No. 25 Field Hockey Travels to Top-Ranked Syracuse and No. 23 Albany
Cards face tough road test this weekend
 
Victoria Stratton


Victoria Stratton

Sept. 26, 2012

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The 25th ranked University of Louisville field hockey team will face a tough challenge this weekend when the Cards travel to Syracuse to face the top-ranked Orange Saturday at 12 p.m. and close out the weekend at No. 23 University at Albany.

The Cardinals enter the weekend with a 7-3 overall record and a 1-0 mark in BIG EAST Conference play where they currently stand in third place. Sophomore Becca Maddock leads the team offensively with 17 points (7G, 3A) while freshman Elisa Garcia follows with 12 points (4G, 4A) and senior Amber Thomas rounds out the top three scorers with 11 points (5G, 1A). Senior goalkeeper Erin Conrad (7-3) carries a 1.64 goals-against average with one shutout on the season.

Up Last:
Louisville is coming off of a pair of wins over Kent State and Georgetown last weekend. The Cards opened conference play with a 4-2 win over Georgetown and went on the road to beat Kent State 6-1. The Cards re-entered the National Field Hockey Coaches Association rankings at No. 25 this week for the first time since appearing at No. 23 in the 2012 preseason poll.

Thomas and Conrad Named to BIG EAST Honor Roll:
Seniors Amber Thomas and Erin Conrad were selected to the BIG EAST Conference honor roll on Sept. 24. Thomas led the Cardinals offensively to a 2-0 record on the week, scoring three goals, including the gamewinner in the 4-2 decision over Georgetown. She also recorded a pair of goals in the 6-1 victory over Kent State.

Erin Conrad collected seven saves on the week. She posted one save in the 4-2 win over Georgetown and six stops in the 6-1 win over Kent State.

 

 

Cards against the field
Syracuse
Sept. 28, 2012 - 12 p.m.
Series Record: Syracuse leads 6-3
Last meeting: Sept. 23, 2011 - Then-fifth ranked SU won 2-1 in overtime at Trager Stadium. Erin Schneidtmiller put the Cards on the board in the first half. Leonie Geyer tied the game in the second half and scored the game-winner with 53 seconds remaining in overtime.
NOTE: The last three meetings between the teams have been decided by one goal. In 2010, Syracuse won 4-3 in OT and in 2009, the Orange won 3-2 at Trager Stadium.
Scouting the Orange: Syracuse enters the weekend as the top-ranked team in the nation. At 9-0, the Orange is one of two remaining undefeated teams in the nation - UConn (9-0) is the other. Syracuse is coming off of a 2-0 win over No. 3 and, previously unbeaten, Princeton. Prior to that, SU defeated Rutgers 6-0 in a BIG EAST contest.

Kelsey Millman leads the team with 18 points (7G, 4A) with Lauren Brooks following with 16 points (7G, 2A). Current BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week Leann Stiver carries a 0.60 goals-against average with 5.0 shutouts on the season.

UAlbany
Sept. 29, 2012 - 12 p.m.
Series Record: Louisville leads 1-0
Last meeting: Sept. 2, 2007 - U of L won 4-1 at Trager Stadium Scouting the Great Danes: Albany enters the week with a 4-5 overall record after going 1-1 last weekend with a 3-2 win over No. 25 Massachusetts and a 2-1 double overtime loss to then-No. 18 Lafayette. UAlbany is led offensively by Corrine McConville's 13 points (6G, 1A) and Jessica Longstreth 11 points (2G, 7A). Goalkeeper Kristi Troch carries a 2.11 goals-against average with one shutout.

Up Next
Following this weekend, the Cardinals will return to Trager Stadium to face two more top 20 opponents with a BIG EAST Conference matchup with No. 6 Connecticut on Oct. 1 at noon and No. 11 Iowa on Oct. 7 at 1 p.m.

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