Weekend College Games: NCAA Opening, First, Second & Third Rounds

College field hockey has now entered NCAA Tournament play. USA Field Hockey highlights each Division Tournament this week and weekend.

Division I: Opening, First & Second Rounds

Opening Round: Wednesday, November 10

Newark, Del.

Delaware 4 - 3 Fairfield (OT) | 1:00 p.m. ET | Twitter

Delaware (12-8) will welcome Fairfield (14-7) to Newark, Del. for the NCAA Division I Opening Round.

The Blue Hens captured the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) title this weekend with a 3-1 victory over James Madison University, earning the automatic bid. The Stags garnered their automatic bid through its 3-1 win over LIU in the Northeast Conference (NEC) championship game.

Delaware owns a 12-8 overall record which includes their 5-1 CAA slate after winning five of their last five contests. The Blue Hens scored six goals in their two CAA Tournament games, beating both JMU and William and Mary by 3-1 scores. Morgan Rigual was responsible for three of those goals, netting a pair against William and Mary and adding another in the James Madison game. Goalkeeper Lizzie Gaebel performed admirably with 10 saves in the two tournament games, highlighted by her eight stops against James Madison.

Fairfield brings a six-game winning streak into the NCAA Championship which was extended by their win over LIU and 2-1 semifinal victory against Rider. Jolanda Richter posted a goal in each game including the game-winner in the title match which earned her the Tournament Most Valuable Player award. Luzi Persiehl put together a stellar performance in the championship game as well with a goal and two assists. Goalkeeper Zoe Rosen continued her fine season with seven stops with four coming in the championship game.

The last time these two programs met was back in September 2015, where Delaware won 4-1.

Oxford, Ohio

Miami 3 - 2 Maine (OT) | 2:00 p.m. ET | RedHawks All-Access

The Mid-American Conference (MAC) Champions, Miami (15-6), will host Maine (11-10), America East Champions, in the NCAA Division I Opening Round in Oxford, Ohio.

The 15-6 RedHawks secured their place in the tournament with a comeback 2-1 win over Longwood Saturday in the MAC Championship. They overcame a one-goal deficit and Paula Pena scored the game-winning goal late in the fourth quarter. The win gave Miami their seventh straight MAC title.

For the first time in program history, the Black Bears won the America East Title, taking down rival UAlbany in an overtime shootout. Poppy Lambert scored the first goal of the game on a penalty stroke in the second quarter, and the 1-0 score held into the second half as the Danes offense tried to sneak something by America East Goalkeeper of the Year Mia Borley. They finally succeeded early in the third quarter to tie things up, a tie that would last through forty tense game-minutes before both teams wrapped up the second overtime period without finding the sudden-victory goal. The duo of Julia Ross and Chloe Walton converted in the shootout and Borley stopped five of six UAlbany attempts to seal the win.

These teams have never faced one another.

First Round: Friday, November 12

Piscataway, N.J.

No. 1 Rutgers 2 - 1Delaware | 11:00 a.m. ET | BTN+

As the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Division I Championship, Rutgers will host

No. 3 Rutgers field hockey put a stamp on a historic season for the program, defeating Michigan to win the Big Ten Championship. The Scarlet Knights became the first Rutgers program to ever win a Big Ten Tournament championship, and just the second RU program to earn any Big Ten Championship after the women's soccer program won the regular season title this year.

The win capped an incredible week as part of an incredible season. Hosting the conference tournament, the Scarlet Knights earned three wins in four days, downing Indiana, No. 7 Penn State and No. 2 Michigan to capture the program's first Big Ten crown. Rutgers improved to 18-3 overall on the season, far surpassing the program's previous record of 15, set in 1986. The Scarlet Knights earned 12 wins overall against ranked teams and six of them against top-10 teams. The win made RU's record at home 16-1 in the last two seasons.

Delaware edged Fairfield, 4-3 in overtime, in the NCAA Opening Round to advance to the First Round. With less than a minute remaining in the first period, the Blue Hens took a 1-0 lead. Sian Emslie extended the score, chipping in a ball high into the top of the net in the second quarter. In the third frame, Delaware stretched their lead to three goals. The Stags chipped away at Delaware's three-goal margin and scored two in the third period to make it a one-goal game. With four seconds left in regulation, Fairfield tied the game, 3-3, on a penalty corner, sending the game into overtime. Delaware started off overtime hot, maintaining possession of the ball and taking three shots. It was Femke Strien who sealed the win for the Blue Hens after forcing her way into the circle and then slinging a shot to hit the back of the goal with nine seconds left in the first overtime period.

The Scarlet Knights and Blue Hens met earlier this season on September 21, 2021, that went 2-0 in favor of Rutgers.

Liberty 2 - 0 Saint Joseph's | 1:30 p.m. ET | BTN+

BIG EAST Champion Liberty (17-2) is set to meet Atlantic-10 Champion Saint Joseph's (16-4)  in the NCAA Division I First Round in Piscataway, N.J.

No. 1 BIG EAST seed Liberty topped No. 2 seed and nine-time defending champion Connecticut 1-0 in the 2021 BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship title game on Sunday, securing their first BIG EAST title in program history. With the win, Liberty punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014 and for the third time in school history. Liberty senior forward Jill Bolton scored the game’s lone goal in the 42nd minute. Bolton was named BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship MVP.

