. She found the cage for the match winner in the 61st minute. Senior forward Mary Kate Switchenko redirected a Robertson shot into the cage to put the hosts in front 1-0 just 4:41 into the match. Less than one minute later, Robertson dribbled around the Clark defense and placed a shot past Dawsey to extend the cushion to 2-0. Clark erased the early deficit behind outstanding play by first year Mel Melkonian. The forward got her team on the board in the 22nd minute and then knotted things up with her second tally of the day five minutes into the second stanza. With the match in the balance, Robertson scored the winner with 9:32 remaining in regulation.

THE LYONS: Mount Holyoke (9-7, 4-4 NEWMAC) captured four straight victories before falling to both Wesleyan University (3-0) and MIT (7-1) in the final week of the regular season. Robertson has piled 23 points on 11 goals and one assist to lead the way for the Lyons. Switchenko and classmate Katelyn Frick have found the cage six times apiece, while sophomore defender Tricia Chase has chipped in with two goals, four assists and eight defensive saves. Chase was named NEWMAC Player of the Week and ECAC New England Defensive Player of the Week for the week of October 12-18. Sophomore goalkeeper Katie Gibson has been Mount Holyoke’s featured goalkeeper. In 1162 minutes played, she has registered a goals against average of 1.63, a save percentage of .767 and four shutouts.

THE COUGARS: Clark (8-6, 5-2 NEWMAC) will put the finishing touches on its regular season slate on Thursday, when it hosts Wheelock College. Melkonian has amassed team highs of 37 points, 16 goals and five assists to lead the way for the Cougars. Clark has also received solid production from senior forward Lauren Blake, who has posted 13 goals and four helpers. Senior goalkeeper Kathryn Dawsey has played 970 minutes between the pipes for the Cougars. She owns a goals against average of 1.95 and a save percentage of .821. 

NEXT UP: The winner of this match will face off against the winner of the contest between second seeded MIT and seventh seeded Babson College next Saturday.