Field Hockey Faces #1 Seed American in PL Semifinals

#4 Bucknell (8-8, 3-3 PL) vs. #1 American (9-7, 6-0 PL)
When: Thursday, Nov. 2 at 11 a.m.
Where: Jacobs Recreational Complex – Washington, D.C.
Streaming: ESPN+
Live Stats: AUEagles.com

Ticket Information:

Tickets are on sale now for both Patriot League Tournament semifinal games and Saturday's Championship online at AUEagles.com/Tickets.
Tickets are priced at $8 for adults and $5 for youth and seniors.
Students of participating schools get in FREE.

About Bucknell

Last Saturday, the Bison held Senior Day and hosted rival Patriot League foe Colgate. Bucknell romped to a 5-0 win. Kira Leclercq scored first in the opening period. Lily Neilson added two goals in the second quarter. Seniors Rachel Apa and Mia Fields added a goal in the third stanza to seal the win. Goalkeeper Sarah Althouse collected her second consecutive clean sheet. The Bison improved to 8-8 overall and 3-3 in Patriot League play.
Recognizing the Bison's triumph, the Patriot League office presented Neilson with her fourth Offensive Player of the Week award. That amount tied the Patriot League record for most times in a season. It is Neilson's sixth career Offensive Player of the Week laurel.
The contest will be aired 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.
The Bucknell field hockey team is back in the Patriot League tournament for a 16th consecutive season. The Bison have made the tournament 26 times, a Patriot League record.
Bucknell will play as the No. 4 seed after finishing 3-3 in league play. The Bison will take on top-seeded American in the semifinal round Thursday morning. The 2023 tournament will be hosted by American in Washington, D.C. Lafayette is playing as the No. 2 seed, and Boston U. is seeded third.
The Bison went 0-3 against the tournament teams during the regular season, but all three games were one-goal affairs. Bucknell's game against Boston U. went to double overtime, and the Bison lost 2-1 to American in the shootout period.
The Patriot League announced major award winners and All-Patriot League teams on Tuesday, and the Bison were well-represented. Lily Neilson repeated as the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year for the second-straight season. Neilson dominated the circuit, leading the loop in goals (13) and finishing second in points (28). Neilson is 12th in the nation in goals per game. Kira Leclercq joined Neilson on the First Team. Leclercq ranks fourth in the circuit in defensive saves (4), which puts her eighth nationally. Leclercq also showcased her offensive skills, finishing 11th in the PL in goals (5). Gianna Puorro earned Second Team honors, providing two goals and six assists. The sophomore's assist total placed her seventh in the conference.
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. She is one win away from tying Cheryl Stockman at 14 for seventh place.
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 13 goals to lead the circuit. She also ranks second in game-winning shots (4).
Neilson has 42 career goals, which places her third in Bucknell history.
Neilson has won three PL Offensive Player of the Week awards in 2023 (Sept. 4 & 25 and Oct. 23 & 30).
Super substitute Zoe Carlson-Pietraszek has sparked the offense with five goals. She ranks tied for ninth in the PL for the stat.
Althouse ranks fourth in saves per game (5.00) and fifth in saves (80).

Scouting American

American is 9-7 overall and 6-0 in the PL. They have shown a trend of playing ranked opponents to the brink, losing to #5 Penn State 3-2, #9 Maryland 2-1, and #14 Liberty 1-0 by slim margins. American went undefeated in PL play, but four of the six wins were one-goal victories. Ironically, American beat the #2 and #3 seeds Lafayette and Boston U. by two goals.
The Eagles went 9-7 overall last season and 4-2 in PL play. Their season ended with a 2-1 loss to Lehigh in the PL semifinals.
American was projected to finish first in the seven-team Patriot League for the fourth consecutive year, fulfilling the prediction. They placed four players on the All-League Teams, including Charllene Boshoff, who won Defensive Player of the Year.
Charllene Boshoff leads the Eagles with seven goals, which ranks her seventh in the conference. American has scored 30 goals in 16 games.
Steve Jennings enters his 25th season as American's head coach. He has a career record of 113-27 (.807) in Patriot League play. Jennings won the 2023 Patriot League Coach of the Year award.

Series History with the Eagles

Bucknell trails the series, 9-30. American won this year's contest, 2-1. The previous five games have been one-score affairs.

Bucknell in the Patriot League Tournament

Bucknell has qualified for the Patriot League tournament 26 times, which leads all other programs. It is 9-24 all-time in tournament games.
The Bison have advanced to the championship game eight times, and they won their first league title during the spring 2020-21 season, defeating Boston U. in overtime in Boston.
Nine of Bucknell's 33 Patriot League tournament games have gone into extra time, including last year's loss to Lafayette.
Bucknell is 3-4 all-time in Patriot League tournament games against American.

Up Next

With a win on Thursday, Bucknell would advance to the Patriot League championship game and face either second-seeded Lafayette or third-seeded Boston U. on Saturday, Nov. 4.

Field Hockey Faces #1 Seed American in PL Semifinals

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sarah Althouse

Rachel Apa

Zoe Carlson-Pietraszek

Mia Fields

Kira Leclercq

Lily Neilson

Lily Neilson

Gianna Puorro

Field Hockey Faces #1 Seed American in PL Semifinals

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sarah Althouse

Rachel Apa

Zoe Carlson-Pietraszek

Mia Fields

Kira Leclercq

Lily Neilson

Lily Neilson

Gianna Puorro

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