Sept. 8, 2006

Iowa/North Carolina Game Notes
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Villanova, Pa.-Villanova faces a challenge this weekend when the Wildcats head over to neighboring West Chester University to play two Top 15 teams in the University of Iowa Hawkeyes and the University of North Carolina Tar Heels.

The Wildcats face #14 Iowa at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 9 and #5 North Carolina at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 10. Iowa and UNC are two of `Nova's five opponents currently ranked in the STX/NFHCA Top 20 poll. The other three include #4 Duke (Oct. 9), #8 UConn (Sept. 17), and #10 Louisville (Oct. 14). Three more Villanova opponents are receiving votes in the weekly poll--Drexel, Penn (Sept. 27) and Providence (Oct. 22).

VU received 28 votes in this week's poll, marking the second straight poll the `Cats have garnered votes.

Villanova is 3-16 all-time against ranked opponents with the success coming recently. VU earned wins against then-#13 Louisville (6-5 2OT) on Oct. 15, 2005, then-#14 Syracuse (3-1) on Oct. 8, 2004, and then-#17 Boston College (1-0) on Oct. 19, 2002.

This is the first meeting between `Nova and Iowa. Villanova is 32-43-6 in first meetings all-time, including a 2-0 record this season with wins over Quinnipiac and Appalachian State. The Tar Heels have won both meetings with Villanova. This year the series resumes after a 13-year hiatus. The two teams last played in 1993, with the Heels earning a 2-0 victory. Before that, the only previous game occurred in 1989 when UNC won 6-1. This is Coach Joanie Milhous' first meeting with the Tar Heels.

Senior captain Megan Foster (Berlin, N.J.) is poised to set school records in career goals and career points. She currently has 50 total goals and 120 total points. She needs seven goals and three points to break the current records, both held by Nicole DiMaggio (1997-00).