Field Hockey Championship Field Announced

Middlebury Finishes Undefeated to Earn Top Seed

HARTFORD, Conn. - Middlebury College finished regular season conference play undefeated and earned the top seed and a first round bye in the NESCAC Field Hockey Championship. Middlebury, who is currently the top ranked team in the country at 14-0, will host the semifinals and finals on Saturday-Sunday, November 8-9.

Bowdoin (7-2 NESCAC, 12-2 overall) will host seventh seeded Tufts (3-6 NESCAC, 5-9 overall). Bowdoin defeated the Jumbos 2-1 earlier this season at Tufts.

Williams (6-3 NESCAC, 11-3 overall) will be the third seed and will host sixth seed Wesleyan (4-5 NESCAC, 7-7 overall). This game will be a rematch of the final regular season contest won by Wesleyan 1-0 in Middletown, Conn.

Fifth seed Colby (5-4 NESCAC, 9-5 overall) will travel to fourth seed Amherst (6-3 NESCAC, 10-4 overall) in other first round action. Colby dropped a 3-2 decision to the Lord Jeffs three weeks ago in Waterville, Maine.

Predetermined tiebreaking procedures were used to seed teams with identical records. Amherst and Williams both finished with 6-3 conference marks. Williams defeated Amherst 4-3 in overtime to earn the number three seed. Tufts finished tied with Trinity with 3-6 records in league play. In head-to-head competition, Tufts defeated Trinity to earn the seventh and final playoff spot.

The top seven teams qualify for the NESCAC Championship. First round games will be played on Sunday, November 2 at 1:00 p.m. First round winners will advance to the semifinals at Middlebury on Saturday, November 8. Teams are rebracketed entering the semifinal round with number one seed Middlebury playing the lowest remaining seed. The NESCAC Champion receives an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Championship.

2003 NESCAC FIELD HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP
First Round - Sunday, Nov. 2 at Higher Seeds
No. 7 Tufts at No. 2 Bowdoin - 1:00 p.m.
No. 6 Wesleyan at No. 3 Williams - 1:00 p.m.
No. 5 Colby at No. 4 Amherst - 1:00 p.m.

Semifinals - Saturday, Nov. 8 at Middlebury
No. 1 Middlebury vs. lowest remaining seed - 11:00 a.m.
Remaining first round winners - 1:30 p.m.

Championship - Sunday, Nov. 9 at Middlebury
Semifinal winners - 12:00 p.m.