Dec. 17, 2008

Center Valley, Pa.--The 2008 Patriot League field hockey season ended the way it has for the past six seasons, with American University claiming the title and eventually competing in its fifth NCAA Tournament. The Eagles have won six straight Patriot League field hockey titles, and are now one away from matching Lafayette for the most Patriot League field hockey championships. The Eagles were also rewarded with a pair of All-Americans. American was not the only institution to show of its talent. Ten different Patriot League student-athletes from four institutions were honored with All-Region accolades.

Patriot League Field Hockey Release FINAL

American Wraps Up Season At NCAA Tournament

No. 19 American University concluded its season by playing in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in six years. After defeating Lock Haven in the NCAA Play-In Game, the Eagles advanced to the first round to take on second-seeded Wake Forest.

Penalty corners lifted Wake Forest past American in the first round of the NCAA Field Hockey Tournament. The Demon Deacons scored five goals directly off penalty corners to beat the Eagles, 7-1, at Kentner Stadium. Wake Forest eventually advanced to the NCAA Championship, while American closed the season with a 13-8 record.

It took Wake Forest just 61 seconds to open the scoring. Hillary Moore took a feed from Raisa Schiller off a penalty corner and snuck the ball past American goalkeeper Alyssa Poorman.

The Eagles answered at the 13:27 mark in the first half when Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year converted on a penalty stroke to knot the score at 1-1.

The Demon Deacons rebuilt their lead with three consecutive goals before halftime, all off of penalty corners. Wake Forest tacked on three goals in the second half to secure its spot in the second round.

Wake Forest garnered nine penalty shots in the game, compared to three by the Eagles. American was out-shot, 18-7, including a 15-3 deficit in shots on goal. American goalkeeper Alyssa Poorman recorded eight saves against Wake Forest's vaunted offensive attack. Crystal Duffield made two stops for the Demon Deacons.

American will graduate four seniors from this year's team, who were part of four Patriot League Championship teams and three NCAA Tournaments.

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

Patriot League All-Americans Two American University student-athletes were named to the 2008 Longstreth/NFHCA Division I All-American Team. Senior Irene Schickhardt was placed on the first team, while sophomore Christine Fingerhuth was named to the third team. Schickhardt, the 2008 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, earned First-Team All-Mid-Atlantic Region honors for the third time in her career in 2008. Fingerhuth was named Patriot League Tournament Most Valuable Player after helping the Eagles to their sixth straight title. The sophomore was named First-Team All-Mid-Atlantic Region and First-Team All-Patriot League after posting a 22-point season. She registered 10 goals and two assists, including four goals in League play despite missing a game to play for her native Chile in the Junior Pan American Games.

Super Six For American 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 was represented by Bucknell's Amanda Faust and American's Jessika Pufnock at the 2008 NFHCA Division I Senior All-Star Game. Both competed for the North squad. Faust holds Bucknell's school record for career assists with 34. She ranks fourth in the same category on the Patriot League's all-time charts. Puffnock, who helped American win its sixth straight Patriot League title, also helped the North claim victory in the All-Star Game. She assisted the game-winning goal in the North's 3-1 triumph.

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.