Friday, September 19
Lewisburg, Pa.
4 p.m.
Bucknell University
(3-4, 1-0)
5
vs
0
Colgate
(2-4, 0-1)
1
2
3
4
F
Colgate
0
0
0
0
0
Bucknell
2
0
2
1
5
Photo by: Breanna Ruppel
Bucknell Field Hockey Cruises to 5-0 Win over Colgate in Patriot League Opener
9/19/2025 6:58:00 PM | Field Hockey
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Kira Leclercq fired home two penalty corners in the first 3:19 of the game, sending the Bucknell field hockey team on its way to a convincing 5-0 win over Colgate in the Patriot League openers for both sides on a steamy Friday afternoon at Graham Field at Holmes Stadium.
Now 3-4 overall, the Bison started conference play in dominant fashion, outshooting Colgate (2-4) 21-6 and building a 10-3 edge in penalty corners. Bucknell has now won 19 of the last 20 meetings with the Raiders.
Nicky Punt, who jumped into the top 10 on Bucknell's career assist chart earlier this season, put three more on her account in this one. She delivered the insertions on both of Leclercq's goals, and early in the fourth quarter she weaved through traffic in the circle and put a shot through the goalkeeper that was swept across the line by fellow senior co-captain Alexandra Shizas.
Shizas and freshman Gracie Kothari both recorded their first collegiate goals, and Reese Czajkowski tallied her third of the season.
Leclercq, the reigning Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, now has a team-high five goals on the season and 19 in her career, most of them coming on her signature penalty corner strikes. She also centered a stout back line, which kept the ball out of harm's way for most of the day. Sara Althouse was called upon for four saves before giving way to Abby Zanelli in the fourth quarter, and the duo recorded the combined shutout.
The ball was in the Colgate end for nearly all of the opening period, when the Bison outshot the Raiders 6-0 and cashed in on Leclercq's pair of goals just 1:33 apart. Colgate's best spell came early in the second quarter, when it earned a couple of penalty corners and tested Althouse for the first time.
Bucknell found two big insurance goals in the third quarter. Just 2:17 after the intermission, Kothari made a neat play to lift the ball over the sticks of two defenders to enter the circle, and then she waltzed past two more before slipping a shot past Claire Van Kempen.
It was still 3-0 when Colgate defender Anna Lochhead made a great defensive save, leaping high in the air to swat away Bella Notaro's attempt after it appeared she had Van Kempen beaten. The Bison did find a fourth with just 33 seconds left in the period when Czajkowski intercepted a pass coming out of the back, broke in alone on goal, and chipped a reverse-stick shot past the charging goalie.
Shizas's goal 5:34 into the fourth quarter capped the scoring. Kennedy Glinn relieved Van Kempen in the Colgate cage in the fourth quarter, and both finished with three saves.
The Bison will now have a week off before a big showdown with defending Patriot League champion Lafayette in Easton next Friday. Two days later, Bucknell hosts Michigan State in a non-conference matchup at Graham Field.
Now 3-4 overall, the Bison started conference play in dominant fashion, outshooting Colgate (2-4) 21-6 and building a 10-3 edge in penalty corners. Bucknell has now won 19 of the last 20 meetings with the Raiders.
Nicky Punt, who jumped into the top 10 on Bucknell's career assist chart earlier this season, put three more on her account in this one. She delivered the insertions on both of Leclercq's goals, and early in the fourth quarter she weaved through traffic in the circle and put a shot through the goalkeeper that was swept across the line by fellow senior co-captain Alexandra Shizas.
Shizas and freshman Gracie Kothari both recorded their first collegiate goals, and Reese Czajkowski tallied her third of the season.
Leclercq, the reigning Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, now has a team-high five goals on the season and 19 in her career, most of them coming on her signature penalty corner strikes. She also centered a stout back line, which kept the ball out of harm's way for most of the day. Sara Althouse was called upon for four saves before giving way to Abby Zanelli in the fourth quarter, and the duo recorded the combined shutout.
Leclercq strikes!
— Bucknell FieldHockey (@Bucknell_FH) September 19, 2025
1-0 Bison!
📺: @ESPNPlus
Watch: https://t.co/OxNLu0MSBj#rayBucknell pic.twitter.com/rfjYkBGSC3
The ball was in the Colgate end for nearly all of the opening period, when the Bison outshot the Raiders 6-0 and cashed in on Leclercq's pair of goals just 1:33 apart. Colgate's best spell came early in the second quarter, when it earned a couple of penalty corners and tested Althouse for the first time.
Bucknell found two big insurance goals in the third quarter. Just 2:17 after the intermission, Kothari made a neat play to lift the ball over the sticks of two defenders to enter the circle, and then she waltzed past two more before slipping a shot past Claire Van Kempen.
Say goal, Gracie!
— Bucknell FieldHockey (@Bucknell_FH) September 19, 2025
Kothari scores her first career goal!
3-0 Bucknell!
📺: @ESPNPlus @PatriotLeague
Watch: https://t.co/cb2OjBP9pT#rayBucknell pic.twitter.com/sA2fVZcvDa
It was still 3-0 when Colgate defender Anna Lochhead made a great defensive save, leaping high in the air to swat away Bella Notaro's attempt after it appeared she had Van Kempen beaten. The Bison did find a fourth with just 33 seconds left in the period when Czajkowski intercepted a pass coming out of the back, broke in alone on goal, and chipped a reverse-stick shot past the charging goalie.
Shizas's goal 5:34 into the fourth quarter capped the scoring. Kennedy Glinn relieved Van Kempen in the Colgate cage in the fourth quarter, and both finished with three saves.
The Bison will now have a week off before a big showdown with defending Patriot League champion Lafayette in Easton next Friday. Two days later, Bucknell hosts Michigan State in a non-conference matchup at Graham Field.
Team Stats
COLGATE
BUCKNELL
Goals
0
5
Shots
6
21
Shots on Goal
4
12
Saves
6
4
Corners
3
10
Offsides
0
0
Fouls
0
0
Scoring Plays
Kira Leclercq
Assisted By: Bella Notaro , Nicky Punt
GOAL by Bucknell Kira Leclercq (FIRST GOAL), Assist by Bella Notaro and Nicky Punt
1:46
Kira Leclercq
Assisted By: Bella Notaro , Nicky Punt
GOAL by Bucknell Kira Leclercq, Assist by Bella Notaro and Nicky Punt
3:19
Gracie Kothari
GOAL by Bucknell Gracie Kothari
32:17
Reese Czajkowski
GOAL by Bucknell Reese Czajkowski
44:27
Alexandra Shizas
Assisted By: Nicky Punt
GOAL by Bucknell Alexandra Shizas, Assist by Nicky Punt
49:34
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
6
SOG
4
Goals
2
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
3
Shots
4
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Field HockeyD/M
/ Field Hockey
D
/ Field Hockey
M/F
/ Field Hockey
M
/ Field Hockey
D
/ Field Hockey
GK
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