Nov. 7, 2008
Box Score
WASHINGTON - The American University field
hockey team took care of Colgate, 5-1, on Friday in the Patriot
League Semifinals at Jacobs Field. The Eagles will now contend for
their sixth straight Patriot League Tournament Championship on
Saturday against Bucknell, who defeated Lafayette 4-2, at 1:30 p.m.
Colgate (9-9) took its opening possession into AU territory and
earned the first penalty corner of the game at 3:29, but the stingy
Eagles defense pressured the stick stop and cleared the ball of
danger. AU responded with a penalty corner of its own at 5:36. The
Eagles didn't capitalize but found the back of the net just over
three minutes later, when Irene
Schickhardt sent a long pass from the right endline that
eventually found Savannah
Graybill on the other end for the goal.
The Eagles upped their lead to 2-0 at 10:23. Anne van Erp inserted
a penalty corner that resulted in an Anne-Meike De
Wiljes shot on goal that was turned away by Colgate goalie
Sarah Pedersen. Schickhardt collected the rebound and shoveled a
pass to van Erp, who re-entered the play for the goal. American
(11-7) would take a 3-0 lead into the half, following an unassisted
Schickhardt tally at 29:51 when the senior forward took the ball
into goal from the left endline and beat Pedersen from a very tough
angle for her 15th score of the season.
Colgate came out of the intermission in need of a goal, and
found one off the re-start. Katelyn Nerbonne assisted a goal by
Lauren Carey just 33 seconds into the half to cut the lead to 3-1.
American reclaimed a three-goal lead at 38:52 when Rachel Carney
scored her second goal of the season off of an assist from van Erp.
The Eagles closed out the scoring and secured a berth to the final
59:35 when Melissa Casale
tallied her first career goal off of a de Wiljes assist.
"We are very happy about the result today," said AU head coach
Steve
Jennings. "Colgate put up a strong challenge and tested us but
we were able to put some great goals away and execute the game
plan, now we need to raise it to another level for the final
tomorrow."
American held a 16-8 advantage in shots, including a 9-3 margin
in shots on goal. Alyssa Poorman got
the win in goal for the Eagles, making two saves in 58:56 before
giving way to Hannah Weitzman
for the final 11:04. Pedersen finished with four saves in the
contest for the Raiders.
