Bucknell University
(8-10, 4-2PL)
Lafayette (PL Semifinals)
(14-5, 4-2PL)
Field Hockey Falls to Lafayette in OT During Patriot League Semifinals, 4-3
11/4/2021 4:39:00 PM | Field Hockey
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Bucknell field hockey team fought tooth and nail in a highly-contested Patriot League semifinal game against second-seeded Lafayette on Thursday, but a Leopards goal in overtime ended the Bison's run at a second consecutive title and brought the 2021 season to an end.
Bucknell led 3-2 in the final minute of regulation before Lafayette tied the game with 19 seconds remaining. The Bison were handed a green card less than three minutes into the extra period, and Lafayette took advantage of a penalty corner to secure the win.
Bucknell, which entered the tournament as the third seed, was even with Lafayette in shots (10-10) and corners (7-7) until the final play. Rookie Lily Neilson scored twice for the Bison, and Mary Kate Stefanowicz added a goal as well. Mackenzie Kile posted a pair of assists, and Noor Kaur and Kayla Kisthardt also had one assist apiece.
Lafayette now advances to the Patriot League Championship game to face top-seeded American on Saturday.
The Leopards scored first in the contest, putting one away on their first shot of the game 4:48 into the first quarter. Senior Molly McAndrew dribbled the ball in from the right side and shot left of the Bucknell keeper to take a 1-0 lead. It took Bucknell less than five minutes to answer as Neilson sent a hard shot from the left side of the circle into the cage to even the game a 1-1.
After an even second quarter that saw four shots and three corners for each team, Bucknell took its first lead of the game less than three minutes into the third. Stefanowicz scored from the top of the circle on a penalty corner with assists from Kisthardt and Kile to give the Bison a 2-1 lead.
The back-and-forth play continued into the final 15 minutes as Lafayette rookie Lineke Spaans carried the ball in from near midfield and shot high into the cage to knot the game up once again. Bucknell responded in a hurry as Neilson scored her second of the game with under eight minutes to play, putting the Bison up 3-2.
It looked like Bucknell might be able to run out the rest of the clock as they maintained the lead until 19 seconds remained. Lafayette hit the crossbar with an initial shot on a penalty corner, but sophomore Alden Boccella knocked the ball out of the air and into the cage to force Bucknell's third straight Patriot League Tournament overtime game.
Just over two minutes into the extra period, Lafayette scored on the game-winning penalty corner while Bucknell was a player down, ending the contest.
Team Stats
McAndrew, Molly (3)
Dribbled in from right side, shot to lef
4:48
Lily Neilson (10)
Hard shot from the left circle
9:38
Stefanowicz, M.K. (5)
Assisted By: Kile, Mackenzie , Kisthardt, Kayla
Off penalty corner
32:54
Spaans, Lineke (3)
Long run in from midfield
48:25
Lily Neilson (11)
Assisted By: Kile, Mackenzie , Kaur, Noor
Penalty corner
52:56
Boccella, Alden (1)
Rebound off the cage
59:41
Sawers, Audrey (2)
Assisted By: Boccella, Alden
Penalty corner
62:19
