Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Field Hockey Looks for Repeat Upsets at Patriot League Tournament, Faces No. 2 American Friday
10/31/2012 8:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Oct. 31, 2012
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Bucknell-American
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Playing in its fifth consecutive Patriot League Field Hockey Tournament, third-seeded Bucknell will take on No. 2 American at 2:30 p.m. on Friday in Easton, Pa. The Bison are vying for a second straight trip the championship round, which will be held on Saturday against the winner of No. 1 Lafayette and No. 4 Colgate. Friday's bout with the Eagles will be rematch of the teams' regular-season finales where American came out on top 2-1 last Saturday. Bucknell has the latest win in the postseason series, however, after upsetting American in the 2011 semis. Live stats and video will be available for all games at BucknellBison.com.
NOTES ON THE RECORD
At 9-9 overall and 3-2 in the Patriot League this season, Bucknell is looking for its third season at .500 or better in the last five years. The Bison were also 11-8 overall in 2008 and 12-7 in 2009.
AGAINST THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
Bucknell made a solid run through the Patriot League this season, outscoring its conference foes 18-6 over five games. The Bison defeated Colgate 7-0, Holy Cross 4-0 and Lehigh 6-2. They lost to Lafayette, which was ranked No. 14 nationally at the time, 2-0 and American 2-1.
FAMOUS FRESHMEN
Over the course of the year, Bucknell has claimed more than one weekly award from the Patriot League. In no other category was it as dominant as Rookie of the Week, however. A Bison was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Week in seven of a possible 10 voting periods. Kiersten Sydnor, who collected her fourth award on Monday, led the way. Kayla Sullivan had two and Abby Watson added another.
PATRIOT LEAGUE TOURNAMENT HISTORY
• Bucknell is 5-14 all-time in the Patriot League Tournament. Included in that record is an 0-5 mark in championship games when the Bison lost to Lafayette in 1995, 1999 and 2011, Holy Cross in 2000 and American in 2008.
• In the Patriot League Tournament, Bucknell is 1-2 vs. American, 1-7 vs. Lafayette, 1-0 vs. Colgate, 0-4 vs. Holy Cross, 0-1 vs. Lehigh and 2-0 vs. Fairfield.
• Since 2006, Bucknell has faced a limited number of opponents. The Bison have only gone up against American and Lafayette, posting a combined 2-5 record during that stretch.
• Bucknell has qualified for the Patriot League Tournament in each of the last five seasons. That is the longest streak in program history. The previous record stood at three (1994-96 and 1998-2000).
STELLAR SENIOR SIEGRIST
Tayler Siegrist added to her growing list of accolades on Wednesday when she became one of 38 players selected to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division I Senior Game. Siegrist was joined by fellow Patriot Leaguers Deanna DiCroce and Emily Valeo of Lafayette and Gina Hofmann from American. The 2012 Senior Game will be played at 3 p.m. on Nov. 17 at Old Dominion.
HIGH SCORING
Bucknell has scored 43 goals this season, its most since the 2008 squad set the school record at 51. That team, which went 11-8 overall and 2-3 in league play, was led by Amanda Faust with 11 goals. Trina Boyer also had 10.
In 2012, Bucknell's offensive production has come from the entire roster. Thirteen of the Bison's 17 field players have scored at least once this fall with Tayler Siegrist posting a team-high eight goals.
STRONG DOWN THE STRETCH
Bucknell has gotten a bit of reputation for its clutch performances down the stretch. This season the Bison were 2-1 in overtime games, which included a winning streak of seven games that began in 2010. They also came from behind for a victory four times, winning over Fairfield (2-1 OT), Lock Haven (3-1), Cornell (2-1) and Saint Francis (Pa.) (4-3 OT). Against the Red Flash, the Bison tied the game with just :51 remaining in regulation before netting the game-winning goal less than four minutes into the overtime period. Over the course of the season, 33 of Bucknell's 46 goals have come after halftime.
BISON ON RECORD WATCH
Four Bison have either set a school record or improved their standing on a Bucknell record list this fall. Kelsey Mucelli tied the program high mark for single-game assists when she registered three against Temple on Sept. 23. The sophomore is also tied for 10th in program history in single-season assists with nine. Topping her on that list in classmate Maggie Murphy. Murphy is currently tied for fourth with 10 assists this season since dishing out two against Lehigh on Oct. 20. Also making her mark on the assists list is Tayler Siegrist, but the senior's progress came in the career count. Siegrist is eighth all-time at Bucknell with 16 career assists.
