Cal Returns Home to Host No. 19 Albany - CAL OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

Sept. 9, 2008

This Week
The California field hockey team (4-1, 3-0 NorPac Conference) hosts No. 19 Albany (3-1) at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, at Maxwell Family Field. Cal, which is riding a three-game winning streak, plays just one game this week after playing its first five games of the season over a nine-day span. The Bears played their last three games in four days on the road.

The Albany game kicks off a stretch of three-straight games in which Cal will play an opponent ranked in the Sept. 9 National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll, including No. 16 Michigan on Sept. 25 and No. 10 Michigan State on Sept. 27.

Cal received votes in the latest NFHCA poll.

Lo Named NorPac Conference Offensive Player of the Week
Cal senior midfielder/forward Andrea Lo was named the NorPac Conference Offensive Player of the Week, the conference office announced on Sept. 9. Lo, who writes a weekly blog on CalBears.com, is currently Cal's leading scorer with 10 points (3 goals, 4 assists).

The product of West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, collected an assist in the 2-1 overtime loss to Drexel on Sept. 1 in Berkeley, scored a goal in the 4-1 win over host Longwood on Sept. 4 in Farmville, Va., and posted a goal and an assist in each of Cal's last two games: a 4-0 win over Radford on Sept. 5 in Farmville and a 7-0 win over Appalachian State on Sept. 7 in Farmville.

Bears in the National Stats
Lo ranks 12th nationally with a 0.80 assists-per game average and 20th in points-per game (2.00). Senior goalkeeper Kelly Knoche ranks 11th with a 0.78 goals-against average.

Cal Wins 3 Straight after Overtime Loss to Drexel Cal won three straight NorPac Conference games on the road after losing its home opener to Drexel, 2-1, in overtime on Sept. 1 at Maxwell Family Field. Cal's backline put up some strong attacking numbers in the last game against Appalachian State, as freshman Erin Magill scored two goals and one assist and senior Rachel Moffitt tallied four assists. Magill had scored her first career goal against Drexel.

Bears senior midfielder Gwen Belomy scored a pair of goals against Longwood, sophomore forward Natalie Nurnberg struck twice against Radford and senior forward Ashley Glosz collected two goals against Appalachian State. Junior forward Kellie York tallied one goal and two assists against ASU.

No. 19 Albany Great Danes Visit Maxwell
Albany has a 3-1 record after most recently defeating Hofstra, 6-2, on Sept. 7 in Albany, N.Y. Senior midfielder Michele Polizois scored three goals, including the gamewinner, and one assist in the win for the Great Danes. Their only common opponent with Cal so far this season is Radford, which Albany defeated, 3-0, in its Aug. 30 season opener. The Great Danes also lost at No. 15 American, 2-0, and beat Cornell, 1-0.

Senior midfielder Michelle Simpson (8 points, 3 goals, 2 assists, 2 game-winning goals) leads Albany in scoring. Great Danes senior goalkeeper Ashley Ross has a 1.31 GAA.

Phil Sykes, who is from the East Bay, is in his fifth year as head coach of Albany. A former U.S. player, he is a Livermore, Calif., and Cal State Hayward (1999) product.

Next Week
The Bears are off until they travel to the Midwest to take on Michigan on Sept. 25, Michigan State on Sept. 27 and Northwestern on Sept. 28.