FIELD HOCKEY TEAM GAINS A-10 TOURNEY BID
PHILADELPHIA, PA (11/04/02) – The Saint Joseph's University field hockey team (9-8, 3-3 A-10) learned late on Monday afternoon, thanks to West Chester's 2-1 victory over Temple in the conference's regular season finale, that they would be returning to the Atlantic 10 Tournament for the fourth time in the last five years. Despite winning its final three Atlantic 10 games, the Hawks were left in limbo on following Saturday's victory over Temple with its postseason fate undetermined. In the end, the wait was worth it. SJU, which qualified as the fourth seed, will take on the tournament host and top seed Richmond (14-6, 6-0 A-10 ) on Friday at noon.
The Spiders won their first Atlantic 10 regular season title and are making their second consecutive Atlantic 10 Championship appearance since joining the league in 2001. UR finished the year with a school record 14 wins and were a perfect 6-0 in Atlantic 10 play.
Friday's second semifinal game pits second-seeded Massachusetts (4-16/4-2) with third-seeded West Chester at 2:00pm. The Minutewomen have been to every Atlantic 10 Championship since its inception in 1988. A nine-time champion, this is the first time Massachusetts is not seeded first since 1997. The Golden Rams enter the Championship as the third seed due to Conference tiebreaker. West Chester, which is making its third consecutive Championship appearance, enters the weekend with a 4-2 Atlantic 10 mark, 9-9 overall.
The final of the Atlantic 10 Field Hockey Championship will be held on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 1:00pm.
ALL-TIME ATLANTIC 10 CHAMPIONS
Year 2001 Massachusetts 2000 Massachusetts 1999 Massachusetts 1998 Massachusetts 1997 Massachusetts 1996 Massachusetts 1995 Saint Joseph's 1994 Temple 1993 Massachusetts 1992 Massachusetts 1991 Temple 1990 Penn State 1989 Penn State 1988 Massachusetts
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