UD Wins Fifth Straight Field Hockey Championship

11/5/2017 3:35:00 PM

Tim McDonnell

Field Hockey #CAAChamps Central

Championship Final: No. 1 Delaware 3, No. 3 William & Mary 0

Box Score | Highlights

NEWARK, Del. – Senior Taylor Lister scored 27 seconds into the second half and junior Greta Nauck recorded her ninth multi-goal game of the season with two scores as top-seeded Delaware won its fifth straight CAA Field Hockey Championship with a 3-0 victory over third-seeded William & Mary on Sunday afternoon from Fred P. Rullo Stadium.

Hosting the conference tournament for the second consecutive year and third time since 2013, Delaware’s fifth CAA title in the last five seasons trails only former conference member Old Dominion, which won eight straight trophies from 1996-2003. Lister finished with one assist – her 20^th of the year – and redshirt senior Kayla Devlin supplied another helper on the final score of the game.

The current No. 8 Blue Hens (15-4) won their ninth straight game over William & Mary and moved to 5-1 versus the Tribe in CAA postseason play all-time. Delaware earns the CAA’s automatic bid into the NCAA Field Hockey Championship and enters the field as the defending national champion. The NCAA selection show takes place tonight at 10:00 p.m.

William & Mary (13-7) advanced to the championship final for the first time since 2002 (and just the third time ever) after upsetting second-seeded James Madison on Friday, 2-1. The No. 19 Tribe, also looking for their first win in Newark since 2004, were led by a solid showing from goalkeeper Morgan Connor, who made five saves and held Delaware off the scoreboard in the first half.

After a back-and-forth affair in the first 35 minutes play, resulting in a 0-0 deadlock at the break, Lister changed the momentum with the game’s first goal. A scrum of players in front of the Tribe net lasted multiple seconds, before the ball poked out towards the side and Lister smacked home an easy score before 30 seconds had gone off the clock to start the second half.

Delaware’s final two goals of the contest came off penalty corner opportunities, with Nauck being credited with both tallies in the 53^rd and 58^th minute. The two-time defending CAA Player of the Year upped her CAA-best goals and points totals to 24 and 54, respectively en route to earning Most Outstanding Player of the Championship for the second straight season.

Notes: Since the start of the program’s title run in 2013, UD has won 10 games while outscoring opponents 41-10. W&M’s third overall title game appearance came against a team other than Old Dominion for the first time. The Tribe made the very first conference championship, back in 1991, and again made it in 2002 before today. W&M’s 13 overall wins are the most for the program since 2004. Delaware leads the all-time series over William & Mary, 15-8.

2017 CAA Field Hockey Championship – Fred P. Rullo Stadium, Newark, Del.

November 3 - CAA Championship Semifinals
3:00 PM: No. 1 Delaware 3, No. 4 Northeastern 1
6:00 PM: No. 3 William & Mary 2, No. 2 James Madison 1

November 5, 2017 - CAA Championship Final
1:00 PM: No. 1 Delaware 3, No. 3 William & Mary 0

2017 Field Hockey Championship All-CAA Team

Lisa Giezeman, Delaware | Jr. | F

Julia Gluyas, Northeastern | So. | GK

Cassidy Goodwin, William & Mary | So. | M

Sara Kraeutler, James Madison | Sr. | GK

Taylor Lister, Delaware | Sr. | F

Laura MacLachlan, Northeastern | Jr. | F

Erin Menges, William & Mary | Sr. | M

MacKenzie Meyer, Delaware | Sr. | D

*Greta Nauck, Delaware | Jr. | F

Miranda Rigg, James Madison | Jr. | F/M

Christie van de Kamp, William & Mary | So. | M

*Most Outstanding Player