2017 Field Hockey Highlights and Reflections (VIDEO)
BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The LIU Brooklyn field hockey team is readying for the program's first-ever appearance in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference's championship tournament. The Blackbirds, who finished conference play with a 4-2 record, are the No. 2 overall seed in the field, and will take on No. 3 seed Fairfield, Friday, November 3 at 11 a.m. in West Long Branch, N.J.
CHAMPIONSHIP INFORMATION
Events throughout this weekend will be streamed by the MAAC office for fans to follow.
2017 MAAC Championship Postseason Awards Show
#2 LIU vs. #3 Fairfield – Live Video | Live Stats
Sunday's championship game will air on ESPN3.
Ticket Information is available here. For more information on all championship events, visit MAAC Championship Central.
NFCHA HONOREE
LIU Brooklyn field hockey sophomore Molly Jannell was named the Longstreth/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division I Defensive Player of the Week, it was announced by the NFCHA Wednesday afternoon. It is the first national honor for the LIU field hockey program, and the first in Jannell's career.
Jannell had an outstanding week with 25 saves and no goals allowed in two games. Her 13-save performance in a 1-0 win over Sacred Heart on Friday lifted LIU Brooklyn to a berth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament in just the second season for the program. Jannell followed it up with 12 saves against Davidson on Sunday to help LIU Brooklyn play to a scoreless tie before falling in penalty strokes.
She was also named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week for her performance.
SCOUTING THE STAGS
Fairfield finished the regular season with a 7-11 record, tied in the MAAC standing with LIU at 4-2. Because of LIU's win over the Stags, the Blackbirds got the higher seeding. Fairfield has qualified for the MAAC tournament each of the past three years, after joining the conference from the America East in 2015. The Stags won it all in 2015, and lost in double overtime to Monmouth in the championship last year, 3-2.
This year, Fairfield beat Monmouth in the regular season, 3-1, as well as Bryant (3-2), Rider (1-0) and Siena (4-0), but fell to LIU 2-1, and Sacred Heart, 2-0.
Andrea Soler is the team's leading point scorer, with seven goals and three assists, while Hannah Pike has four goals and a team-high six assists. Jaclyn Gallagher is also strong offensively, with four goals and five assists. But the Stags have a well-rounded squad, with eight other players who have scored at least once this season.
UP NEXT
Up next, the winner of the first game of the semifinals will take on the winner of the second game. The host Monmouth Hawks (14-3, 5-1 MAAC), who are also ranked No. 25 in the nation, take on Rider (8-10, 3-3 MAAC) in a 3 p.m. game Friday. The Game 1 and Game 2 winners face off Sunday, November 5 at 12 p.m., in a game that will air on ESPN3.