Bucknell Field Hockey Welcomes Lafayette for Patriot League Opener Saturday

Oct. 2, 2009

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell field hockey will try to extend its home winning streak to five games as it takes on Lafayette at 12 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3 at Graham Field. The Leopards will try to maintain an unbeaten streak of their own, having won each of their last six contests, as Patriot League play starts this weekend.

Live stats on GameTracker will be available at BucknellBison.com.

ABOUT THE BISON

Jessie Atieh (North Caldwell, N.J./West Essex) and Tayler Siegrist (Madison, N.J./Madison) were both recognized by the Patriot League on Monday. Atieh was named the league's Goalkeeper of the Week, while Siegrist nabbed top Rookie honors. The awards were the third and fourth of the season for the Bison. Siegrist also was named the PL Defensive Player of the Week earlier in the year.
Bucknell enters its first league contest looking for its seventh win of the season. In their most recent contest, the Bison defeated Temple 2-1 at Graham Field. Marci Richard (Olley, Pa./Olley Valley) and Siegrist each recorded a goal. Siegrist also earned an assist to give her three points on the day. Atieh made five saves in goal.
As a team, Bucknell leads the league in six statistical categories, including scoring average (3.12), shots (158), shots per game (17.56), goals scored (24), goals per game (2.67) and penalty corners per game (11.0).
Bison players have had just as much success on an individual level. Morgan Kauffman (Millersville, Pa./Penn Manor), Austin Thomas (Tunkhannock, Pa./Tunkhannock), Richard and Christine Weiss (Bethlehem, Pa./Southern Lehigh) all rank in the top 10 in the PL in points. Kauffman also leads all league players in assists (6), while Atieh ranks fourth in both goals against average (2.47) and save percentage (.712).
With three more saves, Atieh will improve her career ranking at Bucknell to ninth all-time. The senior co-captain has 187 saves in the Orange and Blue. Tracey LaPorte is currently ninth with 189 career saves.
The last time the Bison won their Patriot League opener was in 2003. Bucknell defeated Colgate 3-1 in Hamilton, N.Y., in just its second game of the season.

ABOUT THE LEOPARDS

Lafayette leads the all-time series 10-28-2. The two teams split their matchups last season with Lafayette winning the regular-season game 2-1 and Bucknell winning in the Patriot League Tournament 4-2. Both the Leopards and the Bison have had difficulty putting together any kind of streak against each other as the two teams have been swapping wins for last seven years. The last time either team won back-to-back contests was in 2001 and 2002 when Lafayette won three straight. Bucknell last earned back-to-back wins against Lafayette in 1997 (3-2 win in overtime) and 1998 (5-0).
The Leopards are 8-1 overall with their lone loss coming in a 1-0 shutout to Temple. They most recently shut out Penn 2-0 last Wednesday with goals by Deana CiCroce and Lindsay Majno. The Leopards lead the Patriot League in goals against average and have allowed just seven goals in nine games.
CiCroce, who has won each of the last two Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week awards, leads Lafayette in points (14) and goals (6) this season. She is joined at the top of the Leopards' stats list by Kelly Hilovsky and Majno, each with nine points.
Kelsey Andersen has been a force for the Leopards in goal. The two-time league Goalkeeper of the Week has allowed just seven goals, made 27 saves and recorded five shutouts while playing every minute of Lafayette's games.

UP NEXT
The Bison will have a quick turnaround before their next game. Bucknell will take on Lock Haven on the road at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 6.

Bucknell University Athletics

Bucknell Field Hockey Welcomes Lafayette for Patriot League Opener Saturday

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