Field Hockey to Host White Out Game Versus Lehigh

Lehigh (9-5, 2-2 PL) vs. Bucknell (6-8, 1-3 PL)
When: Friday, October 20 – 7 p.m.
Where: Graham Field at Holmes Stadium – Lewisburg, Pa.
Streaming: ESPN+
Live Stats: bucknellbison.com

About Bucknell

Last weekend, the Bison hosted MAC powerhouse Miami (OH) and pulled out a 2-1 thriller. Lily Neilson recorded three points on a goal and as assist. Her tally tied the game at 1-1 and her beautiful pass to Rachel Apa set the game-winning goal. The Bison improved to 6-8 overall. Goalkeeper Sarah Althouse collected seven saves in the cage, including deflecting several opportunities in the final minute of play.
The contest will be on ESPN+. The live stats and streaming links are available in this preview and on the Bucknell field hockey schedule page. Live updates will be posted on the Bucknell Field Hockey Twitter page.
Bucknell finished 5-13 overall and 3-3 in Patriot League play in the 2022 season and earned a spot in the Patriot League Tournament for the 15th consecutive season. The Bison fell 2-1 to Boston University in the Patriot League semifinals.
The narrow loss to Boston University capped a notable trend in the 2022 season, where the Orange & Blue lost eight games by one goal margin, including a 2-1 heartbreaker to #9 Louisville. The pattern has continued with six 2-1 losses to American, Boston U., Lafayette, Ohio State, #12 Penn State, and Temple this season.
Head coach Kelsey Kolojejchick enters her second season in Lewisburg. With the victory over Ball State, Kolojejchick moved into eighth place in Bucknell history.
Bucknell was projected to finish third in the Patriot League preseason poll. American was slotted for first, and Colgate was picked to finish last.
Lily Neilson leads the Bison with eight goals and is in tied for first place in the conference. She also ranks tied for second in game-winning shots (3).
Neilson has 37 career goals, which places her third in Bucknell history.
Neilson has won two PL Offensive Player of the Week awards in 2023 (Sept. 4 & 25).
Super substitute Zoe Carlson-Pietraszek has sparked the offense with five goals. She ranks tied for eighth in the PL for the stat.
Kira Leclercq ranks third in the PL in defensive saves with four.
Althouse ranks second in saves (75) and saves per game (5.36).
Bucknell must defeat Lehigh and Colgate to remain in contention for a Patriot League tournament spot. The Bison play Colgate at home on Oct. 28 in the regular season finale.

Scouting Lehigh

Lehigh is 9-5 on the season and 2-2 in Patriot League play. The Mountain Hawks started the 2023 season with a 5-2 defeat to Ohio State. They then went on a five-game winning streak. Since that start, the Mountain Hawks have gone 4-4. In Patriot League play, Lehigh has defeated Boston and Colgate and has fallen to American and Holy Cross.
The Mountain Hawks went 13-8 overall last season and 5-2 in conference play. They defeated American in the Patriot League Semifinals before falling to Boston U., 2-1 (OT) in the Patriot League Championship Game.
Lehigh was projected to finish fifth in the seven-team Patriot League. Abbie Brown and Julia Gatelein were named to the Preseason All-League Team.
Gatelein and Lotte Smorenburg are tied in the lead for points (14) for the Bethlehem team.
11 players have scored goals for Lehigh.
Kelsi Lykens is in her first season as head coach of the Mountain Hawks. She arrived in Bethlehem after starting the New Haven field hockey program.

Series History with the Mountain Hawks

This is the 50th all-time clash between the Pennsylvania rivals. The series is deadlocked at 24-24-1.

Up Next

The Bison travel to Lock Haven on Oct. 24 for a matchup of the I-80 Romp.

Field Hockey to Host White Out Game Versus Lehigh

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sarah Althouse

Rachel Apa

Zoe Carlson-Pietraszek

Kira Leclercq

Lily Neilson

Field Hockey to Host White Out Game Versus Lehigh

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sarah Althouse

Rachel Apa

Zoe Carlson-Pietraszek

Kira Leclercq

Lily Neilson

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