2004 Women's Lacrosse Championship Field Announced

HARTFORD, Conn. - Three-time defending NESCAC champion Middlebury College earned the top seed and a first round bye in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Women’s Lacrosse Championship. Middlebury, which finished the regular season undefeated in the conference, 9-0, and 13-0 overall, will host the semifinals and finals on Saturday-Sunday, May 1-2. The Panthers, who are ranked number one nationally in all three national polls, have hosted each of the four NESCAC Championships.

Amherst (8-1 NESCAC, 12-1 overall) will host seventh seeded Tufts (3-6 NESCAC, 6-6 overall). Amherst, the defending national champions, defeated Tufts 14-10 when the two teams met last week in Amherst.

Williams (7-2 NESCAC, 9-4 overall) will be the third seed and will host sixth seed Wesleyan (4-5 NESCAC, 9-5 overall). Wesleyan fell to Williams 14-9 during regular season play.

Fifth seed Colby (4-5 NESCAC, 7-8 overall) will travel to fourth seed Bowdoin (5-4 NESCAC, 10-6 overall) in other first round action. Colby, who has defeated Bowdoin in each of the past two NESCAC tournaments, beat the Polar Bears 5-4 early this year in Waterville.

The top seven teams qualify for the NESCAC Championship. First round games will be played on Sunday, April 25 at 12:00 p.m. First round winners will advance to the semifinals at Middlebury on Saturday, May 1. Teams are re-bracketed 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. The last three NCAA titles have been won by NESCAC institutions; Amherst in 2003 and Middlebury in 2001 and 2002.

2004 NESCAC WOMEN'S LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP
First Round - Sunday, April 25 at Higher Seeds
No. 7 Tufts at No. 2 Amherst - 12:00 p.m.
No. 6 Wesleyan at No. 3 Williams - 12:00 p.m.
No. 5 Colby at No. 4 Bowdoin - 12:00 p.m.

Semifinals - Saturday, May 1 at Middlebury
No. 1 Middlebury vs. lowest remaining seed - 12:00 p.m.
Remaining first round winners - 2:30 p.m.

Championship - Sunday, May 2 at Middlebury
Semifinal winners - 12:00 p.m.