Nov. 16, 2008
EAST LANSING, MI – The University of Iowa field hockey team’s second round NCAA Tournament game with Michigan State has been delayed until Monday at 10 a.m. (CT) due to snow.
The first half was a defensive battle as neither team could muster many good scoring opportunities. Blizzard-like conditions met the teams at the start of the second half. Officials were forced to switch to an orange ball, opposed to the standard white. In the 47th minute of regulation, the game was delayed in attempt to clear the snow off the playing surface.
Officials then decided the game would be delayed. Play will resume Monday morning with 27:45 left in regulation.
The winner will advance to Louisville, KY, to compete in the national semifinals. The Hawkeyes, ranked sixth nationally, will be trying to make their first national semifinal appearance since 1999. Iowa has reached the NCAA finals 10 times, including capturing the 1986 national championship. The 10 appearances are the fourth-most of any school in tournament history and the most of any Big Ten school.