CAMBRIDGE, MASS. - Top-seed and host Boston University registered a 1-0 victory over No. 4 Vermont, while No. 3 Maine used overtime to dispatch No. 2 Albany to advance to the title game of the 2006 America East Field Hockey Championship at Jack Barry Field. The Terriers and Black Bears will meet for the conference crown on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Boston University's Hayley Hamada (Escondido, Calif./San Pasqual) netted the only goal of the game for the Terriers at the 18:04 mark of the first half. Hamada gathered the rebound off her own shot and sent it to the back of the cage past Vermont goalkeeper Kristen Heavens (Hawinton, Conn./Lewis Mills).
Maine’s Amy Zdrojesky (East Greenville, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) scored a dramatic overtime winner for the Black Bears at 79:05 as she redirected a pass from teammate Katie Flaherty (Winslow, Maine/Winslow) past Albany’s Ashley Ross (Lancaster, Pa./Conestoga Valley).
The Terriers advance to the league's title game for the third-straight year as they are in search of their second-consecutive title and sixth all-time. The Black Bears are hoping to make history on Sunday as they shoot for the first-ever America East Championship victory.
The two 1-0 semifinal contests mark the first time in league history that only one goal was scored in each semifinal games. Maine is looking to avenge last season's 3-1 loss to Boston University in the title game. The Black Bears have been runners-up in the conference tournament for three of the last four years.
2006 America East Field Hockey Championship
at Jack Barry Field (Cambridge, Mass.)
Semifinals: Friday, November 3
Game 1: #1 Boston University 1, #4 Vermont 0
Game 2: #3 Maine 1, #2 Albany 0 (OT)
Championship Game: Sunday, November 5
Game 3: #3 Maine at No. 1 Boston University, 1 p.m.