Oct. 9, 2012

Patriot League Field Hockey Release - 10.9.12

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. -- Bucknell and Lafayette have met in the Patriot League Tournament in each of the last four seasons, and on Saturday the rivalry continues with perhaps the biggest regular-season matchup in that time as the Bison visit the No. 14 Leopards.

With Lafayette winning 4-1 at American in the League opener on Sept. 29, the chance to become the first team other than the Eagles to host the League Tournament since 2004 could be at stake when the pair of 2-0 squads match up. Lafayette, which is riding an eight-game winning streak and is one of five teams in Division I with one loss or less, has won the last five meetings with the Bison, with three of those coming in the postseason.

While the Bison and Leopards are in good position for Patriot League Tournament berths after 2-0 starts, the other four teams have more work to do to strengthen their position. Two teams at 1-1 in the Patriot League match up when Holy Cross visits American, while a pair of 0-2 squads badly needing victories face off in Hamilton as Lehigh visits Colgate.

Every team except Bucknell will also play a non-League game during the week. Holy Cross plays on Tuesday at home against Bryant, while Sunday's schedule includes Lafayette at home against Rutgers, American welcoming Towson, Colgate hosting Davidson and Lehigh visiting No. 23 Albany.

Patriot League Notebook

THE TOP FIVE @PATRIOTLEAGUE NOTES
*American, Lafayette and Bucknell all won their League games in impressive fashion on Saturday.
*The No. 14 Leopards have won eight games overall, and are one of ony five teams in the country with one loss or less.
*Bucknell has not allowed a goal in its two Patriot League games.
*Lafayette's Deanna DiCroce entered the top 10 in Patriot League history in goals last week, and also holds top 10 spots in career points and assists.
*American's nine-goal outing against Lehigh on Saturday was the top mark for a Patriot League team this season.

American, Lafayette, Bucknell Cruise to Patriot League Wins
It was the top three teams in the Patriot League preseason poll against the bottom three squads on Saturday, and the result was a trio of decisive outcomes. American earned its first Patriot League win by handling Lehigh 9-2, the most goals for a Patriot League team this season. Lafayette trailed Colgate 1-0 at halftime, but poured it on in the second half for a 6-1 win. Bucknell pitched its second straight shutout in League action, pulling away in the second half for a 4-0 win at Holy Cross. The Bison and Leopards also won non-League matchups with Ivy League opponents, with Lafayette taking down Penn 5-2 on Wednesday and Bucknell winning at Harvard 3-1 on Sunday.

DiCroce Continues to Lead the Way
Lafayette senior Deanna DiCroce totaled three goals and an assist in a pair of victories for the Leopards last week, increasing her impressive season and career numbers. DiCroce leads the Patriot League with eight goals and 25 points this season, and has entered the League's career top 10 in goals (43, 9th place) to go with even loftier standings in assists (37, 4th) and points (123, 6th).

This and That
Lafayette's .909 winning percentage trails only Syracuse, Connecticut and North Carolina as the top mark in the nation...The Leopards are also in the top 10 nationally in both goals per game (3.43) and goals against average (1.26)...Deanna DiCroce is 11th in the nation in points per game for the Leopards, and joins teammate Emily Valeo in the top 10 nationally in assists per contest...Lafayette's Jessica Deutsch is seventh in the country with a 1.26 goals against average, while Lehigh's Sydney Maltinsky-Wilson (9.18) and Colgate's Amanda DiDomizio (8.92) are in the top five in saves per game.

Patriot League Field Hockey Weekly Awards

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
DEANNA DiCROCE, LAFAYETTE Sr., F, Doylestown, Pa.
DiCroce receives her second consecutive Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week award, and third this season, for leading the No. 13 Leopards to a pair of wins at home. She had a goal and an assist in a 5-2 victory over Penn on Wednesday, then tallied two goals as Lafayette came back from a halftime deficit for a 6-1 win against Colgate in Patriot League play on Saturday. DiCroce has helped direct the Leopards' eight-game winning streak as she leads the Patriot League with eight goals and 25 points. DiCroce entered the Patriot League career top 10 in goals (43, 9th) during the week, and stands sixth in all-time points (123) and fifth in assists (37) in League annals. She extends her career record to nine Offensive Player of the Week honors, three more than any other student-athlete in Patriot League history.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
GINA HOFMANN, AMERICAN Sr., D, Braunschweig, Germany
Hofmann led the Eagles to a 1-1 week, including a 9-2 win at Lehigh on Saturday where she recorded a goal and a career-high three assists. Her points came on four consecutive goals in the second half as American put the game away, and Hofmann also recorded a defensive save in the victory. She led a solid defensive performance on Sunday as the Eagles fell 2-0 at No. 4 Princeton, which had been averaging 4.7 goals per game coming into the contest. Hofmann is named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season, and fifth in her career.

GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK
ERICA PERRINE, BUCKNELL Jr., GK, Bridgewater, N.J.
Perrine led the Bison to a pair of road wins in Massachusetts by stopping eight of nine shots she faced in victories over Holy Cross on Saturday and Harvard on Sunday. Perrine notched a save in a 4-0 win over the Crusaders on Saturday, the second shutout in as many games for the Bison in Patriot League play. She came up big in a 3-1 win at Harvard on Sunday, making seven saves as the Bison held on for the victory. Perrine is in the top 10 in Bucknell history in shutouts (4) and victories (16) and 11th in career saves (178). She is named Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week for the third time this season, and fifth in her career.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
KAYLA SULLIVAN, BUCKNELL Fr., M, Bridgewater, N.J.
Sullivan claims her second consecutive Patriot League Rookie of the Week award after helping the Bison to a pair of wins. Her contributions included her first career assist on the eventual game-winning goal in Bucknell's 3-1 win at Harvard on Sunday. Sullivan has tallied the first goal and assist of her career on consecutive weeks.
 
HONORABLE MENTION
JACLYN ANSPACH, AMERICAN Jr., F, Severna Park, Md.
Anspach had a hat trick in American's 9-2 win at Lehigh on Saturday.

EMILY VALEO, LAFAYETTE Sr., M/D, Norristown, Pa.
Valeo totaled two goals and three assists in two wins for the Leopards last week.

TAYLER SIEGRIST, BUCKNELL Sr., D, Madison, N.J.
Siegrist had a goal and an assist in a 4-0 win at Holy Cross on Saturday, and led a defense that allowed just one goal and nine shots on goal in two games last week.
 
ASHLEY DALISERA, AMERICAN Jr., GK, Millersville, Md.
Dalisera had eight saves to help keep the Eagles close in a 2-0 loss at No. 4 Princeton on Sunday.
 
LEIGH HILLMAN, BUCKNELL Jr., F, Dallas, Pa.
Hillman had a goal in each of Bucknell's victories last week, including the game-winner in a 4-0 triumph at Holy Cross on Saturday.

AMANDA DiDOMIZIO, COLGATE So., GK, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.
DiDomizio recorded 15 saves in Colgate's 6-1 loss to Lafayette on Saturday, including 10 in the first half as the Raiders took a lead into intermission.