The NCAA News - News and Features

November 3, 1997

Division III Field Hockey

Lebanon Valley hopes to crash party

Event: 1997 Division III Field Hockey Championship.

Overview: An unfamiliar face stood atop the regional rankings in mid-October. It's not that Lebanon Valley of the South Atlantic region hasn't been strong -- the Flying Dutchmen have made the tournament in five of the last six years, including a school-best fourth-place finish last season. However, no team but defending champion College of New Jersey or Cortland State has won a championship since William Smith's 1992 title ... In what may have been its stiffest test, Lebanon Valley snapped William Smith's 13-game winning streak by taking a 1-0 win over the Herons October 19 behind a late second-half goal from freshman Beth Light .... Two-time defending champion College of New Jersey had won 25 straight games over two years and 48 straight on its home field until Salisbury State shocked the Lions, 1-0, October 19. Until that game, the Lions had outscored opponents, 52-8, including six shutouts. Goalkeeper Sarah Hill has five solo shutouts .... Plymouth State hasn't made the tournament since 1994, but the Panthers are a threat this season with a 10-4 record, although they have lost three of their last four games .... Including the win over College of New Jersey, which was the Sea Gulls' first over the Lions since 1987, fourth-ranked Salisbury State outscored opponents, 45-6, through 15 games. Megan Hooper (14 goals, five assists), who scored the game-winner against the Lions, leads the way on offense .... Of William Smith's 13 wins before the Lebanon Valley loss, nine were shutouts. The Herons surrendered four goals during the streak .... Defending runner-up Messiah, now 12-3, defeated William Smith in the season opener and also may contend.

Field: Sixteen teams will be selected.

Dates and sites: First- and second-round games will be played November 8 and 9 on the campuses of competing institutions. The semifinals will be November 15 on the campus of one of the competing institutions; the championship game will be November 16.

Information/results: The fax-on-demand telephone number is 770/399-3060 (passcode 1915). Request numbers for information are: bracket/schedule, 1335; ticket information, 1336; poll, 1137; semifinal results, 5086; third-place game, 5087; and championship game, 5088. Results also will be available on the World Wide Web at www.ncaa.org. Results will be published in the November 24 issue of The NCAA News.