Undefeated Eastern Mennonite Enters as Top Seed

SALEM, Va. --- The Eastern Mennonite Royals enter the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Field Hockey Tournament as the #1 seed after finishing the conference regular season with a untarnished 7-0 ODAC record.  Lynchburg College goes into the eight-team tourney as the #2 seed while Washington & Lee University sits in the third spot.  Randolph-Macon College rounds out top four seeds.

Roanoke College earns the fifth seed through the ODAC tie-breaking procedure, while Bridgewater College and Virginia Wesleyan College occupy the sixth and seventh spots under the same criteria, respectively.  Sweet Briar College travels to EMU for its quarterfinal contest as the eighth seed.

The Royals (8-6, 7-0) were last year's runner-up in the conference tournament, falling in a 3-2 overtime loss to Lynchburg in the championship game.  Eastern Mennonite sat near the top of the league in several categories including scoring average (2.47), shots per game (19.85), and goals scored per game (2.54).  Alyssa Derstine is the Royals' top option on offense, going into the tournament having notched 27 points on 12 goals and three assists.

Lynchburg, last season's ODAC tournament champion, finished the 2007 regular season with a 6-1 ODAC record and a 15-4 overall record.  The Hornets are at the top of the conference in several key statistical categories including scoring average (3.82), goals scored per game (3.84), shutouts (9), and goals against average (1.10).  Allie Weir, last year's 2006 Rookie of the Year, is by far the ODAC's most dangerous offensive weapon, collecting 64 points on 28 goals and eight assists.  Her first place points total is 30 more than the runner-up, teammate Jessi Bowman (34 points).

Washington & Lee (10-6, 5-2) was near the top of the conference in a number of categories including scoring average (2.16), goals against (1.50), and goals scored per game (2.25).  Sallie Armstrong has been the Generals main scoring threat, registering 15 goals for 30 points this season.

For more information on the upcoming tournament, see the pairings below and visit the ODAC on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.

ODAC FIELD HOCKEY TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS

Quarterfinals - Saturday, October 27
Quarterfinal 1:  #8 Sweet Briar (2-12, 0-7) at #1 Eastern Mennonite (8-6, 7-0)
Quarterfinal 2:  #7 Virginia Wesleyan (4-11, 2-5) at #2 Lynchburg (15-4, 6-1)
Quarterfinal 3:  #6 Bridgewater (4-12, 2-5) at #3 Washington & Lee (10-6, 5-2)
Quarterfinal 4:  #5 Roanoke (3-10, 2-5) at #4 Randolph-Macon (6-9, 4-3)

Semifinals - Wednesday, October 31
at Two Highest Remaining Seeds

Championship - Saturday, November 3
at Highest Remaining Seed

*All games times have yet to be determined