Sept. 13, 2011
Patriot League Field Hockey Release - 9.13.11 
Center Valley, Pa. -- The week started with four Patriot League field hockey teams searching for their first victory, and each of those squads was able to come through as every team has the monkey off its back with a win this season.
Holy Cross registered the first win of the week on Wednesday, as freshman Mackenzie Peet scored in overtime to lift the Crusaders past Siena 1-0. It was the first-ever win for Head Coach Zowie Tucker and gave Holy Cross its first victory since 2009.
Lafayette was the next to register a victory, as the Leopards got past Temple 4-2 on Friday behind two goals from Deanna DiCroce.
Bucknell went west to garner its first win of the year, with Rachel Misko scoring in overtime to lead the Bison past Central Michigan 2-1 on Saturday.
Lehigh wrapped up the week with yet another overtime victory, as Abby Tilton scored her second goal of the game in the extra session to lead the Mountain Hawks past La Salle 4-3 on Sunday. It was the first win at Lehigh for first-year Head Coach Stacey Blue.
Overtime was not always kind last week, with No. 8 American falling to Ohio, Colgate dropping a game to Robert Morris and Holy Cross losing to Sacred Heart in extra time. Patriot League teams have already combined for nine overtime games this year, going 3-6 in those contests.
Another busy week lies ahead, particularly for Colgate, Lehigh and Lafayette with three matches upcoming by the end of the weekend. Bucknell, American and Holy Cross play just once this week. The Eagles came in at No. 17 in Tuesday's Kookaburra/NFHCA Division I Coaches Poll.
Patriot League Field Hockey Weekly Awards
Offensive Player of the Week
ABBY TILTON, LEHIGH Sr., F, Franklin, N.J.
Lehigh picked up its first win of the year on Sunday, and Tilton was the main reason why as the senior tallied two goals including the game-winner in overtime as the Mountain Hawks beat La Salle 4-3. Tilton also had an assist in the game for a career-high five points as Lehigh beat La Salle for the first time since 2007. Tilton recorded an assist in Lehigh's 4-1 loss to Monmouth on Friday to finish with two goals and two assists in a pair of games last week. Tilton earns Lehigh's first Offensive Player of the Week award since 2009, and the first in her career.
Defensive Player of the Week
AMIE PRITCHARD, BUCKNELL Fr., M, Rumson, N.J.
With the score even at 1-1 late in regulation, Pritchard came through with a defensive save and Bucknell went on to beat Central Michigan 2-1 in overtime for its first victory of the season on Saturday. It was the first career defensive save for the freshman, who also started in the midfield and helped the Bison limit Central Michigan to only four shots on goal. Pritchard earns her first honor from the Patriot League, and becomes the first Bison to claim the Defensive Player of the Week award since 2009.
Goalkeeper of the Week
SIERRA SEGEAR, LEHIGH So., GK, Wilkes Barre, Pa.
Segear had a busy weekend for the Mountain Hawks with 30 saves in two contests as Lehigh lost to Monmouth 4-1 on Friday and beat La Salle 4-3 in overtime on Sunday. After stopping 16 of 20 shots in the loss to the Hawks, Segear stepped up to push Lehigh to its first win of the season by making 14 saves on 17 shots in the overtime win versus the Explorers. She made 11 stops in the second half alone to help force overtime. The 30 saves on 37 shots gave Segear an .811 save percentage for the week in her first collegiate action. She becomes Lehigh's first Goalkeeper of the Week since 2008.
Rookie of the Week
MACKENZIE PEET, HOLY CROSS Fr., M, Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Peet netted a goal in all three of the Crusaders' games last week, including the game-winner in overtime as Holy Cross beat Siena 1-0 on Wednesday for its first win since 2009. She also tallied a goal in a 4-2 loss to Georgetown on Saturday and 5-4 overtime defeat versus Sacred Heart on Sunday. Peet led the team with 11 shots in the three contests, and her three goals and six points for the season also pace the Crusaders. Peet becomes the first Holy Cross freshman to win the Rookie of the Week honors since 2007, and first Crusader to take any Patriot League weekly award since 2009.
Honorable Mention
RACHEL MISKO, BUCKNELL So., F, Morristown, N.J.
Misko scored the game-winner as Bucknell beat Central Michigan 2-1 in overtime Saturday for its first victory of the year.
KAT MATCHETT, HOLY CROSS Fr., GK, Maple Glen, Pa.