Fresh off their fourth Atlantic-10 Championship in five season, the Hawks earned their berth in virtue of a 1-0 win over Virginia Commonwealth. Anna Miller scored the game's lone goal early in the third quarter and Saint Joseph's defense made it stand, clinching the program's fourth NCAA Tournament berth. A day earlier, the Hawks set Atlantic 10 Championship records for goals in a game and margin of victory with an 8-1 win over Richmond in the semifinals.

This will be the third-ever meeting between Liberty and Saint Joseph’s but first since 2013. The all-time series is even 1-1. Liberty fell 2-1 to Saint Joseph’s in the 2012 season opener but topped the Hawks 4-0 in the 2013 season opener.

College Park, Md.

No. 4 Penn State 1 - 4 Syracuse | 12:00 p.m. ET | BTN+

Penn State (14-5) is the No. 4 overall seed in the 2021 NCAA Division I Championship and will travel to College Park, Md. to face Syracuse (13-5) in the first round.

Penn State enters the NCAA tournament with a 14-5 record and is coming off an appearance in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals this past weekend. The Nittany Lions opened the Big Ten Tournament with a 3-2 win over No. 6 Maryland and then fell to host No. 3 Rutgers in the semifinals, 2-1. Penn State has won six of its last eight games, including victories over No. 2 Michigan and No. 6 Maryland. This will be Penn State's seventh NCAA appearance in the last decade alone and for the 29th time in Char Morett-Curtiss' 35 seasons at Penn State.

For the 15th time in program history, Syracuse is heading to the NCAA Tournament with a 13-5 overall record. Syracuse returns after missing the 2020 tournament, which was played in the Spring of 2021 with a smaller field due to COVID-19. They have reached the national semifinals four times in program history, and made the national championship game twice, losing in 2014 before returning in 2015 to win the first women's team national title in school history. The Orange are 17-13 all-time in NCAA Tournament games. They have qualified for 12 NCAA Tournaments during head coach Ange Bradley's tenure at Syracuse. 

The Nittany Lions own a 24-4-1 lead in the all-time series over Syracuse. The two teams have not met since 2014.

Maryland 2 - 1 Virginia | 2:30 p.m. ET | BTN+

Hosting, Maryland (13-6) will play Virginia (12-8) in the NCAA Division I First Round on Friday.

Earning their 33rd overall NCAA Tournament bid, the Terrapins own a record of 64-26 in the NCAA post-season and a record of 60-23 under head coach Missy Meharg. They have advanced to 19 Final Fours and have wont eight NCAA Titles, with the most recent coming in 2011. Maryland dropped a tight, one-goal match to Penn State, 3-2, Thursday in the Big Ten Quarterfinals. The Terrapins led twice, but a fourth quarter goal by the Nittany Lions was the difference.

Virginia earned one of the eight at-large bids into the field of 18 teams for the NCAA Division I Championship. This is the 25th trip to the NCAA Championship for the Cavaliers and their 13th in head coach Michele Madison's 16 seasons. Virginia, No. 5 in the tournament, fell 1-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championship game on Sunday to No. 3 North Carolina. Scoreless through the first half, ACC Offensive Player of the Year Erin Matson broke the deadlock in the third quarter off a penalty corner that was deflected.

When these teams met on October 7, the close battle took an overtime period to decide, with Maryland winning 2-1.

Ann Arbor, Mich.

No. 3 Michigan 3 - 2 Miami | 12:00 p.m. ET | BTN+

Selected as the No. 3 overall seed, Michigan (15-4) will host the first and second rounds of the NCAA Division I Championship for the fifth time in program history.

Michigan opens NCAA Tournament play against the winner of the play-in game between Maine (15-6) and Miami University (11-10). 

The Wolverines makes their 18th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and seventh in as many seasons. U-M owns a 20-15 record in NCAA Tournament play and has advanced to the semifinals in five of its 17 appearances, most recently reaching the NCAA championship game last season - its third trip to the final and first since capturing the national title in 2001.

Michigan received an at-large berth to the tournament after posting a 15-4 record with ten wins over nationally-ranked opposition. They have been ranked top two nationally for the entirety of the 2021 season. The Wolverines narrowly fell to Rutgers 1-0 in the Big Ten Tournament final on Sunday.

Miami (12-10) beat Maine 3-2 in overtime to advance to the NCAA Division I First Round. On Wednesday, the RedHawks hosted their first ever NCAA Tournament Game against Maine. They overcame a 2-0 halftime deficit as Noor Breddijk put the finishing touches on the game by scoring the game winning third goal for Miami in the 3-2 win in overtime.

Louisville 0 - 1 Harvard OT | 2:30 p.m. ET | BTN+

Louisville (16-3) will travel to Ann Arbor, Mich. to take on Harvard (15-1), Ivy League Champions, in the first round of the NCAA Division I Championship.

The Cardinals won the 2021 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) regular season title after posting a 6-0 record in league play and reached the semifinals of the conference tournament, which resulted in a 2-1 in a sudden-victory shootout loss to Virginia. This marks UofL's 10th NCAA tournament appearance and its seventh at-large bid in the last eight years. Last season, the Cardinals advanced to the NCAA semifinals for the first time in program history.

The Crimson earned the Ivy League's automatic bid after winning the league title with a 7-0 mark in conference play. Harvard is making their seventh appearance in the NCAA tournament. Harvard had their best NCAA Tournament run in 2018, reaching the quarterfinal round. The Crimson continues to keep pace with the 2018 team matching its best 16-game start in school history. Harvard has won 10 games in a row overall.

