For Immediate Release
Contact Dave Geringer, Sports Information Director, (508) 990-9651  [log in to unmask]
Thursday, March 8, 2007				 

UMASS DARTMOUTH FACES MIDDLEBURY IN NCAA QUARTER FINAL SATURDAY

NORTH DARTMOUTH, MA–For the second season in a row, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s hockey team will be playing the defending champion in the NCAA Division III playoffs when they open NCAA Tournament action at Middlebury Saturday evening. Game time is 7:00 p.m. at the Chip Kenyon ’85 Arena in Middlebury, VT.

UMass Dartmouth comes into the game with a 25-2-1 record, having won six games in a row and 15 of their past 16 games. Junior forward Paul Garabedian (Belmont, MA/Belmont HS) scored on a rebound three and a half minutes before the end of the game to give the Corsairs a thrilling, 4-3 victory over Wentworth last Saturday in the ECAC Northeast Championship game at the Stephan Hetland Memorial Arena. Senior defenseman Paul Carr (Springfield, MA/Cathedral HS), freshman forward Pat Welch (Dorchester, MA/Pomfret HS) and sophomore Nick Paquin (Warwick, RI/Winchendon Academy) also scored for UMass Dartmouth, and sophomore goaltender Jeff Green (Medway, MA/Valley Jr. Warriors) made 33 saves and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.

As the second seeded team in the New England Small College Athletic Conference, Middlebury defeated Colby, 4-3, and host Bowdoin, 4-2, for the NESCAC title. The Panthers opened NCAA play with a 9-0 victory over visiting SUNY Fredonia Wednesday evening. Middlebury limited the Blue Devils to one shot on goal in each of the last two periods, and goalie Doug Raeder made just six saves for the shutout while Middlebury took 46 shots at goaltenders Kevin Amborski and Pat Street. The victory was Middlebury’s sixth in succession and eighth game in a row without a defeat. 

MC has won each of the last three NCAA Division III titles, and is unbeaten in their last 31 non-conference games at home since they lost to Trinity, 4-2, in the NESCAC Final March 9, 2003. They lost to ECAC East foe Norwich at home, 5-2, March 15th, 2002 in an NCAA semi-final game at home. They have not lost at home to a non-league foe since SUNY Plattsburgh knocked them out of the NCAA playoffs with 3-1 and 5-2 wins March 9th an 10th, 2001 under the old NCAA best of two game format.  

Saturday’s winner will advance to the semi-finals of the NCAA Division III Championships next weekend at Wisconsin-Superior’s Wessman Arena.


UMASS DARTMOUTH HOCKEY