Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Boston University
Field Hockey Drops Patriot League Championship Game to Boston U., 2-1
11/8/2014 4:31:00 PM | Field Hockey
LEWISBURG, Pa. – A second-half comeback fell short as Bucknell lost to No. 20 Boston University 2-1 in the championship game of the Patriot League Field Hockey Tournament on Saturday at Graham Field. With the win, the Terriers received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The second-seeded Terriers took a 1-0 lead 11 minutes into the match on a penalty stroke goal by Amanda Cassera. On a penalty corner opportunity, Bucknell senior Liz Wills made a nice play to stop a shot that would have found the back of the cage, but since the ball was stopped with her body and not her stick, Cassera received the penalty stroke. She converted for her team-leading 14th goal of the season.
The score remained 1-0 into the break despite the fact that the Bison held a 9-2 advantage in shots, including 5-2 on goal, and a 7-2 lead in penalty corners. Their best opportunity came during a two-minute stretch midway through the half when they received four penalty corners and took five shots, including four on goal, but tournament MVP Valentina Cerda Eimbcke stopped all four to preserve the lead.
Cassera contributed again with an assist in the second half to help Boston take a 2-0 lead. She fired a shot from near the top of the arc that deflected off the stick of Taylor Blood. It was Blood's seventh goal of the season.
But Bucknell didn't give in, cutting the deficit in half with just under 22 minutes left in the game, With control of the ball right in front of the goalie, Wills made a nice quick pass to the left to senior Amie Pritchard, who finished for her fifth goal of the season.
With the season on the line and 4:15 left on the clock, Bucknell head coach Jeremy Cook pulled the goalie. The Bison had a couple of good looks, including a nice centering pass by Kiersten Sydnor that bounced just past numerous Bison players in front of the goal, as well as a shot by Wills that was blocked with seconds remaining on the clock, but the Bison couldn't get the equalizer.
Wills, Pritchard and senior Kelsey Mucelli were all selected to the Patriot League All-Tournament Team. It was the third straight year Mucelli earned the honor.
Bucknell finished with 10 more shots (13-3) than Boston, five more shots on goal (8-3) and eight more penalty corners (11-3).
The Bison finished the season with a record of 13-6. It is the program's best winning percentage since the 1977 team finished 8-2-2.