Friday's matchup against Harvard will mark the first-ever meeting between the two teams. The Crimson (15-1) earned the Ivy League's automatic bid after winning the league title with a 7-0 mark in conference play. Harvard is making its seventh appearance in the NCAA tournament.

Iowa City, Iowa

No. 2 Iowa 3 - 2 American | 1:00 p.m. ET | BTN+

As the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Division I Championship, Iowa (16-2) will host American (13-3), Patriot League Champions, in the NCAA Division I First Round.

The Hawkeyes received an at-large bid and will host an NCAA Tournament game for the first time since 1999. Iowa fell in a battle down to the wire to Michigan in the Big Ten Semifinals. The Wolverines scored five minutes into the game but three minutes later, Iowa answered. Before the end of the first quarter, Michigan notched another goal off a penalty corner to put the Wolverines up 2-1. Coming out of the half, Nikki Freeman forced a turnover deep on Iowa's side, took it to the cage and put away her shot to even the score. As the fourth quarter started, Michigan tallied the game-winner.

After capturing the program's 12th Patriot League title on Saturday, the Eagles are heading back to the NCAA Tournament. American went undefeated in Patriot League play for the 10th time in program history en route to their 12th regular season and tournament titles.

The last time these program's met was back in October 2009, where Iowa edged American, 2-1.

NORTHWESTERN 2 - 0 North Carolina | 3:30 p.m. ET | BTN+
Northwestern (14-5) and North Carolina (13-6), Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Champions, will face off in the NCAA Division I Firs Round on Friday.

The Wildcats secured their berth in the NCAA Tournament, earning one of the eight at-large bids for the program's third consecutive appearance. This marks Northwestern's 17th tournament appearance in program history, as well as the fifth under head coach Tracey Fuchs. It also marks the first time the Wildcats have made three-consecutive tournaments since 1991. The Wildcats head to the tournament boasting a 14-5 record, including a win over nationally No. 1 Iowa on the road. Each of the Wildcats' four losses came by one goal, all against NCAA tournament qualifiers. Northwestern has earned nine wins over ranked opponents so far this season. The 'Cats also rank fourth in the nation in scoring margin, having scored at least six points in six contests.

North Carolina is set to make their 38th appearance in the NCAA Tournament field after winning the program's 24th ACC Title on Sunday. The Tar Heels are the three-time defending champions and are making their 19th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. UNC holds the NCAA records for tournament appearances (38), tournament games played (101) and tournament victories (73).

Second Round: Sunday, November 14

Piscataway, N.J.

No. 1 Rutgers 2 - 3 Liberty (SO 2 - 4) | 1:00 p.m. ET | BTN+

No. 1 Rutgers is moving on in the NCAA Tournament, having defeated Delaware, 2-1, in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament. After capturing the program's first NCAA Tournament win since 1986, the Scarlet Knights moved on to play Sunday when they host 9 Liberty on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET.

On Friday, playing through the pouring rain, the Scarlet Knights gritted out a defensive-led effort for the victory. RU was led by goals from Liz Romano and Lucy Banatyne, while Milena Redlingshoefer had two assists. Gianna Glatz made four saves. Rutgers enters Sunday's game with an overall record of 19-3, a program record for victories in a season. The win over the No. 17 Delaware was the 13th ranked win of the season, and saw RU improve to 19-1 in its last 20 home games.

College Park, Md.
Syracuse 1 - 2 Maryland | 1:00 p.m. et | BTN+

Syracuse (14-5) stormed their way into the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals on Friday with a thrilling 4-1 win over No. 4 Penn State in the first round in College Park, Md. Four different Orange scored in the win, which was the first NCAA Tournament win for the Orange since 2016.

Goals from Mayv Clune and Emma DeBerdine propelled Maryland to advance to the NCAA quarterfinals with a 2-1 win over Virginia on Friday afternoon. This is Maryland's 33rd NCAA Tournament appearance and they own a record of 65-24 (.730), which is the highest winning percentage in tournament history. 

Ann Arbor, Mich.
No. 3 Michigan vs. harvard | 1:00 p.m. et | BTN+

With 2.3 seconds left on the game clock, Michigan senior Sofia Southam fired the game-winning goal off a penalty corner from the left side of the arc into the bottom-right corner of the cage to lift the No. 2 Wolverines to a 3-2 comeback victory over Miami in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday afternoon. The Wolverines (16-4) rallied from a two-goal deficit early in the first quarter to advance to a NCAA quarterfinal match, and will host Harvard on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET at Ocker Field.

Harvard sophomore Avery Donahue's overtime game-winning goal lifted Harvard (16-1) to a 1-0 victory over Louisville in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. After a pass from senior caption Mimi Tarrant, Donahue's shot from the left side of the circle found the back of the net 5:24 into the first overtime frame, sending the Crimson to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the second time in program history. Harvard has matched its best NCAA Tournament run from 2018.

Iowa City, Iowa
No. 2 iowa vs. northwestern | 1:00 p.m. et | BTN+

Back-to-back goals by senior Ciara Smith capped No. 3 Iowa’s 3-2 come-from-behind victory overAmerican in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday afternoon at Grant Field. The Hawkeyes advance to their 19th Elite Eight appearance in program history and in their second straight season. The win was the team’s 28th NCAA victory all-time.

