Field Hockey Opens PL Play at Holy Cross Saturday, Visits Providence Sunday

Bucknell (1-4, 0-0 PL) at Holy Cross (1-5, 0-0 PL)
When: Saturday, Sept. 17 at 11 a.m.
Where: Hart Turf Field and Hart Track – Worcester, Mass.
Live Stats: GoHolyCross.com

Bucknell (1-4, 0-0 PL) at Providence (1-5, 0-0 Big East)
When: Sunday, Sept. 18 at 1 p.m.
Where: Lennon Family Field – Providence, R.I.
Streaming: FloSports
Live Stats: Friars.com

About Bucknell

Bucknell opens Patriot League play at Holy Cross on Saturday before visiting Providence for another non-league game Sunday. The Bison, the Crusaders and the Friars are all seeking their second wins of the season.
This is Bucknell's 33rd year of Patriot League competition, and the Bison are 88-84 all-time in league play. Bucknell has gone 15-9 in Patriot League play over the last four seasons and went 6-0 during the 2014 campaign. Bucknell collected its first-ever Patriot League tournament title during the spring 2021 season.
The Bison enter league play with a 1-4 overall record after facing some tough non-conference teams early this season. The league as a whole has challenged national powers over the first few weeks, and only American possesses a .500 record at 3-3.
Bucknell was picked third in the 2022 Patriot League Field Hockey Preseason Poll. American finished first in the poll and was followed by Lafayette, which is how the standings ended up last fall.
Most recently, the Bison defeated Central Michigan 4-1 on Friday before falling 5-2 to a red-hot Temple team that is 5-1 on the season. Two of Bucknell's losses were to teams currently ranked in the NFHCA top 25 (No. 4 Louisville, No. 25 James Madison).
Bucknell currently leads the Patriot League in goals (2.2 pg) and assists (2.4 pg) while ranking second in shots on goal (7.0 pg). The Bison, however, have given up a league-high 3.4 goals per game.
Sophomore Lily Neilson was named the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after adding four goals to her season total over the weekend. Neilson has now scored in every game this season and leads the league with seven total. She ranks second in NCAA Division I with 1.4 goals per game and is three away from hitting 25 in her career and entering Bucknell's all-time top 10 list.
Bucknell also has the top two assists leaders in the Patriot League in Mackenzie Kile (5 assists) and Kayla Kisthardt (4 assists).
Other than Neilson, no other Bison has multiple goals this season. Rachel Apa, Mia Fields, Kira Leclercq and Gianna Puorro have all found the back of the cage once.
Senior Clara McCormick has started 30 consecutive games at goalkeeper for the Bison, but sophomore Nora Frederick saw action in the Temple game and made the first save of her career while allowing one goal in just over 25 minutes of playing time.
Bucknell has started the same 11 players in all five games. The group includes one freshman and three sophomores.
Bucknell is under the direction of first-year head coach Kelsey Kolojejchick. Kolojejchick, a former four-time All-American out of the University of North Carolina and a Junior Pan American Games gold medalist, arrived at Bucknell after spending the past four years as an assistant at Harvard.

Scouting Holy Cross

The Crusaders are 1-5 this season and have lost four in a row since picking up a 3-2 victory at California-Davis on Aug. 27. All six of Holy Cross' games have been decided by a single goal. Holy Cross is second in the Patriot League with 2.0 goals allowed per game. Only Vermont and Bryant have scored more than two goals against the Crusaders.
Holy Cross was picked tied for sixth with Colgate in the Patriot League preseason poll after finishing 6-10 overall and 1-5 in league play in 2021.
Senior midfielder Sinead Walsh was named to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team and is tied for the team lead in points with one goal and three assists.
Holy Cross goalkeeper Brooke Ross has started all six games and ranks second in the league in goals against average (1.836), save percentage (.760) and saves per game (6.33).
Holy Cross is led by head coach Lindsay Jackson, who in her eighth season with the program has a 42-76 overall record.

Series History with the Crusaders

Bucknell is 16-20 all-time against the Crusaders, dating back to 1985. The matchups have gone in the Bison's favor of late as they've won 11 of the last 12. Holy Cross' only win since 2008 was 1-0 shootout decision in 2016.
Bucknell defeated the Crusaders 7-2 last season and held a 5-1 lead by halftime. During that game, Lily Neilson tied the school record with five goals scored. Neilson scored one goal in the first quarter, three in the second quarter and one in the third.
Gugulethu Sibanda and Rachel Apa also tallied goals in the 2021 meeting, while Kayla Kisthardt, Mackenzie Kile and Maddie Rehak registered assists.
Bucknell has scored five or more goals on the Crusaders four times over the last 10 meetings. The Bison are 5-12 in games played at Holy Cross.

Scouting Providence

Providence is 1-5, earning its only win over Darmouth on Sept. 5. The Friars have played a strong schedule that includes losses to No. 14 Boston College, No. 6 Iowa and No. 22 Massachusetts. The Friars also opened the season with a 2-1 loss to fellow Patriot League team Boston U.
Providence was picked fifth in the Big East preseason poll after going 8-10 overall last year and 2-5 in conference play.
Senior Sophia Pompeo leads the Friars with five points on two goals and an assist this season. The Providence roster features 14 upperclassmen, including two graduate students, five seniors and seven juniors. The Friars returned eight starters from the 2021 campaign.
Providence goalkeeper Asia Porter has played every minute this season and sports a 2.85 goals against average and a 0.691 save percentage. The junior started 16 games last season and six as a freshman.
Providence head coach Diane Madl is in her 21st season with the team and is 185-199 throughout her career.

Series History with the Friars

Sunday will be the first-ever meeting between Bucknell and Providence.
The Bison are 25-24 all-time against current members of the Big East, including a loss to Temple this fall.

Up Next
The Bison return to Graham Field for games against Lafayette and Drexel on Friday, Sept. 23 and Sunday, Sept. 25.

Field Hockey Opens PL Play at Holy Cross Saturday, Visits Providence Sunday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Rachel Apa

Mia Fields

Nora Frederick

Mackenzie Kile

Kayla Kisthardt

Kira Leclercq

Clara McCormick

Lily Neilson

Gianna Puorro

Maddie Rehak

Gugulethu Sibanda

Field Hockey Opens PL Play at Holy Cross Saturday, Visits Providence Sunday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Rachel Apa

Mia Fields

Nora Frederick

Mackenzie Kile

Kayla Kisthardt

Kira Leclercq

Clara McCormick

Lily Neilson

Gianna Puorro

Maddie Rehak

Gugulethu Sibanda

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