Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Field Hockey Opens League Play on Saturday
10/3/2008 8:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Oct. 3, 2008
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell field hockey team begins conference play on Saturday, Oct. 4, taking on Lafayette in Easton, Pa. Under new head coach Jeremy Cook, the Bison have a 7-3 record, their best start since they opened the 2003 season 7-1. The Leopards (7-4) were picked to finish second in the Patriot League preseason poll, while the Bison were selected to place fourth.
The Orange and Blue have won three straight games and five of their last six, including Tuesday's 3-0 win in Philadelphia, Pa., against Saint Joseph's. Senior Katie Ruiz (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg Area) scored two goals and sophomore Corinne Raczek (Ocean Township, N.J./Ocean Township) tied a Bucknell single-game record with three assists in the win. Goalkeepers Jessie Atieh (North Caldwell, N.J./West Essex) and Sarah Zargarpour (North Vancouver, Canada/Handsworth Secondary) combined to make 11 saves, as Bucknell recorded its second shutout in its last three games.
Senior co-captain Amanda Faust (Kingston, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) leads the Bison with 20 points and seven goals this season, both totals ranking second-best in the Patriot League behind Lafayette senior midfielder Maggie Condon (23 points, 10 goals). Faust is tied for third in Bucknell history in career points (80) and earlier this season became the program's all-time assist leader (30).
Sophomore midfielder Morgan Kauffman (Millersville, Pa./Penn Manor) is tied with Raczek for the league lead in assists, both with nine through the Bison's first 10 games this year. Bucknell's single-season record for assists is 10, held by Faust (2006), Alex Kyzmir (2005) and Jen Zimmerman (1997). Kauffman's four goals give her 17 points for the year, ranking third in the league.
Ruiz (13 points), Kelly Bruvik (12 points) (Skillman, N.J./Stuart Country Day), Trina Boyer (nine points) (Macungie, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) and Megan Krebs (nine points) (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./GAR Memorial) have all played key offensive roles for the Bison this year, and have combined with Faust, Kauffman and Raczek to account for 89 of the team's league-leading 96 points.
Senior co-captain Steph Graph (Jamison, Pa./Central Bucks East) has combined with Faust, junior Sarah Ebright (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin), sophomore Christine Weiss (Bethlehem, Pa./Southern Lehigh) and senior Emily Hutchison (Leola, Pa./Conestoga Valley) to anchor a Bucknell defense that has allowed 1.50 goals per game this season. Atieh leads the Patriot League with a .763 save percentage, while her 1.87 goals against average places her third. The Orange and Blue lead the Patriot League in scoring margin, defeating opponents by an average of 1.60 goals per contest.
The Leopards are coming off a tough 3-0 loss to No. 14 Penn State at University Park, Pa., on Wednesday. The Nittany Lions will pay a visit to Graham Field at Holmes Stadium on Tuesday, Oct. 14. The aforementioned Condon is Lafayette's offensive force, having attempted 49.6 percent (64 out of 129) of her team's shots this season. Kelly Hilovsky is the second-leading scorer for the Leopards, tallying six goals and 16 points, while Jaclyn Disanti leads the team with eight assists and three defensive saves. Goalkeeper Kelsey Anderson has played all 787 minutes and 45 seconds for the Leopards this year, recording two shutouts and a .690 save percentage. Anderson's 1.60 goals against average is tops in the Patriot League.
Bucknell's lone Patriot League win last season came in its season finale, a 3-2 victory over Lafayette, in Lewisburg. Faust had a goal and an assist, Graf had a defensive save and Atieh made three saves in goal for the Bison. Krebs also had an assist. Condon scored one of the Leopards' goals, and Anderson made three saves.
Following this contest, the Orange and Blue return to Graham Field at Holmes Stadium for a two-game homestand. Bucknell will welcome Lehigh on Saturday, Oct. 11, at 2 p.m., before Penn State's visit at 6 p.m. on Oct. 14.