Northwestern took down North Carolina 2-0 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. After a scoreless, but high intensity first half, Northwestern somehow managed to ratchet up their offensive barrage even further. Ana Medina Garcia was able to get the Wildcats a one-point lead at the start of the fourth quarter with a hustle play off a rebound from Clara Roth. With just five minutes to go in the final quarter, North Carolina pulled their goalkeeper to get an extra attacker on the field. Annabel Skubisz came up with a big save that went right to Maddie Zimmer, who took it coast to coast and rocketed in an easy shot on an empty net. 

Division II: First Round

First Round: Saturday, November 13

East Stroudsburg, Pa.

No. 4 East Stroudsburg vs. No. 5 Bentley | 1:00 p.m. ET | PSAC Sports Network

East Stroudsburg (15-4) earned the No. 4 seed in the NCAA Division II Championship and will host No. 5 Bentley (14-5) on Saturday at Whitenight Field.

ESU advances to the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time in school history and for the sixth consecutive season. The Warriors are 5-7 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, including their national championship in 2015.

Following a season that featured a 9-0 month of October, Bentley was selected to participate in the NCAA Division II Championship. The Falcons are making their first NCAA appearance since 2012. Bentley will enter the tournament at 14-5 following a stroke-off loss to New Haven in the Northeast-10 Conference Quarterfinals. The Falcons will be making their 14th appearance all-time in the NCAA Division II Championship and their first since 2012.

It will be the first meeting of the two programs in the NCAA tournament since 2001 when Bentley, playing on its home turf, defeated East Stroudsburg, 4-2, to win the national championship.

The winner of ESU and Bentley will play top seed, Shippensburg (18-0), who earned a first-round bye and an automatic bid into the NCAA Semifinals.

West Chester, Pa.

No. 3 West Chester vs. No. 6 Adelphi | 1:00 p.m ET | PSAC Sports Network

West Chester (15-4) slotted the No. 3 seed in the NCAA Division II Championship and will host No. 6 Adelphi (14-5) on Saturday at Vonnie Gros Field.

West Chester lost the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championship Game to host Shippensburg Sunday afternoon. The Golden Rams are making their eighth appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament since re-classifying in 2011. They won the national title their first two years in Division II (2011, 2012) and enter this year's tournament as the defending national champions.

After spending nearly three weeks on the bubble, Adelphi received their fourth NCAA Tournament bid in program history and their first since the team's back-to-back appearances in 2014 and 2015. The Panthers are returning from their first-ever trip to the Northeast 10 Championship game, in which they lost to Assumption 3-2. The team headed into that contest on a seven-game winning streak that began with a 2-1 victory over Saint Anselm College, which was ranked No. 8 nationally at the time.

West Chester has taken all three meetings from Adelphi since the Panthers' return to varsity status in 2008. The two teams last met on October 28, 2019. 

The winner of West Chester and Adelphi will play No. 2 Assumption (20-1) who earned a first-round bye and an automatic bid into the NCAA Semifinals.

 

Division III: First, Second & Third Rounds

First Round: Thursday, November 10

Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

Vassar 1 - 2 Endicott | 5:00 p.m. ET | Boxcast

After winning the Liberty League Tournament and receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament,  Vassar (13-6) will host Endicott (13-6), Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Champions on Wednesday at Weinberg Turf Field.

Vassar earned its second NCAA appearance and league title in program history after defeating Ithaca 1-0 in overtime in the Liberty League Championship game on Saturday.

Endicott downed the University of New England 1-0 in double overtime to win its third-straight CCC title and fifth title in the past ten seasons.

The winner of this contest advances to face Middlebury in the NCAA Division III Second Round on Saturday.

New Paltz, N.Y.

New Paltz 3 - 0 Wilson | 1:00 p.m. ET | NP Athletics

New Paltz (16-2) clinched their spot in the NCAA Division III Championship after defeating Cortland, 1-0, Saturday in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Championship. The Hawks not only claimed the program's sixth conference title but earned the right to host Wilson (18-0), Colonial State Athletic Conference (CSAC) Champions, in the First Round at North Turf Field.

Wilson will make their second appearance in NCAA history after last appearing in 2019. The Phoenix head into the tournament sporting the best record in program history at 18-0 and having just clinched their second CSAC title. Junior Alexis Pflumm was named the MVP of the CSAC tournament and super senior Michaela Singer was named the CSAC Player of the Year.

The winner of this contest will advance to take on the winner of Tufts and Johnson and Wales.

Medford, Mass.

Tufts 1 - 0 Johnson & Wales | 6:00 p.m. ET | Pack Network

Tufts (13-4) earned their 12th berth into the NCAA Division III Championship and will host Johnson and Wales (17-3) in the First Round at Ounjian Field.

The Jumbo program has an 19-10 overall mark in NCAA Tournament play. Tufts won the 2012 national title under Coach Tina Mattera, becoming the first women's team at Tufts to win an NCAA championship. They were also the national runner-up in 2008, 2016 and 2018.

Johnson and Wales won their first-ever Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) title this fall, earning an automatic NCAA berth. Head coach Lisa Lopes' Wildcats are making their NCAA Tournament debut.

The winner of this contest will advance to take on the winner of New Paltz and Wilson.

