Thursday, April 22
Boston, Mass.
5:30 p.m.
Bucknell University
vs
American (PL Semifinals)
Photo by: Marc Hagemeier
Bucknell Field Hockey to Face American in Patriot League Semifinal on Thursday
4/20/2021 4:00:00 PM | Field Hockey
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell field hockey team will play in the Patriot League Championship tournament for a 13th consecutive season when it takes on the American Eagles in Boston, Mass. on Thursday. The Bison are seeded third after winning their last three games of the spring season to finish with a .500 record. The meeting with second-seeded American (4-1) will be the third of the season after Bucknell split two games with the Eagles back in March.
With a win on Thursday, the Bison would advance to the Patriot League Championship game on Saturday for an eighth time in program history and for the first time since 2017. Bucknell would face the winner of top-seeded Boston U. (4-0) and fourth-seeded Holy Cross (2-3).
Setting the Scene: Patriot League Semifinal Round
Who: No. 3 Bucknell (3-3) vs. No. 2 American (4-1)
When: Thursday, April 22 at 5:30 p.m.
Where: Boston, Mass. – New Balance Field
Streaming: ESPN+
Live Stats: GoTerriers.com
Spectator Policy: GoTerriers.com
Game Notes
About the Bison
• Bucknell returns to the Patriot League Tournament for a 13th consecutive season. The Bison are seeded third for a fourth season in a row after compiling a 3-3 record. Thursday's semifinal game will be the Bison's first time competing in almost two weeks after receiving a bye in the final weekend of the regular season.
• After Bucknell struggled to an 0-3 start, the team rebounded and won its final three contests to make the Patriot League Tournament. The Bison were narrowly edged in the season opener against Colgate, then fell 4-0 in two consecutive games. Bucknell managed to turn things around and win three straight games by one-goal margins down the stretch. Bucknell was outscored 10-1 over the first three games before outscoring its opponents 6-3 over the last three.
• Bucknell had four players - Kaelyn Long (First Team), Erin Zielinski (First Team), Sarah Dimock (Second Team) and Leah Fogelsanger (Second Team) - make All-Patriot League teams this season. Long, Dimock and Fogelsanger make their second appearances on the postseason awards list, while Zielinski earns her spot for the first time. The Bison have had four or more players make an All-League team every year since 2016. Bucknell also tied with Boston U. for the most players honored this season.
• Rookie Rachel Apa leads Bucknell with five points, four of which came during the regular season finale when she scored twice to defeat Lafayette. Apa was one of only three PL players with a multi-goal game this season. She was also the only Bison with more than one goal.
• Long was second in points with four, finishing with a goal and two assists while supplying a team-high 12 shots in five games.
• Mackenzie Kile was third with three points with a goal and an assist. Olivia Bush, Fogelsanger and Kari Melberger also registered goals, and three others finished with assists.
• Zielinski played every minute this season, including all 79 of Bucknell's double-overtime game against American, bringing her season average to 63.2 minutes per game.
• The Bison rookies accounted for 10 of Bucknell's 21 points this spring. They provided four of Bucknell's seven goals and two of the team's seven assists. Three of Bucknell's seven rookies started three or more games.
• Bucknell rotated goalkeepers early, splitting time in the season opener and alternating over the first three games before McCormick took over full time in the fourth game of the season. McCormick, a native of Pittsburgh, Pa., has four career starts, including the first game of the season and the last three. McCormick earned two Goalkeeper of the Week nods and sports 25 saves on the season with an .806 saves percentage. She posted a career-best 11 saves in Bucknell's March 28 win over American and earned a 1-0 shutout at Colgate.
Bison in the Patriot League Tournament
• Bucknell has qualified for the tournament 13 years in a row since head coach Jeremy Cook's arrival in 2008.
• Bucknell has 22 total appearances in the tournament and is 7-22 all-time.
• Bucknell has advanced to the championship game seven times, most recently in 2017, but has never won the title.
