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Gina DiMartino is second on the Eagles with nine points. (Source: BC Athletics) |
For the complete 2007 NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament bracket, click here.
Otherwise, here’s a look at this weekend’s local games:
Boston College (11-5-3, 4-4-2 ACC) vs. UConn (12-5-1, 8-2-1 BIG EAST)
This is a UConn program that is rich in history. Along with North Carolina, the Huskies are the only team to make the tournament all 26 years it has been held.
This year, UConn finished second in the American Division of the BIG EAST Conference with an 8-2-1 record. Boston College, on the other hand, tied for fifth in the ACC with a 4-4-2 record, although they were ranked as high as seventh in the nation after winning seven of their first eight games.
BC earned an at-large bid into the tournament after losing to Florida State in the ACC quarterfinals. UConn, meanwhile, kept its tournament streak alive also via an at-large invitation. The Huskies fell to Georgetown, 1-0, in the BIG EAST Quarterfinals Nov. 4.
The Eagles head into the tournament as one of the top defensive teams in the nation, allowing only 10 goals in 19 games. The Eagles are ranked ninth in the nation in goals-against average (0.504), tied for 10th in shutout percentage (0.579) and tied for 14th in save percentage (0.867).
Junior goalkeeper Sarah Buonomo has been stellar in net, ranking fourth in the nation with a .409 GAA and sixth in save percentage at .889. In 17 games, she has a 9-4-3 record with eight shutouts.
But she’ll be up against a very balanced and very good Husky attack, one that outscored opponents, 37-11, on the year and saw five players tie for the team lead with five goals. All-BIG EAST First Team selection, Meghan Schnur leads the pack with five goals and seven assists, giving her a team-high 17 points.
The two teams faced each other in an exhibition game back on August 18, although they’d be hard-pressed to recognize any of the players who played that day. With both teams freely substituting throughout the game, UConn came out on top of the exhibition, 2-0.
Boston University (11-6-3, 6-1-1 America East) vs. Wake Forest (12-6-3, 6-2-2 ACC)
BU, which earned its third straight trip to the tournament by winning the America East Championship, 2-1, over New Hampshire, will have a tough match-up in store with fourth-seeded Wake Forest.
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BU's Casey Brown won the America East Defender of the Year. (Source: BU Athletics) |
The Terriers are the only team among the four squads participating in Chestnut Hill to win their respective conference championship, but will have their hands full with a Wake Forest squad that's ranked 18th in the country.
The Demon Deacons finished second in the ACC with a 6-2-2 conference mark. They fell to Florida State in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament, 5-2, after defeating Duke, 1-0, in overtime the game before.
Jill Hutchinson is the Demon Deacons top offensive threat with 10 goals and two assist for 22 points. Laura Morse and Amanda Barasha have split time in net this season, with Morse sporting a 0.97 goals-against average and Barasha coming in with a 1.04 GAA.
Friday’s first-round game will be the Terriers seventh appearance - third consecutive - in the NCAA tournament after earning the America East’s automatic bid on Saturday with their win over UNH The conference title was BU’s fifth overall and third in the last five years.
Marisha Shumacher-Hodge leads the Terriers with 14 points (four goals, six assists) while Casey Brown has the team lead with five goals. Christina Reuter player the majority of the games in net for BU, going 7-4-2 with a 0.56 GAA and a .899 save percentage.
Friday’s game will be the first meeting between the Terriers and the Demon Deacons.
Material from NCAA, BU, BC and UConn press releases was used in this report
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