Scranton 3 - 2 Ursinus OT | 5:00 p.m. ET | Landmark.TV

After capturing the program's second consecutive Landmark Conference title on Saturday, Scranton (17-1) will host the Ursinus (13-5) in an NCAA Division III First Round game on Wednesday at Weiss Field in Scranton.

This is the Royals' second straight and third all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament following trips in 1997 and 2019. In Saturday's Landmark title game, Scranton beat Catholic with the eventual game-winner coming in the 43rd minute and another was added on an empty net goal in the final minute to seal the 3-1 victory.

Ursinus is making their first appearance in the field since 2016 and 13th overall in the Division III Tournament.

This will mark the first-ever meeting between the two teams.

The winner of this contest will advance to take on Washington and Lee (17-0) on Saturday.

Cortland 1 - 2 Ohio Wesleyan OT | 2:00 p.m. ET | RedDragons

Cortland (16-2) will host Ohio Wesleyan (10-5), who are fresh off their first North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Championship, in the NCAA Division III First Round on Wednesday at SUNY Cortland Stadium Complex.

The Red Dragons will play in their 29th NCAA Division III Tournament, and first since 2017. Cortland finished second in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) tournament after losing at top-seeded New Paltz, 1-0, in the conference finals Saturday. Cortland won national titles in 1993, 1994 and 2001 and finished second in 1997. The Red Dragons tied for third in 1999 and 2003, placed third in both 1989 and 1996 and were fourth in 1988. In their most recent appearance in 2017, Cortland won its first-round game against Keene State, 4-1, before dropping a 2-1 decision at The College of New Jersey to tie for ninth place nationally.

This is the Battling Bishops' first trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament since 1995, and first under head coach Brenda Semit. To even reach this point, Ohio Wesleyan had been playing must-win games for the past 10 days. On October 30 and 31, Ohio Wesleyan defeated Allegheny and Earlham to close out the regular season. The two wins moved the Bishops into fourth place in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) standings and the final spot in the NCAC tournament. Ohio Wesleyan then knocked off conference champion Kenyon, 1-0, on Tuesday, becoming the first No. 4 seed in the history of the NCAC tournament to advance to the championship game. On Saturday, the Bishops defeated Denison, 2-1, in overtime in the tournament championship game for Ohio Wesleyan's first-ever NCAC tournament title.

The Cortland/Ohio Wesleyan winner will advance to face Rowan (16-2) in the NCAA Second Round on Saturday.

Grantham, Pa.

Messiah 3 - 0 Stevens | 5:00 p.m. ET | GoMessiah.TV

The Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Commonwealth Champion, Messiah (16-2), and MAC Freedom Champion, Stevens (15-4), will match-up in the NCAA Division III First Round at Anderson Field at Grantham, Pa.

Messiah claimed their 14th consecutive MAC Commonwealth title on Saturday, after topping Widener, 7-3. Now, the Falcons are gearing up to make their 34th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and are pursuing their second NCAA Division III National Championship in program history (2016). Messiah has an all-time NCAA Tournament record of 55-32, going 43-7 in home competitions.

The Ducks claimed their second conference championship in program history on Saturday, besting Misericordia, 2-0. The conference championship was the program's first MAC Freedom title since joining the conference in 2019. Stevens are making their fifth overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament after clinching a spot in the tournament back in 2015. The Ducks have an all-time NCAA Tournament record of 3-4, recording first-round victories in three of their five total appearances. 

The winner of this contest will go on to face Babson (20-1) on Saturday.

These program's last played back in 2014, where Messiah won, 6-1.

Hartford, Conn.

Trinity 5 - 0 St. John Fisher | 4:00 p.m. ET | NSN

Trinity (12-5) has been selected for the NCAA Division III Tournament for the ninth time, and the Bantams will host a first-round game against St. John Fisher (12-7), Empire 8 Champions, on Wednesday.

The Bantams advanced to the semifinals of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championship Tournament with a 2-1 victory over Williams College on October 30 but lost, 4-0, at Middlebury over the weekend. Trinity, which has a 12-5 record and is ranked No. 8 in the nation, learned of its at-large bid to the tournament when the bracket was announced Sunday evening. Trinity last played in the NCAA Tournament in 2017, when they downed Gywnedd-Mercy, 5-3, in the opening round and Salisbury, 2-1, in the second round before falling to Messiah, 5-0, in the Quarterfinals.

St. John Fisher, rolled through their eight-game conference schedule without a loss and outscored their two opponents in the Empire Eight Tournament, 9-0, but were 2-7 outside of their league. Bre Socker has team-highs of 18 goals and 10 assists for the offense, while Molly Fisher adds 10 goals, and Sophia Trozzi has 98 saves for a .772 save percentage and a 1.54 GAA in the cage. The Cardinals are 0-3 against the tournament field with setbacks against Middlebury (6-0), Cortland State (3-2), and New Paltz State (4-3).

This will be the first time the Bantams will face the Cardinals. 

The winner will advance to face Kean (19-2) on Saturday.

Brunswick, Maine

Bowdoin 9 - 0 Eastern Connecticut State | 6:00 p.m. ET | NSN

Bowdoin (14-4) will return to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time since 2015 when they host Eastern Connecticut State (14-5) in a first round game Wednesday evening on Ryan Field.

