Tickets to NCAA Division III Field Hockey Final Four Punched

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SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (Nov. 15, 2009) – Messiah College, Ursinus College, Tufts University and Salisbury University secured spots in the NCAA Division III Field Hockey National Semifinals with their third round victories today. All four squads were playing in front of their home crowds. Both Semifinal matches, as well as the National Championship, will take place at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass. on Saturday, November 21 and Sunday, November 22.

Messiah and Salisbury are slated to face off in the first National Semifinal at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. That contest will be followed by the second National Semifinal, featuring Ursinus and Tufts at 2:00 p.m. The winners of those matches will face off in the National Championship on Sunday, November 22 at 1:00 p.m. Updated brackets and ticket information is available at the official championship website.

Messiah (21-0) needed overtime to defeat Lebanon Valley College 3-2 in its Quarterfinal Round contest this afternoon. The Falcons will be making their 13th all-time appearance in the Final Four. They have advanced to the National Championship six times but have come up just short on each occasion.

Ursinus (19-2) breezed to a 5-1 victory over Trinity College to secure its fourth trip to the Final Four. The Bears claimed the National Championship in 2006.

Tufts (18-1) punched its ticket to the National Semifinals for the second straight season by defeating Skidmore College 4-1. The Jumbos suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 double overtime setback to Bowdoin College in last year’s National Championship.

Salisbury (18-1), overcame an early 1-0 deficit to edge previously unbeaten SUNY Cortland 3-2. The Sea Gulls have captured four NCAA Championships in their history (1986, 2003, 2004, 2005) and have appeared in the Final Four 11 times. They will be looking to inch closer to The College of New Jersey, which has racked up a record nine titles.

2009 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship

First Round (Wednesday, November 11)
Eastern def. Stevens, 1-0 (2OT)
Lebanon Valley def. Wittenberg, 9-0
Middlebury def. UMass Dartmouth, 5-1
Lynchburg def. Juniata, 5-3
Wooster def Hamilton, 2-1
Christopher Newport def. Cabrini, 1-0
Amherst def. Husson, 3-0
MIT def. Nichols, 2-1

Second Round (Saturday, November 14)
Messiah def. Eastern, 3-0
Lebanon Valley def. Rowan, 3-0
Ursinus def. Lynchburg, 4-0
Trinity def. Middlebury, 2-1
Salisbury def. Wooster, 4-0
SUNY Cortland def. Christopher Newport, 4-2
Tufts def. MIT, 5-1
Skidmore def. Amherst, 4-3

Third Round (Sunday, November 15)
Messiah def. Lebanon Valley, 3-2 (OT)
Ursinus def. Trinity, 5-1
Salisbury def. SUNY Cortland, 3-2
Tufts def. Skidmore, 4-1

National Semifinals (Saturday, November 21 – at Mount Holyoke)
Messiah vs. Ursinus, 11:00 a.m.
Salisbury vs. Tufts, 2:00 p.m.

National Championship (Sunday, November 22 – at Mount Holyoke)
Messiah/Ursinus winner vs. Salisbury/Tufts winner, 1:00 p.m.