Sept. 29, 2005

PROVIDENCE COLLEGE FIELD HOCKEY
BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW
Providence College Friars vs. #11 Louisville
Sunday, October 2, 2005 • 1:00 p.m.
Friar Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex
Providence College • Providence, R.I.

PROVIDENCE COLLEGE (4-8, 0-0 BIG EAST): The Providence College field hockey team begins BIG EAST Conference play with a game against 11th-ranked Louisville on Sunday, October 2 at 1:00 p.m. The game will be hosted by PC at the Friar Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex in Providence, R.I. It marks the second meeting all-time between the two schools in field hockey, but the first in league action. On September 2, 2000, Louisville earned a, 3-2, overtime victory against Providence to lead the series, 1-0.

The Friars are entering Sunday's game with a 4-8 overall record. Providence has earned victories in each of its last two games, including a, 2-1, overtime win against Harvard on September 28. The Crimson had only given up two goals in their previous seven games and entered the game versus the Friars ranked No. 1 in the nation for scoring defense (0.29 goals against per game). The win also marked the first for PC over Harvard since the 1996 season. Senior Kati Lary (Canaan, N.H.) scored the game-winning goal for PC with 6:55 remaining in the first overtime session. The goal was assisted by sophomore Abby Maguire (Southbury, Conn.). Earlier in the game, Maguire connected on her team-leading eighth goal of the season off a pass from Lary to give the Friars a 1-0 lead in the first half.

Through 12 games, Providence is led offensively by four players who have reached double figures in points. Maguire leads the way with 19 points on eight goals and three assists. Junior Melissa McGow (Branford, Conn.) ranks second among her teammates in scoring with 14 points on three goals and a team-leading eight assists. Lary and junior Emily Ewens (Vancouver, B.C.) have scored 13 points and 12 points, respectively. Lary owns five goals and three assists, while Ewens has recorded six goals on the season.

Freshman goalkeeper Stephanie Scavelli (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) has played the majority of minutes in goal this season (845). Through 12 games she owns a 2.74 goals against average and a 0.689 save percentage. She has held each of PC's last two opponents to one goal apiece. In those two games, she recorded a goals against average of 0.95 and a save percentage of 0.818.

#11 LOUISVILLE (9-2, 1-0 BIG EAST): Louisville comes East to play two games this weekend. On Friday, September 30, the Cardinals will play Connecticut before making their way to Providence to face the Friars on Sunday, October 2. Prior to the UConn game, Louisville has posted a 9-2 overall record and a 1-0 mark in the BIG EAST Conference. The Cardinals, who are in their first year of membership in the BIG EAST, won their first-ever league game on September 25 against Syracuse, 6-0. Through 11 games, the Cardinals have compiled a 1-1 record in games played at their opponents home venue. Louisville is 7-1 at home on Trager Stadium and 1-0 in games played at a neutral site. The Cardinals started the season with a 7-0 loss to 2004 NCAA runner-up Duke on August 27. Their only other loss was to Ohio State on September 14. The Cardinals lost to the Buckeyes, 4-3, in overtime. At the time of play, Ohio State was ranked 17th in the nation.

Louisville is led offensively by Jessica Javelet, who leads the nation in scoring with 46 points on 18 goals and 10 assists. Janelle Avila is second among her teammates with 25 points on 10 goals and five assists. Three other Cardinals have reached double figures in points this season through the first 12 games.

Marie-Claire Heller has played every minute in goal for Louisville. She owns a 1.99 goals against average and a 0.522 save percentage.