Oct. 26, 2008
Center Valley, Pa. - For the fourth consecutive year, the American Eagles will host the Patriot League Field Hockey Championship. The Eagles locked up the top seed for the 2008 Tournament, which will be held at William I Jacobs Recreational Complex, with a 3-1 victory over Lafayette on Saturday.
American (9-6, 4-0 Patriot League) broke a first-place tie with Lafayette (10-6, 3-1) with Saturday's victory at home, and clinched the top seed in the field because they have the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Leopards with one game remaining in the regular season. All other Patriot League teams have at least two losses.
Lafayette and Colgate have both clinched spots in the Patriot League Field Hockey Championship. Colgate and Bucknell are tied for third place with 2-2 marks in League play after the Bison knocked off the Raiders, 4-3, on Saturday. Holy Cross is still in the hunt for a Tournament berth after beating Lehigh, 4-3, on Saturday to move to 1-3 in League action. Bucknell visits Holy Cross and Colgate hosts Lafayette in regular-season finales on Nov. 1. The Crusaders can only make the field if they beat Bucknell and Colgate knocks off Lafayette.
The 2008 Patriot League Field Hockey Championship will take place at American on Friday, Nov. 7 and Saturday, Nov. 8. American will face the No. 4 seed and the No. 2 seed will play the No. 3 seed on Nov. 7, with the winners meeting in the Championship contest on Nov. 8. Games times are yet to be announced.
American clinched the top seed in the Patriot League Tournament for the sixth consecutive year, but was unable to host the event until 2005 when the William I Jacobs Recreational Complex was completed. The Eagles have appeared in the event each year since joining the Patriot League in 2001, and have won five consecutive titles.
