2009 NCAA Division II Softball Tournament

2002 NCAA Division II Field Hockey Championships
November 8-10, 2002  -  Charlotte Smith Field  -  Lock Haven, Pa.
Hosted by Lock Haven University

>>>View Official NCAA Championships website

Page last updated 11/10/02 04:42 PM

GAME RECAPS

Nov. 10, 2002

Bloomsburg Claims NCAA Field Hockey Title With 5-0 Win Over Bentley
Huskies Pile on 10th National Title in the Shutout Victory

(Lock Haven, Pa.) - The Bloomsburg University Huskies captured the 2002 NCAA Division II Field Hockey National Championship crown in high fashion, shutting out the defending national champion Bentley College, 5-0, this afternoon on Charlotte Smith Field in Lock Haven, Pa.  
           It is Bloomsburg’s first national title since the 1999 season, the seventh NCAA Division II national crown for the Huskies and 10^th overall under 25^th-year head coach Jan Hutchinson.  Bloomsburg’s five goals ties the Division II record for most goals scored in a championship game (1981/Pfeiffer), and the 5-0 win is also the largest margin of victory in a national final. 
           The Huskies controlled the action early and made a strong first impression with three goals in the first half, all coming off of penalty corner attempts.  
           “We scored on our corners all the way through, and we did better on our corners on turf than we did on grass,” said Bloomsburg head coach Jan Hutchinson.  “I was really happy with our corners, and our corner defense as well.”
           On their second corner opportunity of the game, Bloomsburg’s Erin McConnell gained control of the ball at the top of the arc then shifted it down to the left of the cage, where Sheila Zilinski knocked it in for the score with just 6:15 expired.  On another corner in the 23^rd minute, Nikki Hartranft stopped the ball at the top of the arc then passed it left to Sharla Partlon who sent one through for the score.  Ten minutes later, Hartranft took the swing herself on a penalty corner and the ball was tipped up and over the crouching keeper and into the top of the cage by Zilinski for her second goal of the game and the 3-0 Bloomsburg lead.
           Bloomsburg scored two more times in the second half to put the game out of reach.  Stephanie Beck got her stick on a loose ball in front of the cage for the Huskies’ fourth goal in the 44^th minute, and then Elyce Morring reached the back of the cage on a shot at the top of the arc off an assist from Alison Poff.
           The Bentley chances on goal were limited by the aggressive Bloomsburg offense and staunch defense.  The Falcons did earn three penalty corners, all coming late in the second half.  Bentley got off two shots on goal in the process only to have both turned away by BU keeper Trish Leitzel.  
           “It’s been a great group of kids,” commented Hutchinson.  “They have been so close and they’ve just had so much fun together and our goal coming into the year was to get back here and get into the championship game because we got shutout last year and didn’t get here.  It’s a great finish – and we just took it one day at a time and to take the chance to end with a big season let alone a national championship -- I’m very happy for them, they’ve worked so hard to get it.” 

>>>Championship game box score

2002 NCAA Division II Field Hockey National Championship All-Tournament Team:

Bentley College: Kristyn Bates                                   
Bloomsburg University: Sheila Zilinski, Nikki Hartranft, Sharla Partlon, Shanna Fritz, Trish Leitzel
Bryant College: Maureen Burns, Melissa Manseau           
Lock Haven University: Erika Grap, Jen DeNault, Janelle Ebaugh

(Lock Haven, Pa.) - The Bentley College Falcons (17-4) scored a 1-0 victory over Bryant College (13-5) this evening in the first semifinal match-up of the 2002 NCAA Division II Field Hockey National Championships being played on Charlotte Smith Field in Lock Haven, Pa.  A late-first half goal by Bentley’s Kristyn Bates proved enough to hold the lead for the Falcons and propel the defending champions back to the finals.  The 1-0 victory was also the first time Bryant had been held scoreless all season. 
        An 8-3 advantage in shots on goal for the Falcons in the first half told most of the tale, as an aggressive offense finally yielded the game-winning goal by Kristyn Bates in the 31^st minute.  Big play by Bryant keeper Meghan Lovell kept Bentley off the boards for much of the game, as she batted away seven shots in the first half and another two in the final stanza to keep the Bulldogs within striking distance.  
        The second half was a much closer battle, with shot attempts almost even.  Bryant had several opportunities on eight penalty corner attempts in the final period, but came up empty-handed.
        The Bentley keeper Liz Novis was key in the win, turning back all seven of the Bulldogs’ hits on goal for her eighth shutout of the season. 
         “Liz Novis loves the big games – she’s a big game player, and tonight she came up with some big saves,” said Bentley head coach Kelly West-McGowan.  “Our whole defense did a great gob – that’s the difference with three seniors. They don’t get rattled playing in the big games.”
          Sunday’s game will mark the fourth-straight and fifth-overall appearance in the championship tilt for Bentley College.  
          “We are thrilled to be back,” commented Coach McGowan.  “We’ve been here four times but we’ve only won it once, so another time would be nice.  We’re thrilled about the competition.”
          Bentley College will face Bloomsburg University (20-0) in the NCAA Championship game on Sunday, November 10, at 1 p.m. at Charlotte Smith Field.  Bloomsburg defeated Lock Haven, 2-1, in the second semifinal contest.

(Lock Haven, Pa.) -- The Huskies of Bloomsburg University (20-0) will make the return to the NCAA Championship game after a two-year lull following tonight’s 2-1 victory over Lock Haven University (18-5) in the national tournament semifinal contest at Charlotte Smith Field. An unassisted goal by Erin McConnell in the game’s 68^th minute clinched the win for Bloomsburg, giving the Huskies a shot at a seventh national title.
           A fast-paced and emotionally intense game from the opening whistle, Bloomsburg jumped onto the scoreboard in the 15^th minute with a goal by Sheila Zilinski.  Shana Fritz gained control of the ball on the right sideline, and carried it down all the way to the goalline. As she began to cut a diagonal towards the goal, she stumbled and pushed the ball to the left as she fell.  Zilinski, who had been breaking down the middle of the field, met the ball just as it crossed in front of the cage and sent it into the back for the one-goal lead. 
           The defense won out for the remainder of the half, with both squads finding few opportunities to score.  The Lady Eagles came close late in the first half on a penalty corner attempt as time was ticking off the clock, but the shot by Janelle Ebaugh clanged off the post.
           With 13 minutes past in the second half, Lock Haven tied up the game on a penalty corner play and goal by Kellie Kulina.  The ball came up to the top of the circle and Courtney Hughes tapped it left to Kulina, who found the seam between the Bloomsburg keeper and the side post to move the game to 1-1.  
           The deciding play of the game came on a Bloomsburg penalty corner.  The first shot by Nikki Hartranft was stopped by LHU’s Melissa Stubblefield, but Erin McConnell got her stick on the rebound off the keeper’s pads and after a quick maneuver to the side, sent the ball through for the game-winning goal at 67:37.
           “I though we played a good first half, but right towards the end of the first half, Lock Haven started to pick up the pace,” said Bloomsburg head coach Jan Hutchinson.  “In the second half, it started to get more physical.  I called that timeout in the second half because we were getting caught on our heels and we told them, ‘It’s a tied game here, we need to score for the win, we can’t back away from pressure’.” 
           The Huskies of Bloomsburg will play returning champion Bentley College (17-4) for the national title on Sunday, November 10,  at 1 p.m. at Charlotte Smith Field.  Bentley College defeated Bryant College, 1-0, in the earlier semifinal match-up.

###LHU###