NORTHAMPTON, Mass.--The Smith College field hockey team can clinch a berth in the NEWMAC tournament when the Pioneers (10-7, 2-5 NEWMAC) head to Clark University (8-9, 1-6 NEWMAC) on Saturday afternoon in the final regular season game of the year.
Last Meeting: Clark edged out Smith, 5-4 on October 20, 2012.
The Series: Clark leads, 15-8.
Fast Facts: Clark has just one win in their last seven games...The Cougars have been shutout in five of those losses...The Cougars are 5-3 at home...Lauren Mackey tops the team with 14 goals...Smith is coming off a 7-2, non-conference loss to Keene State College...
Allie Stein (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer) needs four points to reach the 200 mark for her career also needs one more to set a new single season record for points...Smith has not qualified for the NEWMAC tournament since 2008 (more below)...a win will have Smith in the No. 6 seed, playing either Babson or MIT.
Playoff Permutations: If Smith wins, they will qualify for the NEWMAC tournament for the first time since 2009. Clark needs to win and have WPI lose to Springfield to head to the postseason. If Clark, Smith, and WPI all finish with a 2-6 league record, then head-to-head tiebreakers are exhausted (Smith over WPI, WPI over Clark, Clark over Smith). Results against the top of the league would then be compared, working down the league table. Results against Wellesley would be compared first, followed by Mount Holyoke, etc.
