November 5, 2009

NORTHEAST CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALS
No. 3 Quinnipiac University Bobcats (6-11, 5-3 NEC) vs.
No. 2 Lock Haven University Eagles (16-4, 7-1 NEC)
Friday, Nov. 6, 2009 - 1:30 PM
Mercer Community College, Lawrenceville, N.J.

Northeast Conference Tournament
With a 4-0 win against Robert Morris on Friday, Oct. 30, Quinnipiac clinched the third seed in the upcoming Northeast Conference Tournament. The Bobcats will face No. 2 Lock Haven in the NEC Semifinals on Friday, Nov. 6 at 1:30 p.m. The game will be played at Rider University in Lawrenceville, N.J. The Bobcats closed the year with back-to-back wins against RMU and Saint Francis and were winners in three of their final four regular-season NEC games. They currently boast a 5-3 NEC record. Lock Haven enters Friday's game with a 7-1 record in conference play.

Multimedia
Bobcat fans can follow all the action via live stats provided by Rider University for the semifinal match-ups at Mercer Community College. The games will be videotaped, but due to unstable internet connections at Mercer CC, the video will be available at the conclusion of both day's games.

NEC Tournament History
Quinnipiac field hockey was quick to establish itself among the Division I ranks with a Northeast Conference Regular-Season Championship in it's first year at the DI level in 1998. The Bobcats won again the next year, and also won their first NEC Tournament Championship. Since 1998, Quinnipiac is 7-3 all-time in the NEC Tournament, including 3-2 mark in NEC Championship games. Tournament Most Valuable Player awards were awarded to Catie Canetti in 1999, Kristin Crosby in 2001 and Erin McKay in 2003. Head coach Becca Kohli was also a three-time NEC Coach of the Year in 1998, 2001 and 2002.

Scouting Lock Haven University
Lock Haven, the 2008 NEC Regular-Season and Tournament Champions, saw a 13-game winning streak snapped on Sunday, Nov. 1 against Rider University. Rider won in double overtime, securing the regular-season title and the No. 1 seed in the NEC Tournament. NEC leading points and goal scorer Amy Hordendorf leads Lock Haven with 22 goals, four assists and 48 points. The Eagles feature three playes with 20-plus points for the season, including Hordendorf, Suzann Hobert (10 goals, seven assists, 27 points) and Mary Keister (7-7-21). Emma Wessner led Lock Haven with nine assists for the year. Erin Tereson allowed 19 goals in over 1400 minutes in net for a 0.94 goals-against average and a .787 save percentage. She posted a 16-3 record with six shutouts.

All-Time Against The Eagles
Quinnipiac and Lock Haven have faced each other seven times since their first meeting on Oct. 8, 2004. Quinnipiac's only win of the all-time series was a 1-0 victory on Oct. 20, 2006 in Hamden, Conn. Lock Haven has won the last four match-ups between the two teams. Quinnipiac and Lock Haven played each other in last year's NEC Tournament Semifinals, with the Eagles securing a 4-1 win.

Strong Weekend
Quinnipiac senior Christine Grady (Enfield, Conn.) led Quinnipiac to back-to-back wins against Robert Morris (4-0) and Saint Francis (Pa.) (3-0) this past weekend. Against Robert Morris, the senior forward had two goals, while she also added another against Saint Francis (Pa.). For the year, Grady leads Quinnipiac with 13 points, as she is tied for the team lead in goals (4) while also adding a career-best five assists.

Dynamic Scoring Duo
Senior Christine Grady (Enfield, Conn.) and sophomore Kimberly Cunniff (Walpole, Mass.) each totaled three goals this past weekend. Grady and Cunniff split the four goals in the Bobcats 4-0 win against Robert Morris on Friday in a 4-0 win before coming back strong with a goal apiece against St. Francis (Pa.) on Sunday. For the year, Grady is Quinnipiac leading scorer with 13 points, while she is tied for the team lead with four goals and a career-best five assists. Cunniff has scored a career-best four goals while adding another assist for nine points

Out Of Africa
Sophomore Megan McCreedy (White River, South Africa) chipped in with four assists for the weekend. McCreedy had three assists against Robert Morris, picking up the helper on Christine Grady's first goal, and both of Kimberly Cunniff's two goals in the win. For the year, McCreedy leads Quinnipiac with a career-best seven assists.

Cornering The Market
Bonnie Shea (Walpole, Mass.) had the Bobcats' corner unit working this weekend, picking up three assists while serving on the push-out. Shea, currently have a career scoring year, is second on the team with 12 points, coming on four goals and four assists.

Helping Hart
Senior Lauren Hartnett (Walpole, Mass.) added a pair of assists on Sunday, Nov. 1, which was also Senior Day. Hartnett has totaled three goals and three assists for the year.

The D Made It Easy
Quinnipiac goalie Jenna Grossman (Flanders, N.J.) had an easy weekend, thanks in large part to the shut-down Quinnipiac defensive Unit. In both games this weekend, Quinnipiac did not allow a shot on goal over 140 minutes. Quinnipiac has allowed just eight goals in eight Northeast Conference games and have posted four shutouts in league play.

Here's What Did It
Quinnipiac's back-to-back wins against Robert Morris and Saint Francis (Pa.) mark the second time this season Quinnipiac won back-to-back games. The previous occurrence landed on Oct. 13 with a win against Sacred Heart and Oct. 18 against Monmouth.