Michigan State University Athletics
Field Hockey Selected To Host NCAA First And Second Rounds
11/11/2008 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Nov. 11, 2008
Spartan Sports Podcasts:
Rolf Gwen
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The 10th-ranked field hockey team received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament Tuesday evening, and was selected as one of four host institutions. The Spartans will face seventh-ranked and defending National Champion North Carolina on Saturday, Nov. 15, while sixth-ranked Iowa will take on 13th-ranked Louisville. The winners will meet on Sunday for a ticket to the NCAA semifinals in Louisville, Ky.
MSU is 6-5 all-time in NCAA Tournament history and advanced to the semifinal round in 2002 and 2004. In 2002, the semifinals were played in Louisville, Ky., the same site as this year's. MSU has made the NCAA Tournament in six of the last eight seasons, including four years straight, from 2001-2004.
The Spartans and Tar Heels last met in 2003 at the Temple Invitational, with North Carolina recording a 3-0 win. The two-teams have met just four times, with the Tar Heels holding a 4-0 advantage. This will mark the first time the two will meet in the NCAA Tournament.
Michigan State ranks in the top 10 in several NCAA categories. The Spartans are nationally ranked in points per game (sixth), goals per game (seventh), assists per game (seventh) and scoring margin (eighth).
"This is what you compete for," said head coach Rolf van de Kerkhof. "Every season you go to work and you try to qualify for the NCAA Tournament because that's when you can compete for the National Championship. We had our ups and downs this year, but we always play to learn and we've learned a lot. We've grown as a team through out the last couple of weeks and if we can apply what we've learned it's going to be an exciting opening game against North Carolina."
