Nov. 6, 2001

Stats

BERKELEY - The Cal field hockey team clinched its first NCAA Tournament berth since 1994 with a 5-1 victory over Quinnipiac Tuesday in an NCAA play-in game at Kleeberger Field.

With the win, the Bears advance to the 16-team NCAA Tournament with time and location to be determined later Tuesday.

Sophomore back Erin Booth led Cal with two goals, while senior Erin Robinson recorded two assists.

The Bears broke into the scoring column midway through the first half when junior Lisa D'Anjou gave Cal a 1-0 lead, collecting her own rebound to score her eighth goal of the season with 21:48 remaining in the period.

Two minutes later, Elizabeth Harkins marched into the Braves' backfield and put the ball into the cage at 19:21 as the NorPac Conference Offensive Player of the Year tallied her 10th goal of 2001.

The pace of the game didn't change after the intermission as the Bears struck again just three minutes into the second half. Booth scored on a penalty corner when Robinson passed to her in the lower circle for a redirection shot at 32:31.

Later on in the period, senior midfielder Amber Olsen scored her first goal of the season when she walked into the circle and teed off with a blast into the left side of the cage with 12:43 left to go in the contest.

"I was actually really surprised because I didn't even look up after the shot, and then I heard (the ball go in)," explained Olsen. "There were so many people between me and the goalie that I couldn't even see the goal anyway, so I was just hoping it would go through."

Booth scored her second goal of the day when she redirected a shot by Robinson on a corner attempt with under seven minutes left in the game.

The Braves avoided the shutout at 5:29, just minutes after Cal pulled starting keeper Emily Rowlen in favor of freshman Kelly Knapp. Kristin Crosby netted her 12th goal of the year for the final scoring margin.

Cal shut down the Braves' offense, denying Quinnipiac a shot on goal until six minutes remained on the game clock in the second period. The Braves had three penalty corner opportunities to the Bears' six, while Cal also had the lead in the shot column with 12 shots. Quinnipiac finished with two shot attempts.

The last time the Bears made the NCAA Tournament was in 1994. Cal just missed the tournament in 1999 when it lost to Massachusetts, 3-1, in the play-in game.

Head coach Shellie Onstead said this berth has been long awaited: "This is my seventh year (as head coach), and it's been seven years coming. We've tried to build season upon season and it's really gratifying to finally get there and this is a great bunch to do it with. I'm very optimistic."

Field Hockey Result at Kleeberger Field
Quinnipiac 0 1 -- 1
California 2 3 -- 5

Goals:
First Half Scoring:
CAL - Lisa D'Anjou 21:48 (unassisted)
CAL - Elizabeth Harkins 19:21 (unassisted)
Second Half Scoring:
CAL - Erin Booth 32:31 (Booth, Wald)
CAL - Amber Olsen 12:43 (unassisted)
CAL - Erin Booth (Robinson, Harkins)
QUIN - Kristin Crosby (unassisted)

Shots: Quinnipiac 2, California 12
Saves: Quinnipiac (Mathers) 6, Cal (Rowlen 0, Knapp 1)
Penalty Corners: Quinnipiac 3, California - 6
Record: - Quinnipiac 12-8, California - 14-4