The Polar Bears are making their 14th NCAA Division III Tournament appearance, but first since 2015. Bowdoin has won four NCAA Championships overall and owns a 30-9 record all-time in tournament play, including a 17-0 record all-time in NCAA games at Ryan Field. After beginning the year 2-2, the Polar Bears rolled off a 12-1 run leading up to the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) title game loss to Middlebury, outscoring opponents 45-7 over that 13-game stretch.

The Warriors will be making their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance after winning their first Little East Conference title with a 1-0 win over top-seeded and host Keene State last weekend. Eastern Connecticut has enjoyed a record-setting season this fall and brings a five-game winning streak (one short of the program record) into Wednesday. The team has set season records this year for wins (14), conference regular-season wins (9) and road wins (7).

The two schools have never played each other in field hockey.

The winner of this contest will advance to take on the winner of Christoper Newport and Centre.

Christopher Newport 1 - 2 Centre | 1:00 p.m. ET | CNU All-Access

Christopher Newport (11-5) will kick off the postseason on Wednesday when they host Centre (14-3) in the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament at Jennings Family Stadium.

Christopher Newport enters the postseason having won eight of its last nine contests dating back to September 25. During that run, the Captains posted five shutouts, including victories over No. 18 Lynchburg and No. 20 Salisbury, who both earned bids to the NCAA Tournament. Incredibly, during the last nine games, the team has out-scored their opposition, 35-7.

Centre is making their second straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament after earning an at-large bid out of the Southern Athletic Association (SAA). The Colonels boast one of the nation's elite defensive units, which ranks eighth in the country in goals-against-average with a microscopic 0.79 mark. The squad has also recorded nine shutouts, which stands as the 11th-highest total in the nation.

Centre and Christopher Newport have previously met eight times with the Captains holding a 7-1 edge in the series. The Colonels won the most recent meeting after posting a 2-1 shootout victory in 2019. 

The winner of this contest will advance to take on the winner of Bowdoin and Eastern Connecticut State.

Lynchburg, Va.

Lynchburg 2 - 3 Salisbury OT | 3:30 p.m. ET | YouTube

Lynchburg (14-7) earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Hornets have the privilege of a first-round home game to boot; Lynchburg will play host to Salisbury (11-7) Wednesday at Shellenberger Field.

Lynchburg is making their third consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament and 19th overall, but the 2021 season marks just the second time the Hornets are included in the field as an at-large team. They enter NCAA play as one of the most battle-tested teams in the bracket. The Hornets hold a 12-7 record, but nine of those contests were against teams included in the latest NCAA regional rankings. Lynchburg rattled off three victories over programs ranked in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association's (NFHCA) top 20 poll this season, including Thursday's Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Tournament Semifinal win over No. 19 Shenandoah. No. 11 Washington and Lee then topped the Hornets for the league's trophy and automatic bid Saturday.

Salisbury enters tournament play fresh off a Coast-to-Coast (C2C) Athletic Conference crown and are receiving votes in the latest NFHCA ballot. It is the Seagulls 27th consecutive bid and 36th overall berth in the NCAA Tournament. They hold the record for the longest streak across all divisions of NCAA Field Hockey with the streak dating back to 1994. They enter the tournament with an all-time record of 54-31, with the 54 wins the most in Division III history.

Wednesday's meeting will be the third between the perennial powers in the NCAA tournament. The Sea Gulls ousted Lynchburg in the 2019 quarterfinals, 2-0; Lynchburg topped SU, 2-1 on penalty strokes, in the 2001 tourney.

Wednesday's winner will advance to a second-round game at No. 2 Johns Hopkins on Saturday.

Second Round: Saturday, November 13

Middlebury, Vt.

Middlebury 5 - 1 Endicott | 11:00 a.m. ET | NSN

Middlebury (18-0), fresh off their fourth-straight New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) title, will make their 18th-consecutive and 21st overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament when it hosts a Regional on November 13 and 14 on Kohn Field.

The Panthers will play the Vassar/Endicott winner on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. ET, while the winner of the SUNY New Paltz/Wilson contest will battle the Tufts/JWU winner in the day's second contest at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Top-ranked and three-time defending national champion Middlebury enters the weekend with an overall record of 45-16 in NCAA Tournament play. The Panthers won national titles in 1998, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019, while advancing to the finals in 2003, 2004, 2007 and 2011.

Middlebury earned its way into the NCAA Tournament with the NESCAC's automatic bid after claiming the league title on Sunday over sixth-ranked Bowdoin 4-3. The Panthers became the second team in conference history to win eight titles and four-consecutive championships and enter the tournament with an unblemished 18-0 mark.

Endicott (14-6) fended off Vassar, 2-1, to move on to the NCAA Division III Second Round. Jenna Seibold found the back of the cage early to help the Gulls to a 1-0 lead in the first quarter. Following a defensive standstill between both schools for the next two periods, Meaghan Hogan broke the drought to push Endicott ahead 2-0. The Brewers tied it up on a tip shot with just 2 minute remaining in regulation. From their, Endicott held Vassar to the comeback bid behind a stellar defensive performance on all fronts to lock up the win.

