Teams: Field Hockey: Press Releases

TUFTS SET TO HOST NESCAC FIELD HOCKEY TOURNAMENT THIS WEEKEND

MEDFORD -- Tufts University's Bello Field will be the scene of the 2008 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Field Hockey semi-finals and championship game this weekend. The Jumbo team earned the right to host the tournament after finishing the conference schedule with a perfect 9-0 record for first place, and then winning their first-round conference tournament game against Colby 5-1 on Sunday.

Host Tufts (15-0) will play #5 seed Trinity College (12-3) in the first semi-final game on Saturday (Nov. 8). Second seed Bowdoin College (13-2) and third seed Middlebury College (13-2) will meet in Saturday's second semi-final at 1:30 pm. The NESCAC championship game is set for Sunday (Nov. 9) at noon. Admission is free to all three games.

This is the first time that Tufts has hosted the NESCAC Field Hockey Championship. The Jumbos are enjoying their finest season ever with a school-record for victories and the #4 ranking in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll as of last week. Coach Tina McDavitt and the squad are in search of their first conference championship.

Bowdoin is the three-time defending NESCAC champion and the defending NCAA champion. They have won four conference titles overall. Middlebury was the NESCAC champion in 2003. Like Tufts, Trinity College is seeking its first conference title. The winner will receive an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. The three other schools, all ranked nationally, will have good opportunities to receive at-large berths into the NCAA's.

Tufts had overtime victories against Middlebury (3-2) and Trinity (2-1) this season, along with a 4-3 win at Bowdoin on Friday (Oct. 31) that clinched first place in the league for the Jumbos. In addition to the loss to Tufts, Bowdoin defeated Middlebury during the season 2-0 and lost to Trinity 2-0. Middlebury has a 3-2 win against Trinity, but the aforementioned losses to the other two teams. Trinity is 1-2 against the other teams in this weekend's action.

JumboCast, Tufts University's student webcasting organization, will carry live coverage of the entire tournament free of charge. Tufts will also provide live stats coverage of all three field hockey games.

With four talented teams, anything could happen this weekend.

► Read the NESCAC Preview

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