GLEN ALLEN, VA -- The University of Delaware field hockey team remained at No. 18 in this week’s STX/National Field Hockey Coaches Association Poll after receiving 135 points during a vote by the NFHCA.

For the Blue Hens, it was the fifth consecutive week they were ranked in the top 20. That is the longest streak for Delaware since the squad was ranked for nine straight weeks in 2004.

The Hens started the week by beating William & Mary, 4-2, on Friday before falling to No. 13 Old Dominion, 1-0, on a last-minute goal on Sunday.

Delaware's nine wins this season are tied for the sixth most in all of Division I, while the team’s 750 winning percentage is tied for 11th best overall.

The Hens are led by Casey Howard, who has a team-high nine goals and 20 points. Tori Karsten is second on the squad with six goals and 15 points.

Molly Burke (at right) is third on the team with five goals, while Amanda Warrington and Jackie Tait are tied for the team-lead in assists with four.

North Carolina remained as the No. 1 team in the NFHCA poll, receiving 42 first-place votes. Maryland stayed in the second spot, while Connecticut, Wake Forest, and Iowa rounded out the top-five.

Fellow CAA members James Madison and Old Dominion also stayed in the Top-20, ranking No. 8 and 13 respectively. William & Mary and Drexel also received votes in the poll, while Duke, who faces Delaware on October 20, was picked No. 12.

The Blue Hens return to action on Friday at 2 p.m. when they travel to Northeastern to take on the Huskies.

AGATE:

2007 STX/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll (October 2): 1. North Carolina (40 first-place votes), 935 points; 2. Maryland (5 first-place votes), 897; 3. Connecticut, 835; 4. Wake Forest, 777; 5. Iowa, 715; 6. Michigan, 672; 7. Michigan State, 636; 8. James Madison, 600; 9. Penn State, 569; 10. Boston College, 446; 11. Ohio, 398; 12. Duke, 395; 13. Old Dominion, 394; 14. Boston, 328; 15. American, 256; 16. Albany, 222; 17. Louisville, 195; 18. Delaware, 135; 19. Virginia, 85; 20. Syracuse, 76.