SUNY New Paltz 2 - 5 Tufts | 2:00 p.m. ET | NSN

New Paltz (17-3) advanced to the NCAA Division III Second Round after knocking off visiting Wilson, 3-0. The Hawks had a slow start to the game, as they struggled connecting on their passes early, which allowed the Phoenix to control possession and keep the ball on New Paltz's defensive side. The defense held stout for the hosts' however, overcoming four shots within the circle and a penalty corner to hold onto the scoreless tie. With four minutes remaining in the first quarter, New Paltz earned three consecutive penalty corners and were unable to put the ball in the cage until their final opportunity. With the 1-0 lead, no goals were scored in the second quarter, but the Hawks tallied in the remaining two for the 3-0 victory.

Tufts (14-4) survived a first round scare by earning a 1-0 win over Johnson and Wales. Jumbo senior Gillian Roeca scored late to lift Tufts to the victory. Tufts out-shot the Wildcats 22-2 and had a 12-0 advantage in corners, but with three minutes left until seven-on-seven overtime it was a 0-0 game. Then on the final penalty corner of the game, Melissa Manzello inserted to Beth Krikorian at the top of the circle. She passed to Reegan McCluskey on the right who fed Roeca in front of the goal.

These programs have never played one another.

Glassboro, N.J.

Rowan 2 - 1 Ohio Wesleyan | 11:00 a.m. ET | YouTube

Rowan (16-2), New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Champion, will take on Ohio Wesleyan (11-5) in the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament.

The Profs received a first-round bye and have been selected to host second-round and third-round contests beginning this Saturday. The other second-round matchup taking place in Glassboro, N.J. pits Washington and Lee against the winner of a first-round matchup between Scranton and Ursinus.
 
It marks Rowan's 20th bid to the NCAA Championship as it earned the conference's automatic bid with the title. The Profs have made three all-time trips to the NCAA Final Four and won the national championship in 2002. The Profs are in the midst of a 14-game winning streak with their only losses this season coming to Haverford and then No. 3 Johns Hopkins.

Ohio Wesleyan upended Cortland in overtime in their NCAA Division III First Round game on Wednesday. Sophomore Megan Knee scored in overtime to lift the Battling Bishop over No. 15-ranked Cortland. The win is the first for Ohio Wesleyan in NCAA Division III tournament.

Washington & Lee 2 - 0 Scranton | 2:00 p.m. ET | YouTube

Washington and Lee (17-0) will face Scranton (18-1) in the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament on Saturday on the campus of Rowan University.

The Generals were one of six teams to receive a first-round bye after winning the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Championship on Saturday with a perfect 17-0 record. The 17-game winning streak is the longest in program history and this is the first time the team has completed a regular season without a loss.

The ODAC title was the third in team history and this marks the third time the Blue and White has qualified for the NCAA Tournament. The Generals have a 1-2 record in their previous two trips, and most recently advanced to the second round in 2017. 

Scranton beat Ursinus, 3-2 in overtime, in the first round. Sophomore Elle Collins scored the game-winning goal just 23 seconds into the extra time to pick up a 3-2 come-from-behind win. This is the third all-time appearance in the tournament for Scranton following 1997 and 2019.

Babson Park, Mass.

Babson 6 - 1 Messiah | 11:00 a.m. ET | Babson Beavers

After claiming their first New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament Title since 2016 on Saturday, Babson (20-1) was selected as one of four regional hosts for the Division III Championship bracket.

The third-ranked Beavers, who are making their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in five seasons dating back to 2016 and sixth appearance overall, received a first-round bye and will take on the winner of Wednesday's first round contest between Messiah and Stevens Institute of Technology on Saturday at MacDowell Field.

Babson, which defeated MIT for its 16th straight win in Saturday's NEWMAC Tournament final, was selected as an NCAA regional host for the second time. In 2016, the Beavers defeated St. John Fisher and Franklin and Marshall to advance to the national semifinals for the first time in school history.

Messiah (17-2) bested Stevens, 3-0, to advance to the Second Round. The Falcons used a pair of second-quarter goals from Ashlyn Smith and in the third Jennie Young tallied her 11th of the season to push past the Ducks. 

The Falcons, who have won 10-straight contests, will face a formidable foe as the Beavers have rattled off 16-straight victories since September 19. Additionally, Messiah faced Babson in the Final Four back in 2016, as the Falcons prevailed by a score of 5-2 on their way to their first-ever National Championship.

Kean 0 - 2 Trinity | 2:00 p.m. ET | Babson Beavers

Kean (19-2) earned an at-large bid and a first round bye into the NCAA Division III Tournament when the brackets were released.

The 19-2 Cougars fell in the finals of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) tournament to Rowan on Saturday, 1-0, in overtime.

Kean has been placed in the pod that features the Cougars and Babson receiving first round byes. Messiah (16-2) will square off with Stevens (15-4) in the opening round with the winner facing Babson (20-1) on Saturday.

Trinity (13-5) pitched a 5-0 shutout over St. John Fisher in the First Round to advance. The Bantams win marks the ninth time they have advanced past the NCAA Championship Tournament's first round. Just one minute and 16 seconds into the action, Katrina Winfield redirected a shot past the goalkeeper. Trinity held the 1-0 led through a scoreless second period. The Bantams took the 2-0 led when Meghan Evans swatted a ball out of the air that came up off the goalkeeper. Nearly a minute later, Jackie Frank played the ball to Caelin Flaherty who finished the job and gave the Blue and Gold a comfortable 3-0 lead.

Baltimore, Md.

