Maryland Advances to NCAA Field Hockey Semis for Third-
Straight Year
Powley tallies game winner, while Long scores twice in final
11 minutes.

Box Score: http://umterps.collegesports.com/sports/w-
fieldh/stats/2005-2006/ncaagm-3.html

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - For the third-straight year, Maryland
field hockey advances to the NCAA semifinals after a 3-0 win
over No. 6 American on Sunday afternoon at the Field Hockey
& Lacrosse Complex. The Terps scored three late goals to
clinch the win as senior Lauren Powley knocking in the game
winner.

"I'm so pleased for this team. We've talked about making it
back to the final four for the past nine months and now we
have a great opportunity to win a national championship,"
said Maryland head coach Missy Meharg. "American is a very
good team and they were a tough opponent."

The Terps will make their 11th national semifinal appearance
(including the 1979 AIAW) and sixth in the last seven years.

For the second-consecutive year, Maryland (21-2) had to get
past American (20-2) to get to the semifinals. Saturday's
battle was just as tough.

The game was scoreless after the first 35 minutes of play
and the both teams did not let the other get easy
opportunities, although the Terps had possession of the ball
for most of the game. In the 60th minute, a penalty corner
for Maryland set up three-time All-American senior Lauren
Powley (Mountaintop, Pa.) for the shot, which she knocked in
for the first score of the game.

After Powley's goal, the Terrapins seemed unstoppable. All-
ACC performer Jackie Ciconte (Wilmington, Del.) made a long
pass into the circle for senior Meredith Long (Ocean City,
N.J.) and Long deflected it into the net, giving the Terps a
two-goal cushion at 62:52. Five minutes later, Ciconte
passed off to Long on the 2-v-1 break and Long tapped the
ball in, despite an oncoming Allison Fayfich, AU's
goalkeeper, to give the Terps a comfortable and
insurmountable 3-0 lead with less that three minutes to go
in the game.

Maryland outshot American 16-6 in the game, but was even
better defensively, giving up just one second-half shot and
penalty corner to the Eagles. Fayfich ended the game with
seven saves, while Terp goalie Kathryn Masson (Richmond,
British Columbia) had two.

The 21 victories on the season are the most for Maryland
since 1999.

Maryland will be looking for its fourth national title and
first since 1999. The Terps play Old Dominion in Louisville,
Ky., on Friday, Nov. 18. The teams split the regular-season
home-and-home series. ODU defeated Michigan, 3-2, to advance
to the semis.

Also advancing are the ACC's Duke, who defeated UConn in
overtime, 3-2, and Wake Forest, who topped Indiana, 5-0. The
winners of both semifinal games go on to play for the
national championship on Sunday, Nov. 20.

No. 6 American  0   0  -  0
No. 1 Maryland  0   3  -  0

GOALS: AU, None. MD, Lauren Powley (Emily Beach), pc, 59:08;
Meredith Long (Jackie Ciconte), 62:52; Meredith Long (Jackie
Ciconte (67:26). SHOTS: AU 6, MD 16. PENALTY CORNERS: AU 1,
MD 7. SAVES: AU, Allison Fayfich 7 (3 GA, 70:00); MD,
Kathryn Masson 2 (0 GA, 70:00). ATTENDANCE: 579.