Nov. 13, 2008

Center Vally, Pa.--The 18th-ranked American Eagles will travel to Winston-Salem, N.C. to battle second-ranked Wake Forest in the opening round of the NCAA Field Hockey Tournament. American is coming off a 2-0 win over Lock Haven in the NCAA Tournament Play-In Game. The Eagles are seeking their first NCAA Tournament victory since 2005, when American knocked off Penn State in College Park, Md.

Patriot League Field Hockey Release 11.13.08

American to Play in NCAA Tournament The 18th-ranked American University field hockey team will be heading south for the NCAA Tournament. It was announced on Tuesday evening that American will open the tournament against Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C.

The Eagles, who won a sixth consecutive Patriot League championship on Saturday, defeated Lock Haven on Tuesday in an NCAA Play-In Game to advance to the round of 16. Senior attacker Irene Schickhardt scored both American goals, while junior goalkeeper Alyssa Poorman made five saves for her seventh shutout of the season. American enters the tournament with a 13-7 record, including a 5-0 mark in Patriot League regular season competition.

American will commence tournament play on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at Kentner Stadium against host Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons are the No. 2 overall seed in the tournament after compiling a 19-3 record. Wake Forest was the Atlantic Coast Conference runner-up after dropping a 4-3 decision to top-ranked Maryland in the ACC Tournament. Wake Forest will be the fifth top-five team that American has faced this season. The Eagles have played a total of eight ranked teams during the 2008 campaign.

American has not lost to a Patriot League foe since the 2002 Patriot League semifinals. This season, the Eagles have compiled a 12-7 record, despite a schedule that has included seven ranked teams, including four teams currently ranked in the top five.

American has now competed in the NCAA Tournament five times since 2003. Last season, the Eagles lost to Ohio in the NCAA Tournament Play-In Game, ending American's streak of four consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles have posted a 2-4 mark in NCAA Tournament play since joining the Patriot League in 2001. American won a game in both 2004 and 2005, defeating Iowa and Penn State, respectively. Most recently, American dropped a 5-0 contest against top-seeded Wake Forest in 2006.

Schickhardt leads the Eagles on and off the field. The senior mathematics major was named Patriot League Field Hockey Scholar Athlete of the Year. She has paced the Eagles offensive attack with 17 goals and 45 points, both of which lead the Patriot League.

Other teams in American's bracket include fourth-ranked James Madison and 12th-ranked Virginia. The Dukes and Cavaliers will square off at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. The winners of Saturday's contests will meet on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. for the right to advance to the national semifinals. The national semifinals and championship will be held at Trager Stadium in Louisville, Ky.

Patriot League Championship Recap Patriot League Championship Recap Top-seeded American University scored four second-half goals to overcome a halftime deficit and claim its sixth consecutive Patriot League Field Hockey Championship. The Eagles outlasted third-seeded Bucknell, 5-2, at the William I. Jennings Recreational Complex to advance to the NCAA Tournament Play-in Round. American sophomore Christine Fingerhuth was named Patriot League Field Hockey Tournament Most Valuable Player.

The Bison struck first, scoring 16:50 in the game. Morgan Kauffman collected a rebound and fired a shot into the cage to give Bucknell an early lead. American evened the score eight minutes later on a goal by Natalie Ellenberger.

The Bison regained the lead three minutes before halftime, thanks to Amanda Faust's second goal of the tournament. Morgan Kauffman set the table on a penalty corner. Corinne Raczek then stopped the ball and placed it for Faust, who blasted it into the cage.

American responded after the intermission, scoring four unanswered goals, including two in a 53-second span. Fingerhuth tied the score at the 39:36 mark. Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year Irene Schickhardt found Fingerhuth near the goal, and Fingerhuth slipped the ball into the net. Savannah Graybill gave the Eagles their first lead of the game 53 seconds later, scoring an unassisted goal.

At the 52:03 mark, the Eagles extended their lead with an unassisted goal by Megan Henry off a rebound. Anne Van Erp rounded out the scoring two minutes later with a scoring strike off an assist by Schickhardt.

Fingerhuth, who scored the tying goal and anchored the American attack, was joined on the All-Tournament Team by three of her teammates: Savannah Graybill, Irene Schickhardt and Anne Van Erp. Runner-up Bucknell placed three members on the All-Tournament Team: Trina Boyer, Amanda Faust and Morgan Kauffman. Others on the All-Tournament team were Lafayette's Maggie Condon and Jackie DiSanti and Colgate's Katelyn Nerbonne and Laura Flisnik.

Patriot League Notebook

Six Years of Perfection American posted its sixth consecutive perfect Patriot League season this year at 5-0. Over the past six years, American has gone 31-0 in Patriot League regular-season games and 34-5 since joining the League in 2001. American's last loss to a Patriot League foe occurred in 2002, when the Eagles lost to Holy Cross,1-0, in the Patriot League Tournament semifinals. American's last regular season Patriot League loss was also against Holy Cross, a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the Crusaders in the 2002 regular season finale.

2008 NFHCA Division I Senior All-Star Game The Patriot League will be represented by Bucknell senior Amanda Faust at the 2008 NFHCA Division I Senior All-Star Game. Faust holds the school record for career assists with 34. She ranks fourth in the same category on the Patriot League's all-time charts. With eight goals and eight assists this season, Faust currently leads the Bison with 32 points. Faust will participate in the All-Star Game on Saturday, November 22 at 7:30 p.m. in Louisville, Ky.

Queens of the Rankings American has represented the Patriot League in the STX/NFHCA National Coaches' Poll every week this season. The Eagles, who have been in the top 20 all season, have been ranked as high as 14th. American's seniors have been ranked in the top 20 during every week of their careers.

ECAC Recognition Three Patriot League student-athletes have been honored as ECAC Players of the Week this season. A pair of American Eagles have claimed the honor. Irene Schickhardt was named ECAC Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 8. Junior goalkeeper Alyssa Poorman was named ECAC Goalkeeper of the Week on Oct. 30. Most recently, Lafayette goalkeeper Kelsey Andersen was named ECAC Goalkeeper of the Week on Nov. 5.