Johns Hopkins 1 - 0 Salisbury | 11:00 a.m. ET | CC Digital Network

Johns Hopkins (19-0) earned a first-round bye to the NCAA Division III Tournament and will host the second and third rounds this weekend at Homewood Field. The Blue Jays are one of four hosts for the second and third rounds.

Hopkins are making their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance and ninth overall. The Blue Jays advanced to the NCAA Semifinals in each of their last two appearances. This is the second straight year that JHU will host the second and third rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Jays are 6-10 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, with four of those wins coming in the last two seasons.

Salisbury (12-7) defeated Lynchburg 3-2 in overtime in the NCAA Division III First Round to advance. Powered by a pair of goals in the fourth quarter and overtime, the Sea Gulls overcame a first-half deficit.

The Blue Jays defeated the Sea Gulls, 3-0, earlier this season.

Bowdoin 1 - 0 Centre | 2:00 p.m. ET | CC Digital Network

Bowdoin (15-4) opened up NCAA Tournament play with a 9-0 first round win over Eastern Connecticut State on Wednesday. The Polar Bears return to the national post-season stage for the first time since 2015. Bowdoin held a 21 to 2 edge in shots and 6 to 1 advantage in penalty corners. The win marks the most goals scored by the Polar Bears in a single NCAA Tournament game. Bowdoin had previously tallied six goals in a pair of games against Babson and SUNY New Paltz.

Centre (15-3) kept their NCAA dreams alive by beating Christopher Newport, 2-1, in double overtime in the NCAA Division III First Round. Scoreless through the first three quarter, midway through the fourth was when both teams broke through the defense. Centre scored first in the 53rd minute when Megan Coomes intercepted a deep ball, split two defenders and put it in the back of the goal. Four minute later, CNU was issued a penalty stroke and converted to tied it up and force extra time. The first overtime period went scoreless and with just :02 on the clock in the second, Centre earned a penalty corner, their 11th of the afternoon, and Maran Lee scored. 

Third Round: Sunday, November 14

Middlebury, Vt.

Middlebury 2 - 0 Tufts | 1:00 p.m. ET | NSN

No. 1 Middlebury (19-0) advanced into the third round of the NCAA Tournament, as the Panthers collected a 5-1 triumph over Endicott on Saturday in the first meeting between the two programs. The victory extended a pair of winning streaks for the Panthers, as they have won 27-straight games overall and the last 46 contests played on Kohn Field.

Tufts (15-4) defeated New Paltz by a score of 5-2 on a rainy Saturday afternoon in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Jumbos took a commanding 3-0 lead at the half today. Gillian Roeca scored all three goals for a hat trick. Tufts extended its lead to 5-0 with goals by Claire Foley and Beth Krikorian in the third quarter before New Paltz broke up the shutout with goals scored by Julia Cummings and Jamie Wagner in the fourth period.

Glassboro, N.J.

Rowan 3 - 0 Washington & Lee | 1:00 p.m. ET | YouTube

Krystyna Hovell's goal with 10 minutes to play lifted No. 4 Rowan over Ohio Wesleyan, 2-1, in the Second Round of the NCAA Championship. Rowan (17-2), who has won 15 games in a row, dominated the game offensively, holding a commanding 39 to 2 advantage in shots.

Juniors Freedie Tobeason and junior Tess Muneses each registered one goal, as Washington and Lee advanced to the NCAA Regional Final for the first time in program history with a 2-0 victory over Scranton on Saturday. W&L led in shots in the game, 14 to 8, but the Royals edged the Blue and White in penalty corners, 7 to 4.

Babson Park, Mass.

Babson 0 - 2 Trinity | 1:00 p.m. ET | Babson Sports Network

Senior Quinn Greer and junior Brianne McGrath both scored twice and No. 3 Babson erupted for six unanswered goals to defeat No. 8 Messiah, 6-1, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday at MacDowell Field.

With its 17th straight win, Babson improves to 21-1 overall and advances to the national quarterfinals for the second time in program history. Babson's 21 wins are tied for the most in program history with the 2016 squad, which advanced to the Division III Final Four. During its 17-game winning streak, the Beavers have outscored their opponents 81-12.

Trinity advanced to the NCAA Division III Quarterfinals for the sixth time with a 2-0 victory over Kean. The Bantams received goals from senior Caelin Flaherty and Katrina Winfield less than six minutes apart early in the second half to account for all of the game's scoring. Trinity improved to 14-5 overall on the season.

Baltimore, Md.

Johns Hopkins 3 - 2 Bowdoin | 1:00 p.m. ET | CC Sports Network

Freshman Emily Amsden scored the game's only goal in with 49 seconds left in the third quarter to give Johns Hopkins a 1-0 win over Salisbury in the NCAA Second Round. After nearly three quarters of scoreless action, the Blue Jays got on the board with 49 ticks left in the third when they drew a penalty stroke. Amsden, who had scored the game-tying goal on a stroke in the Centennial Conference Semifinals, beat the Gulls' Dom Farrace for the go-ahead goal. Hopkins improves to 7-28 all-time against Salisbury, including 2-1 in the NCAA Tournament. Six of the Blue Jays' seven wins over the Sea Gulls were 1-0 games. The Blue Jays earn their school-record 20th win of the season and advance to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the third consecutive season.

Abby Bashaw scored early in the second frame to lift Bowdoin to a 1-0 NCAA Second Round victory over Centre on Saturday afternoon. The Polar Bears climb to 16-4, while producing 11 shots to Centre's two.