• Bucknell has faced American six times in the tournament and is 2-4 in those meetings. Most recently, the Bison fell 1-0 to the Eagles in the 2018 semifinals. Bucknell defeated the Eagles 2-1 in a shootout during the 2017 semifinal game.
• Bucknell earned the No. 3 seed last season and fell 1-0 to No. 2 Lafayette in Washington, D.C.
Head Coach Jeremy Cook
• Jeremy Cook is in his 13th season at Bucknell and owns a 117-115 career record, including a 45-28 record in Patriot League play. Cook is 12 wins shy of becoming the program's all-time winningest head coach.
• Cook and the Bison put together a 6-0 league record in 2014 and finished 13-6 overall with a loss to Boston U. in the title game.
• The Bison have reached the Patriot League title game four times under Cook (2008, 2011, 2014, 2017).
• Cook was named the Patriot League Coach of the Year in 2014.
About the Eagles
• Second-seeded American went 4-1 in the regular season, suffering its only loss to Bucknell. Three of American's games went into a second overtime, and the Eagles ended the season on a three-game winning streak.
• The Eagles took three of the Patriot League postseason major awards. Noor Coenen earned Offensive Player of the Year, Georgia Davies took home Defensive Player of the Year, and goalkeeper Bryn Underwood was named the Rookie of the Year. Coenen earned Offensive Player of the Year for a second consecutive season.
• The Eagles finished second in the Patriot League in scoring margin (+1.20), tied for first in shutouts (2), first in shots per game (15.6), and second in goals per game (2.4).
• American won the Patriot League Championship in 2019.
Series History with the Eagles
• Bucknell is 8-27 all-time against American, including a 1-1 record this season. The series began back in 1990, and the two teams split their first four meetings.
• The Bison are 4-13 against the Eagles since 2008.
• Earlier this season, American defeated Bucknell 4-0 in Washington, D.C. back on March 14. The Bison then defeated the Eagles 2-1 by scoring the game-winner in the final minute of a second overtime in Lewisburg back on March 28. Olivia Bush and Leah Fogelsanger both scored in the game, and Clara McCormick made 11 saves in goal.
Next Up
With a win on Thursday, Bucknell will have a chance to capture its first-ever Patriot League Championship title on Saturday, April 24. Bucknell would play the winner of first-seeded Boston U. and fourth-seeded Holy Cross in Boston, Mass. at 1 p.m.
With a win on Thursday, the Bison would advance to the Patriot League Championship game on Saturday for an eighth time in program history and for the first time since 2017. Bucknell would face the winner of top-seeded Boston U. (4-0) and fourth-seeded Holy Cross (2-3).
Setting the Scene: Patriot League Semifinal Round
Who: No. 3 Bucknell (3-3) vs. No. 2 American (4-1)
When: Thursday, April 22 at 5:30 p.m.
Where: Boston, Mass. – New Balance Field
Streaming: ESPN+
Live Stats: GoTerriers.com
Spectator Policy: GoTerriers.com
Game Notes
About the Bison
• Bucknell returns to the Patriot League Tournament for a 13th consecutive season. The Bison are seeded third for a fourth season in a row after compiling a 3-3 record. Thursday's semifinal game will be the Bison's first time competing in almost two weeks after receiving a bye in the final weekend of the regular season.
• After Bucknell struggled to an 0-3 start, the team rebounded and won its final three contests to make the Patriot League Tournament. The Bison were narrowly edged in the season opener against Colgate, then fell 4-0 in two consecutive games. Bucknell managed to turn things around and win three straight games by one-goal margins down the stretch. Bucknell was outscored 10-1 over the first three games before outscoring its opponents 6-3 over the last three.
• Bucknell had four players - Kaelyn Long (First Team), Erin Zielinski (First Team), Sarah Dimock (Second Team) and Leah Fogelsanger (Second Team) - make All-Patriot League teams this season. Long, Dimock and Fogelsanger make their second appearances on the postseason awards list, while Zielinski earns her spot for the first time. The Bison have had four or more players make an All-League team every year since 2016. Bucknell also tied with Boston U. for the most players honored this season.
