Field Hockey Wraps Up Regular Season with Games at Lafayette and Drexel

Bucknell (8-7, 4-1 PL) at Lafayette (12-4, 3-2 PL)
When: Saturday, Oct. 30 at Noon
Where: Rappolt Field – Easton, Pa.
Streaming: ESPN+
Live Stats: GoLeopards.com

Bucknell (8-7, 4-1 PL) at Drexel (5-13, 2-3 CAA)
When: Sunday, Oct. 31 at 3 p.m.
Where: Buckley Field – Philadelphia, Pa.
Streaming: FloSports
Live Stats: DrexelDragons.com

About Bucknell

Bucknell concludes the regular season this weekend with road games at Lafayette and Drexel. Saturday's game at Lafayette will help determine seeding for the Patriot League Tournament as both teams are still vying for the No. 2 spot.
Bucknell would clinch the No. 2 seed with a win over Lafayette and would play Lehigh in the semifinal round. A loss to the Leopards would create a three-way tie between Bucknell, Lafayette and Lehigh, resulting in the Bison finishing as the No. 3 seed and playing the Leopards in the semis. American has already captured the regular season title and will be hosting the tournament beginning on Nov. 4.
Bucknell played a single game against Colgate on Friday evening and won 4-2. The Bison took a 2-0 lead in the first half before the Raiders came back to tie it in the fourth quarter. Bucknell scored two more times over the final 11 minutes to seal the victory.
Junior forward Mackenzie Kile scored twice on Friday to move into second on the roster in points (17). She's scored four goals this season, and her nine assists place her second in the league in the category.
Also adding a goal in the Colgate win was Lily Neilson, who continues to lead the Patriot League with her 13 goals this season. Neilson earned her fifth Patriot League Rookie of the Week award of the season on Monday, which ties a league record.
Sophomore Rachel Apa added a goal on Friday as well, and she's one of six Bison with multiple scores this season. 12 different Bison in total have registered goals this fall and 13 have contributed assists.
As a team, the Bison are leading the league with their 2.8 assists per contest. They've had four games with four or more assists, including a nine-assist outing against Lehigh and an eight-assist performance against Holy Cross.
Bucknell ranks third in the Patriot League in both points per game (7.73) and goals per game (2.47).
Goalkeeper Clara McCormick has started all 15 games this season and ranks fourth in the league with a 2.10 goals against average. She added three more saves to her season total during the Colgate game.
Bucknell is 6-0 in games that go past regulation since the start of last season, including two overtime wins this fall.
For the first time in program history, Bucknell entered the 2021 field hockey season as reigning champions after collecting a Patriot League title in the spring and posting a first-round win over VCU in the NCAA tournament. Bucknell finished the 2020-21 season with a 6-4 overall record. After dropping their first three games of the spring season by a combined score of 10-1, the Bison turned things around and won six in a row to reach the NCAA quarterfinals. Bucknell limited opponents to one goal per game during the winning streak, and four of the victories went past regulation.
Head coach Jeremy Cook tied Bucknell's all-time wins mark on Friday with the 128^th victory of his career. In 14 seasons with the Bison, Cook has amassed a 128-123 career record. With a win this weekend he'll pass Heather Lewis and take sole possession of first place in the record books. Cook has guided the Bison to the Patriot League Tournament every season and has posted a .500 overall record or better in each of the last five.

Scouting Lafayette

Lafayette sits at 12-4 overall and 3-2 in Patriot League play following a loss to Lehigh and a win over Temple this past weekend. The Leopards fell 2-3 in overtime against the Mountain Hawks on Friday.
The Leopards lead all Patriot League teams in shots per game (9.5) and in goals allowed per game (1.1). They also rank second in both goals per game (2.8) and assists (2.4). Lafayette has scored three or more goals in seven games this season, including in a 7-0 win over Drexel.
Lafayette senior midfielder Audrey Sawers currently leads the Patriot League in points (29) with her nine goals and 11 assists. Sawers also ranks first in the league with 4.4 shots per game.
Senior forward Molly McAndrew is also in the top 10 for points, totaling eight goals and four assists. Four of McAndrew's goals have been game-winners.
Senior goalkeeper Hailey Abbott ranks atop the league in goals against average (1.06) and is second in save percentage (.770). Abbott has posted four shutouts this season, including one in the most recent game against Temple. She's been chosen as the Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week four times this fall.
The Leopards are led by head coach Jennifer Stone, who has a 69-82 career record. Stone previously served as an assistant coach for the Leopards following a decorated playing career for the Maroon and White.

Series History with Lafayette

Bucknell is 16-38-2 in the all-time series with Lafayette, which dates back to 1977. The series is even at 5-5 going back to 2012, and the last three meetings were decided by one goal each.
Bucknell won the most recent matchup, a 3-2 decision at Graham Field during the 2020-21 spring season. The Bison took a 3-2 lead during the 38^th minute of action and were forced to make a stop on a Lafayette penalty stroke with three seconds remaining in the game. The teams were even in shots and penalty strokes, and the victory helped the Bison clinch a spot in the Patriot League Tournament. Then-rookie Rachel Apa accounted for two of Bucknell's goals.
The Leopards wound up on top in both 2019 meetings, including a 1-0 win in the Patriot League semifinals.

Scouting Drexel

The Dragons are 5-13 overall and 2-3 in the CAA. They'll take on Delaware Friday evening before hosting the Bison on Saturday. Drexel is currently on a four-game losing streak and has been outscored 19-2 during that stretch.
Drexel's points leader is sophomore forward Eline Di Leva, who has six goals and four assists on the season. The Dragons have two other players (Avery Powell and Puk Thewessen) with 15 points as well.
The Dragons are averaging 12.3 shots and 2.0 goals per game this fall. Meanwhile, the Drexel defense is allowing 3.4 goals per game and has allowed four or more goals in seven games.
Junior Megan Hadfield has started all 18 games at goalkeeper this season and sports a 3.49 goals against average and a 0.655 save percentage.
Dragons head coach Denise Zelenak is in her 27^th season and holds a 260-261 record.

Series History with Drexel

Bucknell has matched up with the Dragons 28 times since 1980 and trails 10-17-1 in the all-time series. Drexel has won each of the last 11 meetings, and Bucknell's last win against the Dragons came in 1996.
Five of the last 11 meetings have gone past regulation, including a 3-2 shootout win for Drexel in the most recent matchup in 2017. Bucknell posted a 13-4 advantage in penalty corners and outshot the Dragons 32-14, but the Bison were edged 3-2 in the shootout.

Up Next
Bucknell heads to Washington, D.C. to compete for the Patriot League Championship title for a 14^th consecutive season. The Bison will face either Lehigh or Lafayette in the semifinals on Thursday, Nov. 4. The title game will be played on Saturday, No. 6. Bucknell won the Patriot League Championship last season as the No. 3 seed.