STANDISH, Maine – GNAC Champion Saint Joseph's College (14-6, 5-1 GNAC) is set to play #11 Skidmore College (15-5, 4-2 Liberty League) in the second round of the NCAA DIII Field Hockey Tournament at 2:00 PM on Saturday at Tufts University.

HOW THEY GOT HERE:

Saint Joseph's advanced to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 with a 1-0 victory over #10 Montclair State University in the opening round of the national tourney on Wednesday afternoon. Last Saturday, the Monks defeated Simmons College, 1-0, to claim the GNAC Championship and automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.

Skidmore defeated University of Rochester, 2-1, in the Liberty League Championship last Saturday and earned a bye in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

WHAT WE KNOW

Saint Joseph's:

• The Monks are in the midst of their first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament
• Saint Joseph's ranks among the NCAA DIII leaders in goals against average (0.89, 12th), shutouts per game (0.50, 8th)
• Since October 1st, the Monks have outscored opponents by an aggregate 38-1 score with an 11-1 record over the last 12 contests

Skidmore:

• Skidmore is playing in its 15th NCAA tournament and ninth in the last 10 years. The Thoroughbreds advanced to the NCAA Round of Eight in 2014 and had Final Four appearances in 2001, 2010, and 2013
• Skidmore ranks 27th nationally in goals against average (1.22) and 25th in winning percentage (.750)
• The Thoroughbreds have the 17th-highest strength of schedule in NCAA DIII with an opponents' winning percentage of .597

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Saint Joseph's:

• Freshman forward Libby Pomerleau (Limerick, Maine), the 2016 GNAC Rookie of the Year and First Team All-GNAC selection, leads the Monks in goals (16), assists (10), points (42) and game-winning goals (8)
• Senior forward Kelsey Dumond (Lewiston, Maine), a three-time All-Conference honoree, is second on the squad in goals (9), assists (7), and points (25)

Skidmore:

• Sophomore forward Gabby Hyman (Bernardsville, N.J.) leads the team with 18 goals and two assists for 38 total points and collected Second Team All-Liberty League honors
• Senior midfielder Krista Lamoreaux (Avon, Conn.) is second on the team with 30 points (11G, 8A) and garnered First Team All-Liberty League accolades

KEEPER COMPARISON:

Saint Joseph's: Sophomore Megan Baker (Gorham, Maine) is 13-6 with eight shutouts and sports a 0.92 goals against average with a .787 save percentage in 1224 minutes between the pipes. She ranks 12th in NCAA DIII Field Hockey in goals against average and earned First Team All-GNAC honors.

Skidmore: Sophomore Elizabeth Coughlin (Kennebunk, Maine) sports a 1.04 goals against average with a 14-4 record and three shutouts and has allowed 18 goals with 54 saves in 1208 minutes for a .750 save percentage this fall.

ATTITUDE REFLECTS LEADERSHIP:

Saint Joseph's Head Coach Rupert Lewis, in his 12th season on the SJC sideline, owns a 141-80 (.638) career record and was selected as the Conference Coach of the Year for the third time this season. When Coach Lewis assumed control of the SJC program in the fall of 2005, he inherited a team that owned a 48-107 (.310) record with one winning season in 10 years as an NCAA DIII varsity sport. In his time at Saint Joseph's, the Monks have enjoyed 10 winning seasons and the program's all-time record now stands two games above .500 (189-187).

Beth Hallenbeck has coached the Skidmore Field Hockey team for 15 seasons, compiling an impressive 249-74 (.771) record.  In that time her field hockey teams have won nine Liberty League Championships, including seven in the last eight years, and have made 12 NCAA appearances (three Final Four, three Elite Eight, four Rounds of Sixteen, one second round, one first round). Hallenbeck was named the Liberty League Coach of the Year in 2009 and 2010, and earned 2010, 2013 and 2014 Regional Coach of the Year honors. She led the team to a school record 20 victories and a final four run in 2010, and a final four appearance in 2013.

COMMON FOES:

Today's contest marks the first meeting between the Monks and Thoroughbreds, though the programs share two common 2016 opponents in Castleton State and Montclair State. Saint Joseph's toppled Castleton, 5-0, on October 2nd and edged the Red Hawks by a 1-0 margin in NCAA tourney play Wednesday. Skidmore handed Castleton a 10-0 defeat on September 21st and blanked Montclair State, 3-0, on September 17th.

#GOMONKS 

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Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 474-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.