• Rookie Rachel Apa leads Bucknell with five points, four of which came during the regular season finale when she scored twice to defeat Lafayette. Apa was one of only three PL players with a multi-goal game this season. She was also the only Bison with more than one goal.
• Long was second in points with four, finishing with a goal and two assists while supplying a team-high 12 shots in five games.
• Mackenzie Kile was third with three points with a goal and an assist. Olivia Bush, Fogelsanger and Kari Melberger also registered goals, and three others finished with assists.
• Zielinski played every minute this season, including all 79 of Bucknell's double-overtime game against American, bringing her season average to 63.2 minutes per game.
• The Bison rookies accounted for 10 of Bucknell's 21 points this spring. They provided four of Bucknell's seven goals and two of the team's seven assists. Three of Bucknell's seven rookies started three or more games.
• Bucknell rotated goalkeepers early, splitting time in the season opener and alternating over the first three games before McCormick took over full time in the fourth game of the season. McCormick, a native of Pittsburgh, Pa., has four career starts, including the first game of the season and the last three. McCormick earned two Goalkeeper of the Week nods and sports 25 saves on the season with an .806 saves percentage. She posted a career-best 11 saves in Bucknell's March 28 win over American and earned a 1-0 shutout at Colgate.
Bison in the Patriot League Tournament
• Bucknell has qualified for the tournament 13 years in a row since head coach Jeremy Cook's arrival in 2008.
• Bucknell has 22 total appearances in the tournament and is 7-22 all-time.
• Bucknell has advanced to the championship game seven times, most recently in 2017, but has never won the title.
• Bucknell has faced American six times in the tournament and is 2-4 in those meetings. Most recently, the Bison fell 1-0 to the Eagles in the 2018 semifinals. Bucknell defeated the Eagles 2-1 in a shootout during the 2017 semifinal game.
• Bucknell earned the No. 3 seed last season and fell 1-0 to No. 2 Lafayette in Washington, D.C.
Head Coach Jeremy Cook
• Jeremy Cook is in his 13th season at Bucknell and owns a 117-115 career record, including a 45-28 record in Patriot League play. Cook is 12 wins shy of becoming the program's all-time winningest head coach.
• Cook and the Bison put together a 6-0 league record in 2014 and finished 13-6 overall with a loss to Boston U. in the title game.
• The Bison have reached the Patriot League title game four times under Cook (2008, 2011, 2014, 2017).
• Cook was named the Patriot League Coach of the Year in 2014.
About the Eagles
• Second-seeded American went 4-1 in the regular season, suffering its only loss to Bucknell. Three of American's games went into a second overtime, and the Eagles ended the season on a three-game winning streak.
• The Eagles took three of the Patriot League postseason major awards. Noor Coenen earned Offensive Player of the Year, Georgia Davies took home Defensive Player of the Year, and goalkeeper Bryn Underwood was named the Rookie of the Year. Coenen earned Offensive Player of the Year for a second consecutive season.
• The Eagles finished second in the Patriot League in scoring margin (+1.20), tied for first in shutouts (2), first in shots per game (15.6), and second in goals per game (2.4).
• American won the Patriot League Championship in 2019.
Series History with the Eagles
• Bucknell is 8-27 all-time against American, including a 1-1 record this season. The series began back in 1990, and the two teams split their first four meetings.
• The Bison are 4-13 against the Eagles since 2008.
• Earlier this season, American defeated Bucknell 4-0 in Washington, D.C. back on March 14. The Bison then defeated the Eagles 2-1 by scoring the game-winner in the final minute of a second overtime in Lewisburg back on March 28. Olivia Bush and Leah Fogelsanger both scored in the game, and Clara McCormick made 11 saves in goal.
Next Up
With a win on Thursday, Bucknell will have a chance to capture its first-ever Patriot League Championship title on Saturday, April 24. Bucknell would play the winner of first-seeded Boston U. and fourth-seeded Holy Cross in Boston, Mass. at 1 p.m.
Players Mentioned
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