Defensively, Erica Perrine enters the Patriot League Tournament tied for sixth in single-season wins having registered a 9-9 record so far this fall. The junior is also ninth in career wins (17) and 10th in career saves (192).
MORE RECORD WATCH
Jeremy Cook moved up the record lists himself this fall when he took over the No. 2 spot for most wins by a Bucknell head coach after a 3-1 victory at Harvard. Now in his fifth season, Cook is 47-48 (.495).
SITE NOTES
Bucknell's game with American on Friday will be its first this season on a neutral field. In the last five years, the Bison are 4-5 at neutral sites, including 2-2 in 2011. They were also 0-2 during the 2010 season, 0-1 in 2009 and 2-0 in 2008.
Bucknell is 3-6 when playing on the road this season. Their last three road games ended in losses, however, as the Bison fell to No. 14 Lafayette, No. 5 Penn State and American.
COMING SOON
Bucknell and the rest of the league expect to announce their All-Patriot League Team selections in the near future. The release of this year's squads and major awards has been delayed due power outages from Hurricane Sandy.
LOOKING BACK
Bucknell advanced to the championship game for the fifth time in program history at last year's Patriot League Tournament. To get there, the fourth-seeded Bison upset No. 1 American on their home field, 3-2. Bucknell couldn't pull off a second straight upset when it met Lafayette the next day. The Bison fell 3-1 to the Leopards. Erica Perrine, Vickie Resh and Rachel Misko were all named to the Patriot League All-Tournament Team at the end of play.
SCOUTING THE EAGLES
• American enters the Patriot League Tournament 9-9 overall and with a regular-season conference record of 4-1. The Eagles' league loss came in the opener, a 4-1 decision to Lafayette. They went on to defeat Lehigh (9-2), Holy Cross (2-0), Colgate (4-1) and Bucknell (2-1).
• When looking at Patriot League games only, American is tied for second in scoring average (3.60), third in goals against average (1.60) and shots per game (16.60), fourth in penalty corners (6.40) and sixth in saves per game (4.80). Individually, Shelly Montgomery is second in points (2.80) and goals (1.40) per game, while Gina Hofmann is tied for second in assists per game (0.80). Goalkeeper Ashley Dalisera led the league in save percentage (.760) and was third in goals against average (1.36) and fourth in saves per game (3.80).
• American has won eight Patriot League titles since joining the league. All eight came consecutively from 2003 to 2010.
LAST TIME VS. THE EAGLES
• Oct. 27, 2012: American 2, Bucknell 1 (Washington, D.C.)
• American took a two-goal lead after scores from Gina Hofmann and Shelly Montgomery. Bucknell broke up the shutout bid with a goal from Kiersten Sydnor on a penalty corner. Kelly Stefanowicz earned the assist.
• Ashley Dalisera earned the win in goal, making five saves and allowing just the one goal. Erica Perrine took the loss, making one save and allowing two goals.
• Despite the score going in the Eagles' favor, the two teams were evenly matched in shots with nine apiece. The Bison had a 6-3 edge in shots on goal and 4-3 advantage in penalty corners.
SERIES VS. THE EAGLES
• American leads the all-time series 18-5. The Eagles are also up 2-1 in Patriot League Tournament games.
• Bucknell and American met in the postseason in 2006 (American, 4-2), 2008 (American, 5-2) and 2011 (Bucknell, 3-2). Leigh Hillman and Tayler Siegrist both scored in last season's win. Siegrist had two goals, both coming on penalty corners.
• American has won two of the last 14 games with Bucknell. The Bison's two victories during that stretch both came in 2011 when they won 3-1 in Lewisburg and 3-2 in Washington, D.C., in the Patriot League Tournament semifinals.
• Friday will mark the first time Bucknell and American have ever played at a neutral site. American leads 13-1 when playing the Bison on their home turf, but just 5-4 when playing in Lewisburg.
SCOUTING THE LEOPARDS
• Lafayette earned the right to host the Patriot League Tournament after going 15-1 overall and 5-0 in the Patriot League this fall. That performance has also earned the Leopards the No. 12 spot in Tuesday's Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll.
