Women's Ice Hockey Championship Field Announced
Bowdoin Earns Top Seed and a First Round Bye
HARTFORD, Conn. - Bowdoin finished the regular season as the only undefeated team in college hockey and earned the top seed and a first round bye in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championship. The Polar Bears, who finished the season 20-0-3, 14-0-2 in the NESCAC, and ranked second in the nation, will host the semifinal and final rounds in Brunswick, Maine beginning Saturday, March 8.
Despite also finishing undefeated in conference play, Middlebury fell short of Bowdoin in league points and will enter the tournament as the second seed. Middlebury (16-2-4, 12-0-4 NESCAC) will host Amherst (3-16-4, 2-11-3 NESCAC) at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 1 in one of three NESCAC first round contests. The Lord Jeffs finished tied for the seventh spot with Connecticut College and were awarded the seventh seed using predetermined conference tiebreakers. The Panthers defeated the Lord Jeffs in both meetings earlier this season.
Third seed Williams (15-7-2, 11-4-1 NESCAC) will host sixth seed Wesleyan (6-11-3, 4-10-2 NESCAC) at 3:00 p.m. in Williamstown. The Ephs defeated the Cardinals in two previous contests this season.
The fifth-seeded Colby Mules (8-13-1, 6-9-1 NESCAC) will travel to fourth-seeded Hamilton (13-9-0, 10-6-0 NESCAC) for a first round game at 1:00 p.m..The Mules dropped two decisions to the host Continentals.
The top seven teams qualify for the NESCAC Championship. First round games will be played on Saturday, March 1 and winners will advance to the semifinals at Bowdoin on Saturday, March 8. Teams are re-bracketed entering the semifinal round with number one seed Bowdoin playing the lowest remaining seed. The NESCAC tournament champion receives an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Championship.
2003 NESCAC WOMEN’S
ICE HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP
First Round - Saturday, March 1 at Higher Seeds
No. 7 Amherst at No. 2 Middlebury - 3:00 p.m.
No. 6 Wesleyan at No. 3 Williams - 3:00 p.m.
No. 5 Colby at No. 4 Hamilton - 1:00 p.m.
Semifinals - Saturday, March 8 at Bowdoin
Lowest remaining seed at No. 1 Bowdoin - 1:00 p.m.
Remaining first round winners - 4:00 p.m.
Championship - Sunday, March 9 at Bowdoin
Semifinal winners - 1:00 p.m.
