As the final week of the field hockey season comes to a close, the powerhouses and conference cellar dwellers have settled comfortably into their respective positions. The No. 14 Terriers remain in the top slot.
#1 Boston University
Aside from being the highest nationally ranked team in the conference, the Terriers are now the only team unbeaten in conference play. With a win over the No. 16 University at Albany last Saturday, the Terriers put themselves in good position to host the conference tournament again this year. One last conference contest against the University of Vermont this Saturday stands in their way, but the Terriers aren’t showing any signs of slowing down at the finish line.
#2 University at Albany
Having won eight of their last nine games, the Danes held down the 16th slot in the national rankings again this week. But that one loss was an important conference game, and Albany now finds itself tied for second with a 3-1 record heading into its final game tomorrow against the University of New Hampshire.
#3 University of Vermont
Vermont rounds out the top of the conference powerhouses. With a 12-5 overall record the Catamounts have also only suffered one conference loss this season, dropping a 1-0 game to Albany earlier this month. But heading into this weekend’s final game with BU, the Catamounts, winners of their last three, are getting hot at the right time with a spot in the conference tournament on the line.
#4 University of New Hampshire
Coming off a 2006 campaign with a 3-15 over all record, 1-4 in America East, the Wildcats remerged back this season to pull off a .500 record overall and conference record overall and are a lock to make this season’s tournament as the fourth seed. Despite its improvements, UNH still has work to do in order to reach the level of conference powers like BU and Albany. It will be interesting to see how the underdogs react in the tournament.
#5 University of Maine
This is where the America East divide widens. The Black Bears (4-11), coming off a season where they went all the way to the conference tournament championship game, have had a terrible season, having not won a single conference game this year. They will be looking to change that this weekend when they take on the conference’s worst team, Fairfield, in their final game of the season.
#6 Fairfield University
Fairfield may be given a bad rap in its first season in the America East. The Stags have not won a conference game, struggling all season with a 3-15 overall record. But the Stags have come out strong as of late, with three of their last four losses settled by one goal. They will be looking to push Maine into the conference cellar this weekend in their final game of the season.
