Nov. 3, 2007
2007 Patriot League Field Hockey Championship Page
Washington - American made it five titles in a row with a win in the 2007 Patriot League Field Hockey Championship Game on Saturday, defeating Lafayette, 3-1, at the William I Jacobs Recreational Complex. American senior Denise Infante won her Patriot League-record third Patriot League Tournament Most Valuable Player trophy.
Top-seeded American (16-4) started of the game's scoring at 14:24 when freshman Christine Fingerhuth netted a goal unassisted in a scramble in front of the net. The Eagles made it 2-0 on a Kirstin Gebhart goal deflected in from senior Denise Infante's shot off a penalty corner at 5:57. The assist gave Infante 30 for her career, tying for fourth all-time in Patriot League history.
The Eagles went ahead 3-0 at 25:55 in the second half when junior Jesika Pufnock put one in the cage off a penalty corner play. Sophomore Anne-Meike De Wiljes came up with the assist.
Lafayette (9-11) was able to get on the board at 15:10 in the second stanza when senior Laura Fabian scored, assisted by freshman Meghan Cicchi, off a penalty corner.
American sophomore goalkeeper Alyssa Poorman made four saves, while Lafayette netminder freshman Kelsey Anderson posted two stops.
A player with the last name Infante has been named Patriot League Tournament Most Valuable Player the last four years, with Denise earning three of those nods. Denise was named tourney MVP in 2004, 2005 and 2007, while older sister Camila took home the award in 2006. Infante recorded two assists in the tournament and was dominate on a defense that allowed just two goals and nine shots on net over two games. On Thursday, Infante was named the 2007 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year.
Infante was one of four Eagles to be named to the 2007 Patriot League All-Tournament Team. Joining Infante were De Wiljes, Fingerhuth and Gebhart. Others selected to the all tourney team were Colgate's Heather Davis and Laura Flisnik, Lafayette's Maggie Condon, Jaclyn DiSanti and Lauren Jones and Lehigh's Kelly Fox and Terry Mongan.
American, ranked 17th in the nation, advanced to the Patriot League Tournament Championship Game with a 4-1 win over No. 4 Colgate. Lafayette, the third seed in the tourney, defeated archrival and second seed Lehigh, 2-0, in semifinal action on Friday.
American will compete in a NCAA Play-In game on Tuesday, Nov. 6 at 1 p.m. The game will take place at No. 16 Ohio University, the Mid-American Conference Tournament Champion. First-round action for the 2007 NCAA Tournament is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 10 at campus sites. The NCAA Tournament bracket will be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 6 at 8 p.m. on CSTV.
2007 Patriot League Field Hockey Tournament MVP
Denise Infante, American
2007 Patriot League Field Hockey All-Tournament Team
Anne-Meike De Wiljes, American
Christine Fingerhuth, American
Kirstin Gebhart, American
Denise Infante, American
Heather Davis, Colgate
Laura Flisnik, Colgate
Maggie, Condon, Lafayette
Jaclyn DiSanti, Lafayette
Lauren Jones, Lafayette
Kelly Fox, Lehigh
Terry Mongan, Lehigh
