FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
S-037-07-08
Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Elizabethtown Men's Soccer, Field Hockey Teams on the Road for Conference Playoff Matches

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. --- The Elizabethtown College men's soccer and field hockey teams will open the Commonwealth Conference playoffs on the road Wednesday afternoon.

In men's soccer, the third-seeded Blue Jays (13-5 overall, 3-2 Commonwealth) will travel to second-seeded Lycoming College (13-4-1 overall, 3-2 Commonwealth) for a 3:00 p.m. match while the third-seeded field hockey squad (11-7 overall, 2-2 Commonwealth) will play at second-seeded Messiah College (14-4 overall, 3-1 Commonwealth) at 4:00 p.m.

The men's soccer team won two road matches to capture the Commonwealth Conference championship last season, earning shutout wins at Messiah (1-0) and former conference member Susquehanna University (2-0).

Lycoming earned the second seed in the tournament by virtue of their 2-1 win over Elizabethtown at home on Oct. 17. The Warriors have won five of their last six matches entering the postseason, while the Blue Jays have split their last six contests after opening the season with a 10-2 record.

The winner of Wednesday's match will face the winner of the other semifinal between top-seeded Messiah and fourth-seeded Albright College on Saturday in the conference championship match, with the winner gaining an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament.

The field hockey squad has played a challenging schedule, with six of their seven losses coming to teams ranked in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division III Top 20 at some point during the season, including five to currently-ranked teams.

In their regular-season meeting with Messiah, the Blue Jays fell 3-2 in overtime at home. The Falcons have won four straight matches and are currently ranked 10th in the NFHCA Division III poll.

Wednesday's winner will play on Saturday at top-seeded Lebanon Valley in the Commonwealth Conference title match, with the champion earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament.

Admission to either match is $5.00 for adults, $4.00 for seniors and $2.00 for students while children under age 6 are admitted free.