GORHAM, Maine -- The University of Southern Maine Huskies field hockey team has been selected as the number one seed in the 2007 Division III New England Field Hockey Championship. The announcement was made Monday (Nov. 5) by the ECAC. The tournament is an eight-team field with a play-down format.

Southern Maine finished its season as the runners-up in the Little East Conference Championship, falling to Keene State College 2-1 in overtime. The Huskies have a 15-7 record and recorded a 9-2 mark in LEC action during the regular season.

As the top seed in the tournament, Southern Maine will host its first round game against familiar opponent and conference rival the Plymouth State University Panthers on Wednesday (November 7) at 2:30 p m. at Paula D. Hodgdon Field in Gorham. Plymouth State is the eighth seed in the tournament. The Panthers enter the tournament with a 10-8 overall mark after finishing their regular season with an 8-3 record in LEC action. Southern Maine recently defeated the Panthers at home in the Little East Conference semifinals with a 2-1 overtime win, avenging a 3-1 regular season loss at Plymouth State.

The Little East Conference is well-represented in the tournament, as Bridgewater State (13-6, 7-4 LEC) received the No. 2 seed and will face seventh seed Endicott College (11-4 overall, 4-4 TCCC) on Wednesday at 2 p.m. Nichols College (15-6, 4-4 TCCC) received the No. 3 seed and will play sixth seed Castleton State (12-6, 7-1 NAC) at 4 p.m. and Wheaton College (13-6, 6-2 NEWMAC) was tabbed the fourth seed in the tournament and will host fifth seed Saint Joseph’s College (Maine) (12-6, Independent) at 2 p.m.

The first-round winners will advance to the semifinals on Saturday, November 10 at the highest remaining seed. Semifinal winners will play for the 2007 ECAC Division III New England Championship on Sunday, November 11.

Southern Maine is led in scoring by sophomore forward India Lowe (Gloucester, Mass.). Lowe has totaled 25 points on a team-high 11 goals and three assists. Sophomore midfielder Cristina Corson (Naples, Maine/Lake Region) leads the Huskies in assists with eight. Defensively, Southern Maine is led by sophomore goalkeeper Allie Hill (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) and senior back Justene Dorr (Cherry Hill, N.J./Kimball Union). Hill, the 2006 LEC Rookie of the Year, has a 1.47 goals against average with three shutouts, while Dorr coordinated the Huskies back line as their sweeper back making a team-leading seven defensive saves.

The Huskies 15-7 mark is the highest win total for Southern Maine since 2003 when it captured the LEC title and reached the NCAA tournament finishing the season with a 17-6 mark.

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2007 ECAC Division III New England Field Hockey Championship

First Round – Wednesday, November 7, 2007

No. 8 Plymouth State University (10-8, 8-3 LEC) at. No. 1 Southern Maine (15-7, 9-2 LEC), 2:30 p.m

No. 7 Endicott College (11-4, 4-4 TCCC) at No. 2 Bridgewater State (13-6, 7-4 LEC), 2 p.m.

No. 6 Castleton State (12-6, 7-1 NAC) at No. 3 Nichols College (15-6, 4-4 TCCC), 4 p.m.

No. 5 Saint Joseph’s College (12-6, independent) at No. 4 Wheaton College (13-6, 6-2 NEWMAC), 2 p.m.