Posted on Nov 12, 2002

Head Coach Brian Speck

Schedule

Saturday, November 16
Union vs. NYU-Misericordia winner
at William Smith 1:30 p.m.

Sunday, November 16
Union (if it wins Saturday) in Regional Championship
at William Smith 1:00 p.m.

The Dutchwomen's two wins over William Smith this year, both by the score of 1-0, wasn't enough to give the Garnet home field advantage for the upcoming NCAA tournament. It was, however, just what the team needed to win both the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association's regular-season championship (the team's third since the league began in 1995…this season with a 6-1 record) as well as the conference's championship tournament title. The tournament crown earned the Dutchwomen their fourth consecutive trip to the Division III National Championship event.

NOT A SECOND TIME–Head coach Brian Speck prepares to kick over the team's second water bucket after his Dutchwomen got him with the first one following Sunday's 1-0 victory over William Smith that gave Union its fourth-straight NCAA tournament berth.

“There are a lot of factors that go into deciding who hosts the Regionals,” said eighth-year head coach Brian Speck, who has guided the Dutchwomen to an overall record of 101-31-9. “Traveling to William Smith is not that big of a deal for us,” Speck continued. “We've played them so many times over the last few years that it doesn't really make any difference where we play.”

The rivalry between the Dutchwomen and Herons began in 1995 with the first season of the UCAA. While William Smith holds a not-so-commanding 7-3-1 series advantage. All three of Union's victories have been by the score of 1-0 on Garis Field.

The Herons, who have been to the NCAA tournament the last 16 years under 23-year head coach Aliceann Wilbur (who has all 301 of the program's victories), won the first three meetings by scores of 5-0 (1995), 1-0 (1996) and 2-0 (1997). The Herons won both meetings in 1999, 3-0 in regular-season play and 4-1 in the Dutchwomen's first NCAA tournament appearance (after Union had rallied from a 3-0 deficit to defeat Ithaca, 4-3 in overtime, in the play-in game at Ithaca). William Smith won the 2000 UCAA meeting, 2-1 in overtime, and last year won the regular-season contest, 1-0, before beating the Dutchwomen in the NCAA New York Regional championship, 4-3 in penalty kicks. The hosting Herons tied the game with 48 seconds left in regulation before the two teams battled a heavy downpour, and each other, during four overtime sessions.

The 2002 NCAA Bound Dutchwomen celebrate after winning
the UCAA Tournament Title
Members of the squad include (in no particular order)
Captains–Abbie West, Carolyn Stead, Victoria Kuzman

Katie Ryan, Linsey Capecelatro, Alaina LaRocca, Marissa Van

Earlier this year Union defeated New York University, 1-0, in the Williams Invitational. The Dutchwomen have never played Misericordia, which is from Dallas, Pennsylvania.

The Dutchwomen enter the weekend having scored 38 goals while allowing 10. Freshman Erika Eisenhut (7-4-18), sophomore Brittany Cressman (7-2-16), freshman Alaina LaRocca (5-2-12), and senior Abbie West (4-4-12) pace the attack.

Defensively, junior Victoria Kuzman and Lindsay Kroell along with freshman Marissa VanWoeart have teamed to provide goaltenders, senior Carolyn Stead and freshman Julie Gawronski, with excellent protection. Midfielders, juniors Erin Holmes, Stephanie Mole', sophomores Molly Flanagan and Brianna Bailey have done an excellent job with the Dutchwomen's transition game.

Gawronski, who was voted the Most Valuable Player in last week's UCAA tournament after shutting out Hamilton (2-0) and William Smith, has five shutouts this season with an 0.85 goals against average and an 81.0 save percentage. Stead, who has recorded six shutouts this year and 24 for her three-year career as a starter, owns an 0.21 goals against average and a 93.5 save percentage.

Union goes into the weekend ranked first in the NSCAA's New York Regional poll and is ranked 10th in the nation in the November 11 poll.

William Smith heads into the weekend with a 14-3-3 overall record and a second-place ranking in the NSCAA's New York Regional poll. One of the pillars of the team is senior goaltender Leah Cornwell, who has eight shutouts, a goals against average of 0.60 and a save percentage of .826.

Scoring leaders include Alyson Stachura (10-2-22), Maria Paoff (7-3-17), Kristin Falzarano (6-5-17), Arin Belden (6-4-16) and Steph Gridley (5-3-13).

The Herons have scored 43 goals and given up 12.

New York University (10-4-4) plays at Misericordia (19-1-0) and Westminster (15-2-2) while Nazareth (16-3-1) is at Grove City (13-6-2) in Wednesday's two play-in games.

A total of 45 teams make up the championship field.


GOOD LUCK UNION!!!