BIG EAST Notes - 4.6.17
Behrins Makes It A Three-Peat
No. 13/13 Denver sophomore Elizabeth Behrins became the third consecutive BIG EAST player to be tabbed IWLCA
Fast Break Division I Offensive Player of the Week on Wednesday night, following Florida’s Lindsey Ronbeck (March 22) and Mollie Stevens (March 29). Behrins was named BIG EAST Midfielder of the Week on Tuesday after notching eight points off seven goals and an assist against Connecticut on Sunday. The national honor is not only the first of the career for Behrins, but the first for any Denver player in program history.
Wednesday Recap
All 10 BIG EAST teams were in action on Wednesday as a pair of games came down to the final seconds. NR/RV Temple (10-2, 3-1 BIG EAST) used a 6-0 scoring run over the final 7:47 to close out the game at Cincinnati (5-7, 1-3), rallying from a four-goal second-half deficit to claim an 11-9 victory, its third consecutive. Brenda McDermott scored a hat trick in the midst of that run, including the game-tying score with 3:32 left. Georgetown (5-7, 3-1) used a 5-1 spurt to come from behind to win 14-13 at Villanova (3-8, 1-3), with five different Hoyas scoring during that span. The Wildcats closed within one with 10 seconds left off Liz Trojan’s score, but were unable to climb all the way back. Additionally, No. 13/13 Denver topped Butler, 20-3, Vanderbilt defeated Connecticut, 16-8, and No. 3/3 Florida remained undefeated in league play with a 21-7 win over Marquette.
Hot Start For The ‘Dores
Vanderbilt is off to its hottest start since joining the BIG EAST prior to the 2015 campaign, boasting a 3-1 league record, including Wednesday’s 16-8 home win over Connecticut. With five conference games still remaining on the Commodores’ calendar, Vandy is just one win shy of matching its record for BIG EAST wins in a season. Vanderbilt went 4-3 during its first season of BIG EAST play in ’15, narrowly missing the BIG EAST Championship due to a tiebreaker, and went 1-6 in 2016. Through four BIG EAST games this season, the Commodores rank tied for third in goals per game (14.5), led by Jill Doherty who lists tied for seventh with her 2.5 goals per game average. Vandy leads the league in draw controls per game at 15.75, with Doherty ranking second among conference players with a 5.75 clip. Vanderbilt visits Georgetown on Saturday, pitting a pair of 3-1 teams against one another.
Weekend Ahead
All 10 BIG EAST teams take the field on Saturday, beginning with No. 3/3 Florida hosting Cincinnati at noon (ET). The Gators and NR/RV Temple became the first two teams to reach the double-digit win mark on Wednesday with matching 10-2 overall records, and will look to add to that total this weekend. The Owls host nearby foe Villanova at 1 p.m. A second-place battle pits Vanderbilt against Georgetown, while Marquette will look to move back into the upper half of the standings when it travels to No. 13/13 Denver at 3 p.m. Connecticut-Butler rounds out the weekend slate as both squads eye their first BIG EAST win of the season.
Weekly Schedule/Results
Wednesday
NR/RV Temple 11, Cincinnati 9*
13/13 Denver 20, Butler 3*
3/3 Florida 21, Marquette 7*
Vanderbilt 16, Connecticut 8*
Georgetown 14, Villanova 13*
Saturday
Cincinnati at 3/3 Florida, Noon*
Butler at Connecticut, 1 p.m.*
Villanova at NR/RV Temple, 1 p.m.*
Vanderbilt at Georgetown, 1 p.m.*
Marquette at 13/13 Denver, 3 p.m.*
*BIG EAST contest
All times Eastern