Matchett made 17 saves in Holy Cross' contests against Georgetown and Sacred Heart over the weekend.
Patriot League Notebook
Week In Review: Bucknell, Lafayette, Lehigh, Holy Cross Earn First Wins
Four Patriot League teams earned their first victory of the season last week, and three did it in very exciting fashion. Mackenzie Peet's game-winner lifted Holy Cross past Siena 1-0 in overtime on Wednesday, giving the Crusaders their first victory since 2009. Bucknell went to the extra session for its first win of the year on Saturday, with Rachel Misko tallying the game-winner for a 4-3 triumph over Central Michigan. On Sunday it was Lehigh's turn, as Abby Tilton finished a two-goal game with the winning tally in a 4-3 overtime triumph against La Salle. Lafayette was the lone winner that did not need the extra time, with Deanna DiCroce scoring twice in a 4-2 victory against Temple on Friday. Overtime was not good news for every team, with American (2-1 to Ohio), Colgate (3-2 to Robert Morris) and Holy Cross (5-4 to Sacred Heart) all falling in the extra session. Patriot League teams posted a 4-7 record overall last week, which included Lafayette facing No. 1 North Carolina and Bucknell going to No. 14 Michigan.
Holy Cross' Tucker, Lehigh's Blue Get in the Win Column
Holy Cross Head Coach Zowie Tucker earned her first-career win with Wednesday's thrilling 1-0 overtime victory over Siena. The second-year head coach had gone through 20 defeats before the initial victory. Lehigh Head Coach Stacey Blue claimed her first win at the helm of the Mountain Hawks in the overtime victory against La Salle. Blue went 14-8 as the head coach at American International last season.
Lafayette, Lehigh, Colgate with Busy Week Ahead
Lafayette, Lehigh and Colgate will all get plenty of preparation for Patriot League play with three games coming up this week. Each squad plays on the road Wednesday, with Lehigh facing Quinnipiac, Colgate at Siena and Lafayette taking on Penn. Colgate then hosts Lock Haven and St. Francis (Pa.) on Friday and Saturday, Lafayette goes to Drexel Friday and welcomes Vermont on Sunday and Lehigh hosts Fairfield Saturday and visits St. Joseph's Sunday. On Friday Holy Cross visits No. 10 New Hampshire, while on Sunday Bucknell heads to Lock Haven and No. 17 American hosts Louisville. Patriot League play is still two weeks away with the League openers set for Oct. 1.
We Go to OOOOVVERRRTIME!
Patriot League teams have played 24 games in the month of September, and amazingly more than a third of those contests have gone to overtime. The six League squads have combined for nine overtime contests in the past two weeks, with each team going to the extra session at least once. Bucknell, Lehigh and Holy Cross each earned their first victory of the year in overtime last week, though overall Patriot League squads have missed some chances for wins with a 3-6 record in overtime contests. Holy Cross (1-1), Lehigh (1-1) and Colgate (0-2) have all played multiple overtime games already this season.
Youth is Served
A trio of players have scored three goals this season, and none of them are upperclassmen. Colgate sophomore Olivia Nabhan and American sophomore Alex McMackin share the Patriot League lead in points with three goals and an assist on the season, while Holy Cross freshman Mackenzie Peet burst on the scene last week with goals in all three of the Crusaders' games. The goalie position has plenty of youth as well, with Colgate freshman Amanda DiDomizio, Lehigh sophomore Sierra Segear, Holy Cross freshman Kat Matchett and American sophomore Stephanie Burry leading the way in key statistical categories.
American Tops Patriot League Preseason Poll
With an unparalleled run of success over the last decade, it came as no surprise that the American Eagles were picked to once again claim the Patriot League field hockey title in a vote by the sport's coaches and sports information directors.
The voters were not allowed to select their own teams, so American's totals of 50 points and 10 first-place votes amounted to a unanimous first-place selection from its peers. Lafayette (40), Bucknell (36), Colgate (22), Lehigh (18) and Holy Cross (14) rounded out the rankings, with the Leopards garnering the remaining two first-place votes.
2011 Patriot League Championship
The 2011 Patriot League Field Hockey Championship will be held at the site of the top seed on Friday, Nov. 4 and Saturday, Nov. 5. The top four teams in the final regular-season standings make the tournament, with the semifinals on Friday and championship on Saturday. The winner of the Patriot League Championship advances to an NCAA Play-In game on Nov. 8.