• Lafayette had the most dominant season in the Patriot League, outscoring opponents 27-2. It defeated American (4-1) and Colgate (6-1) to start the season before shutting out Bucknell (2-0), Holy Cross (7-0) and Lehigh (8-0).
• The Leopards led the Patriot League in scoring average (5.50), goals against average (0.41) and penalty corners (10.20) this fall. Deanna DiCroce also had the league high in points (4.40) and goals (1.80) per game, while Emily Valeo was No. 1 in assists per game (1.00). Jessica Deutsch registered a Patriot League-best goals against average at just 0.48. She was also second in save percentage (.750).
• Lafayette has eight Patriot League Tournament titles in its program history. The Leopards won four straight from 1990-93, then added four more in 1995, 1999, 2002 and 2011.
LAST TIME VS. THE LEOPARDS
• Oct. 13, 2012: No. 14 Lafayette 2, Bucknell 0 (Easton, Pa.)
• Emily Valeo and Jenna Seybert scored for Lafayette in the 2-0 win. Jessica Deutsch earned the shutout to go along with three saves, while Erica Perrine made one save and allowed two goals in the loss.
• Bucknell led 8-3 in shots and 8-3 in penalty corners. Shots on goal were even at three apiece.
SERIES VS. THE LEOPARDS
• Lafayette leads the all-time series with Bucknell at 34-11-2. The Bison have lost the last five and have been outscored 17-5 during that stretch. October's meeting in which the Leopards won 2-0 was the only shutout during that five-game streak, however, and the first shutout since 2006.
• Lafayette also leads Bucknell 7-1 in Patriot League Tournament games. Two of those Leopard wins were in the championship round, first in 1995 and more recently in 2011. Both came by a score of 3-1. Deanna DiCroce had two goals for the Leopards in last year's championship game, while Mallory Smith was the lone Bison scorer.
• Bucknell's only victory against Lafayette in the Patriot League Tournament came in 2008. The Bison won 4-2 in Washington, D.C.
SCOUTING THE RAIDERS
• Colgate enters the Patriot League Tournament as the No. 4 seed after going 4-12 overall and 2-3 in conference play this fall. The Raiders lost to the top three teams in the league - Bucknell (7-0), Lafayette (6-1) and American (4-1) - and defeated the bottom two - Lehigh (3-1) and Holy Cross (2-1).
• In Patriot League action this season, Colgate ranks third in saves per game (9.80) and penalty corners (7.20) and fifth in scoring average (1.56) and goals against average (4.22). Individually, Adrianna Libutti led the league in defensive saves (0.80/gm). Eliana Brown was tied for third in goals per game (0.80) and sixth in points per game (1.60). Goalkeeper Amanda DiDomizio tied for second in saves per game (8.40), fourth in save percentage (.712) and fifth in goals against average (3.97).
• Colgate has just one Patriot League Tournament title, coming in 1996.
LAST TIME VS. THE RAIDERS
• Sept. 29: Bucknell 7, Colgate 0 (Lewisburg, Pa.)
• Bucknell opened its 2012 Patriot League schedule with a 7-0 win at Graham Field. Leigh Hillman had two goals. Rachel Misko, Kelly Stefanowicz, Vickie Resh and Kayla Sullivan also scored, and Colgate had the misfortune of registering an own goal.
• Erica Perrine and Shannon Keen combined for the shutout. Perrine earned the win with three saves in 56:26, while Keen went without a save in 13:34. Amanda DiDomizio took the loss, allowing five goals and making five saves in 54:29 before giving way to Caitlin Zolet with 15:31 remaining in the game. Zolet allowed two goals and made two saves.
• Bucknell dominated in nearly every statistical category. The Bison led 20-9 in shots, 14-3 in shots on goal and 8-5 in penalty corners.
SERIES VS. THE RAIDERS
• Bucknell has a 26-10-3 lead in the all-time series with Colgate. The Bison have won each of the last five and 11 of the last 12 meetings. The lone loss came in 2007 when the Raiders walked away with the 4-3 decision in overtime. Bucknell has a 43-18 scoring advantage during that twelve-game stretch. That also includes four shutouts.
• Bucknell and Colgate have met just once in the Patriot League Tournament. The Bison won that bout, 2-1, in 1995.
LOOKING AHEAD
Should the Bison capture their first-ever Patriot League Tournament, they will advance to the NCAA Tournament play-in game against the Ivy League champion. That game is set for Nov. 6.
