Northeast-10 Conference Tournament Release
South Easton, Mass. - The Adelphi University field hockey team will host its first-ever home playoff game after securing the fourth seed in the 2012 Northeast-10 Conference Tournament, the conference office announced on Sunday. The Panthers will host fifth-seeded Southern Connecticut on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
After a grueling 0-8 start to the season, the Panthers assembled an historical turnaround and won seven of their next 10 games to finish 7-11 overall and 6-4 in league play. Adelphi returns to the playoffs for the third time in the last four years after missing the postseason in 2011, and will look to surpass the 2010 effort that saw the Panthers defeat Southern Connecticut in the opening round of the tournament before falling to UMass Lowell in the semifinals.
The Panthers have defeated each team in the tournament during the regular season with the exception of Merrimack and UMass Lowell. Adelphi's 2-1 win over Bentley on September 22 was the team's first victory of the season and marked the turning point of 2012. The Panthers then went on to knock off Southern Connecticut and Stonehill on the road, earning a dramatic 3-2 overtime win over the then-nationally ranked Skyhawks.
Top-seeded Merrimack College will be looking to accomplish something no team in the school's history has ever accomplished when the tournament gets underway with two quarterfinal games and culminates on Sunday, October 28th with the championship final.
It's the second consecutive Northeast-10 regular season championship for the Warriors, but they have yet to win an NE-10 Championship. For the full championship seeds and schedule, please see below.
The Northeast-10 Conference will be broadcasting the championship final live at northeast10.org and northeast10.tv Sunday at 12 p.m. The Conference will also be providing live updates of all conference championship games on their Twitter feed (@TheNortheast10).
Merrimack finished the regular season with a 9-1 mark in conference play, outscoring their opposition 36-10 throughout the year. The Warriors, by virtue of their number one seed, will host the semifinals and championship game this Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
The Warriors will enter the NE-10 Championship in the midst of an eight game winning streak, dating back to the end of September. Overall, they stand at 15-2 and are ranked 7th in the country in the most recent National Field Hockey Coaches' Association Poll.
Bentley University (11-6, 8-2 NE-10) earned the second seed, and also enters the championship in the midst of an impressive stretch as the Falcons have reeled off seven straight victories. Bentley won back-to-back to Northeast-10 Championships in 2008-2009.
Third-seeded University of Massachusetts Lowell (15-3, 8-2 NE-10) will be looking to defend their conference crown, as they defeated Merrimack College in the championship game last year. The River Hawks have won each of the last two NE-10 Championships.
Be sure to follow the Panthers on Facebook and Twitter for up to date news with all of Adelphi Athletics!
2012 Northeast-10 Field Hockey Championships
Wednesday, October 24th
Quarterfinals
#6 Stonehill at #3 UMass Lowell 7 p.m.
#5 So. Connecticut at #4 Adelphi 4 p.m.
Saturday, October 27th
Semifinals
#2 Bentley vs. Winner of UMass Lowell / Stonehill 11 a.m.
#1 Merrimack vs. Winner of Adelphi / So. Connecticut 2 p.m.
Sunday, October 28th
Championship
Winner of Two Semifinal Games 12 p.m.
