Just 10 days remain in the regular season in field hockey, soccer, and volleyball, so each contest takes on an even greater importance. Here are five games to watch on this rainy Wednesday.
Washington College at Ursinus (Field Hockey, 7:00)
It's simple ... the winner remains in the hunt for the top seed
for the Conference tournament, while the loser probably is looking
at a first-round bye away from home. The Shorewomen (5-1 CC, 9-4)
have never beaten the 11th ranked Bears (6-1, 10-3) in 11 tries and have not
scored a goal in a regular-season match with Ursinus since 2005.
The teams are 2-3 in scoring offense in the Centennial and 3-4 in
goals-against average. Both squads have prolific scoring duos - the
Bears' Alyssa Thren (13-4-30) and Corinne
Freeman (13-2-28) and Washington's Emily
Trees (8-5-21) and Hilary Manion
(8-4-20). Watch LIVE!
Dickinson at Johns Hopkins (Women's Soccer, 7:00)
It's a rematch of the 2008, 2009 and 2010 Centennial finals as the
Red Devils (5-2, 9-3-1) visit Homewood Field to take on the
fifth-ranked Blue Jays (6-0, 13-0). JHU captured those matches,
winning on PKs in '08, 1-0 in Allentown in '09, and 3-0 in Carlisle
a year ago. Hopkins holds a 13-6-4 series lead and has not lost to
Dickinson in Baltimore since 2005. The Jays have a pair of 30-point
scorers in Erica Suter (14-9-37) and
Hannah Kronick (14-6-34), while Paulina
Goodman (4-5-13) has also had a strong campaign. The
Devils look to Julia Thayer (8-2-18) and
Marissa Kunkle (5-3-13) to generate offense. Watch LIVE!
Bryn Mawr at Haverford (Volleyball, 7:00)
There are seven teams in the hunt for five playoff berths in the
Centennial tournament. This match will go a long way to determining
the pretender and the contender. The Owls (3-3, 9-13) have never
qualified for the Conference playoffs, while the Fords (3-3, 9-11)
have been a staple in the CC's postseason event since 2000.
Haverford has won 15 straight matches to take a slim 20-19 all-time
series lead. Bryn Mawr's last win was a five-set victory in the
1998 Seven Sisters tournament. The Owls are led by Katie
Merrill, who tops the Centennial in kills (4.36 kps) and
is fifth in hitting (.293). The Fords' Laura Ramos
(2.87) in ninth in kills, while setter Haley Lowrance (7.46 aps) is
third in assists.
Muhlenberg at Swarthmore (Volleyball, 7:00)
Another critical match with playoff implications takes place at
Tarble Pavilion as the Mules (4-3, 6-15) come a-callin' on the
Garnet (4-3, 17-6). Swarthmore was a 2010 Conference finalist and
needs a victory for a chance to repeat, while Muhlenberg looks to
continue its impressive turnaround after a 2-8 league campaign last
fall. The Garnet has won three straight but still trails, 13-8, in
the all-time series. The match could be decided at the net between
Swarthmore hitter Genny Pezzola (3.06 kps) and
Muhlenberg's Jackie Price (47 blocks). Watch LIVE!
Muhlenberg at Swarthmore (Women's Soccer, 7:30)
Playoff hopes are on the line tonight at Clothier Field as the
Mules (3-3-1, 6-7-2) take on the Garnet (4-3, 8-5). The Mules lead
the all-time series, 13-4-3, but need to turn around an 0-2-1
record at Swarthmore since a 3-0 win in 2004. Both teams missed the
Conference tournament a year ago after qualifying in 2006, 2008 and
2009. The difference could come down to the 'keepers - 'Berg's
Michele Toher has a .740 save percentage, while
the Garnet's Marie Mutryn is at .725.