Field Hockey Hosts Central Michigan, Temple for First Home Games

Bucknell (0-3, 0-0 PL) vs. Central Michigan (1-3, 0-0 MAC)
When: Friday, Sept. 9 at 4 p.m.
Where: Graham Field at Holmes Stadium – Lewisburg, Pa.
Streaming: ESPN+
Live Stats: BucknellBison.com

Bucknell (0-3, 0-0 PL) vs. Temple (3-1, 0-0 Big East)
When: Sunday, Sept. 11 at 11 a.m.
Where: Graham Field at Holmes Stadium – Lewisburg, Pa.
Streaming: ESPN+
Live Stats: BucknellBison.com

About Bucknell

Bucknell plays its 2022 home opener Friday when the Central Michigan Chippewas visit Graham Field for the first time ever. The Bison then host Temple, a regular on the team's schedule over recent years, on Sunday. Both contests will be broadcast on EPSN+.
Bucknell has opened its 2022 season with three straight losses, but the team has shown spurts of strong play against some of the better teams in the nation. The Bison played top 25-ranked Louisville tough and were tied at 1-1 going into the final 10 minutes. The Bison then fell to a strong James Madison team on the road, and most recently held a 2-0 lead over Kent State in the second half before giving up three unanswered goals in the third quarter on Sunday.
Perhaps most impressive for the Bison has been sophomore Lily Neilson, who is one of five Patriot League players with three goals while playing one less game than every other team. She's scored in each contest and leads the league in shots on goal per game (3.00). In just 21 games played in her young career, Neilson is averaging 0.857 goals per game. She's been an honorable mention for Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week two weeks in a row.
Scoring Bucknell's other goal against Kent State on Sunday was Mia Fields. A staple on the Bison defense, Fields started the 23^rd game of her career and scored her first career goal in the second quarter, adding to an assist she tallied in 2021.
Senior Kayla Kisthardt, having played one less game than the field, leads the Patriot League with three assists. She assisted on both Bucknell goals on Sunday.
Preseason All-Patriot League selection Mackenzie Kile is the other Bison with multiple assists. Rookie Gianna Puorro and junior Kari Melberger account for Bucknell's other points this season, posting one goal and one assist, respectively.
Bucknell goalkeeper Clara McCormick is second in the Patriot League with 6.67 saves per game, having faced 13.7 shots per game. She has a .645 save percentage and a 3.67 goals against average.
Bucknell has started the same 11 players in all three 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.
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.

Scouting Central Michigan

Central Michigan is 1-3 this season. The Chippewas won their season opener against Saint Louis before dropping the next three to American, Ohio and Michigan. Central Michigan was shut out 4-0 by the Eagles and 9-0 by the Wolverines.
The Chippewas were picked to finish eighth in the 2022 MAC Field Hockey Preseason Poll after finishing 4-13 (1-6 MAC) last season.
Senior Alice O'Hagan, a two-time All-MAC honoree, has scored two of the team's four goals on seven shot attempts.
Junior goalkeeper Katie Maxim has started three of four games and owns a 6.00 goals against average, having faced 16.8 shots per game. Freshman Maja Halasz started the most recent game at Michigan before being replaced after the first quarter.
Central Michigan is led by first-year head coach Jennifer Johnstone. She's made previous stops at Husson University, Frostburg State and Kenyon College. She has a career record of 55-69.

Series History with Central Michigan

Bucknell is 1-1 in the all-time series with Central Michigan. Bucknell won 2-1 in overtime at Michigan in 2011, and the Chippewas collected a 1-0 win at Lock Haven back in 2002.
Similar to this season, the Bison entered the 2011 matchup 0-3 before tallying their first win of the season against the Chippewas. It was reigning Patriot League Rookie of the Year Rachel Misko who scored the game winner 2:24 into the extra period.
The 2002 game was the season opener, and the Chippewas scored just one goal despite trailing 31-9 in shots while facing All-Patriot League goalkeeper Sonja Wettergreen. The Chippewas scored the game winner in the 58th minute.

Scouting Temple

Temple is off to a 3-1 start, including two wins over Patriot League teams. The Owls defeated Lafayette 1-0 in the season opener before collecting a 6-0 victory against Lehigh. They then fell 1-0 at Charlottesville and beat Longwood 2-0 this past weekend.
Temple was chosen fourth in the 2022 Big East Preseason Coaches Poll. It finished 4-3 in the conference in 2021 and 8-11 overall. Additionally, graduate student Nienke Oerlemans was named to the Preseason All-Conference list. She currently leads the team in points (5) on a goal and three assists.
The Owls have had seven different goal scorers through four games.
Senior Molly Frey has played every minute in the cage for the Owls. She's posted three shutouts with a 0.29 goals against average and a .923 save percentage on 29 shots faced.
Michelle Vittese is in her second season as head coach of the Owls, previously serving as assistant coach and associate head coach. She guided the team to its first winning season in conference play since 2015 last year.

Series History with Temple

Bucknell and Temple face off for a second straight season and for the ninth time since 2009. The Owls hold a 5-4 edge in the all-time series, but the Bison have claimed each of the last three. Five of the meetings have been decided by a single goal, including an overtime victory for Bucknell in 2015.
Bucknell won 2-1 at Temple on Sept. 5 last season, scoring both goals in the second quarter after falling behind 1-0 at the 5:14 mark in the first. It was Temple's first loss of the season following a 3-0 start.
Mackenzie Kile and Kari Melberger scored Bucknell's two goals in the 2021 meeting. Kile and Kayla Kisthardt also tallied assists. The Bison led 8-5 in shots, and Clara McCormick finished with a pair of saves.
This is Bucknell's first time hosting the Owls since 2014, and Temple is 2-1 when playing in Lewisburg.

Up Next
Bucknell opens Patriot League play with a trip to Holy Cross on Saturday, Sept. 17. The Bison then take on Providence the following day.

Field Hockey Hosts Central Michigan, Temple for First Home Games

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Mia Fields

Mackenzie Kile

Kayla Kisthardt

Clara McCormick

Kari Melberger

Lily Neilson

Gianna Puorro

Field Hockey Hosts Central Michigan, Temple for First Home Games

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Mia Fields

Mackenzie Kile

Kayla Kisthardt

Clara McCormick

Kari Melberger

Lily Neilson

Gianna Puorro

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