Nov. 6-7, 2009

2009 Field Hockey Championship Page

Patriot League Field Hockey Championship

No. 1 American 2, No. 3 Lafayette 0  Boxscore

Washington, D.C. -- American's dominance continues.

Despite the efforts of No. 3-seeded Lafayette, which defeated the now seven-time champs earlier this season, American was able to exact its revenge with a 2-0 win Saturday in the Patriot League Field Hockey Championship at William I. Jacobs Recreational Complex.

The Eagles advance to the NCAA Play-In game, where they will host Northeast Conference champion Lock Haven on Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Christine Fingerhuth and Melissa Casale provided the only offense in the game, scoring one goal in each half, while senior keeper Alyssa Poorman recorded the 19th shutout of her career. She needed only one save to accomplish the feat.

Savannah Graybill set up both goals, assisting on Fingerhuth's tally at the 34:02 mark and Casale's at the 42:33 mark.

American (11-8) limited Lafayette (13-6) to four shots, while the Eagles' offense fired off 14. The Eagles also held the edge in penalty corners 7-3.

Anne-Meike de Wiljes and Kirstin Gebhart anchored the stifling defense, as each made a defensive save. De Wiljes was honored as the Patriot League Tournament Most Valuable Player.

American has now won the last seven Patriot League Championships, tying Lafayette for the most all-time. 

2009 Patriot League All-Tournament Team

Kelsey Davis, American
Anne-Meike de Wiljes, American
Christine Fingerhuth, American
Savannah Graybill, American
Carolyn Cabrey, Lafayette
Cait Titus, Lafayette
Emily Valeo, Lafayette
Christine Weiss, Bucknell
Morgan Kauffman, Bucknell
Claire Horn, Lehigh
Mason Engle, Lehigh

Patriot League Field Hockey Semifinals - Friday

No. 3 Lafayette 3, No. 2 Bucknell 2 (OT) Boxscore
Washington, D.C. -- Senior Caitlin Titus scored in overtime to lift the third-seeded Lafayette Leopards over No. 2 Bucknell in the Patriot League Field Hockey Semifinals Friday at William I. Jacobs Recreational Complex. 

The Leopards (14-5) stormed back from a 2-0 halftime deficit, scoring twice in the final 21 minutes to tie the game at 2-2 and force overtime with Bucknell (12-7). 

There, Titus took advantage of a turnover right in front of Bucknell keeper Jessie Atieh and deposited the ball to the back of the cage for the game-winner. 

The unassisted tally sends Lafayette to the title game where it will look to win its eighth League title. The Leopards will face American, which is looking to tie Lafayette in titles with seven. Lafayette ended American's 46-game winning streak over League opponents earlier this season with a 2-1 double-overtime win on Oct. 24.

Bucknell opened Friday's game with a goal from Christine Weiss at the 5:12 mark, off assists from Austin Thomas and Morgan Kauffman. 

Weiss assisted Kelly Bruvik at the 30:28 mark to give the Bison a 2-0 halftime lead. 

Lafayette began its comeback when Maria Machalick scored on a penalty corner in the 50th minute. Meghan Cicchi completed the comeback seven minutes later, scoring off of assists from Emily Valea and Bridget Hilbig.

The Leopards will return to the field at 1:30 p.m. Saturday for the League Championship.

No. 1 American 7, No. 4 Lehigh 1  Boxscore

Washington, D.C. -- Kelsey Davis tied a Patriot League Tournament single-game record, scoring three goals in top-seeded American's 7-1 defeat of No. 4-seeded Lehigh Friday in the Patriot League Field Hockey semifinals at the William I. Jacobs Recreational Complex.

American (10-8) advances to the Patriot League Tournament final for the seventh straight season. The Eagles will face No. 3 Lafayette.

The Eagles took a 5-0 lead into halftime and added two more goals in the second half, capping the scoring with Davis' second and third goals of the game.

The three goals tie the League's single-game record during the Tournament with Lafayette's Shelly Rush (1997) and Beth Gulotta (2002). The record for goals in a two-game tournament is four (Colleen Schmidt, 1997).

The Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, Christine Fingerhuth, kicked off the scoring with a goal at the 2:12 mark of the first half. Melissa Casale made it 2-0 a little more than three minutes later.

Davis shot into an open net with the keeper out of position to make it 3-0 and Shay Smith and Allison Baron each added unassisted tallies to close out the half.

Lehigh (6-11) ended the shutout late in the second half when Lindsey Smith scored on a penalty corner. Taryn Hartzell recorded the assist on the play. 

The 7-1 win is the second largest margin of victory in the League Tournament, as the Eagles defeated Lehigh 7-0 in 2005 and Lafayette beat Bucknell 8-1 in 2002.