2018 #AEFH Championship Matchup Set after UAlbany, Maine Win in Semifinals
PALO ALTO, Calif. – For the first time since 2015, the America East Field Hockey Championship will be played between two East Division rivals. East #1 seed UAlbany and East #2 seed Maine both advanced with victories in the semifinals on Saturday.
The Black Bears opened the day with an emphatic 3-0 win over two-time defending champion Stanford. Senior back Samantha Wagg scored all three goals and freshman goalkeeper Mia Borley made eight saves en route to her sixth shutout of the season. The #18 team in the nation fended off 10 penalty corner attempts from the Cardinal. Maine will make its first championship game appearance since 2015 and seeks its first #AEFH title in program history.
The 21st-ranked team in the nation topped Pacific in the second semifinal in a back-and-forth game. The Great Danes broke the ice just three minutes into the game on a penalty corner goal from Defensive Player of the Year Frederike Helmke. The game was tied at two heading into the break before the Tigers took a 3-2 lead in the 43rd minute. It was a lead that lasted for only one minute and 14 seconds as the Great Danes countered with a pair of scores in the span of less than one minute. UAlbany aims at their first NCAA appearance since 2015 and third in five years.
The Great Danes and Black Bears will meet in the championship game on Sunday at 12 p.m. PT. It is a rematch of the 2015 title game, which was won by UAlbany 2-0 in Albany. The winner will earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Stay up-to-date on the tournament by visiting Championship Central for streaming and live stats links as well as box scores, highlights and recaps following each round in addition to team information, tournament history and more.
Follow @AmericaEast and @AEDigitalNet on Twitter to get the real-time championship updates. Use the #AEChamps and #AEFH hashtags to join the conversation.
2018 America East Field Hockey Championship
At Stanford University
*All times Pacific
Quarterfinals – Nov. 1
Game 1 – #W1 Stanford 4, #E4 New Hampshire 3
Quarterfinals – Friday, Nov. 2
Game 2 – #E1 UAlbany 1, #W4 UC Davis 0
Game 3 – #E2 Maine 4, #W3 California 3 (2OT)
Game 4 – #W2 Pacific 4, #E3 Vermont 3
Semifinals – Saturday, Nov. 3
Game 5 – #E2 Maine 3, #W1 Stanford 0
Game 6 – #E1 UAlbany 4, #W2 Pacific 3
Final – Sunday, Nov. 4
Game 7 – #E1 UAlbany vs. #E2 Maine, 12 p.m.
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