The No. 8 American University field hockey team won its eighth straight Patriot League Regular Season Championship on Saturday, defeating Lafayette 3-1 at Jacobs Field to finish a perfect 5-0 in conference play.

Lafayette (8-9, 4-1) was the aggressor early in the match and earned the day's first penalty corner in the 11^th minute. The Leopards were unable to get a shot off, however, signifying a distinct shift in the momentum of the game. American's (15-3, 5-0) defense eliminated the Lafayette attack over the next 20 minutes while the Eagles' offense began to fire on all cylinders.

American's first two shots of the day were blocked by Leopard defenders before Alex McMackin broke through and gave American a 1-0 lead. McMackin's score in the 23^rd minute came off a deflection of a Natalie Ellenberger pass from outside the shell. Lafayette attempted to even the score with two shots in the final minutes of the half, but the first was blocked while the second was sent wide to send the teams into the intermission with American still on top by one.

The Eagles held only a 3-2 advantage in shots in the first half while Lafayette outcornered American 2-0. That would soon change, however, as American fired 11 shots in the second half to pull away.

American attempted three shots in a two minute span before finding the back of the cage again on McMackin's second goal of the day in the 50^th minute. The scoring sequence began with a reverse stick shot from Shelly Montgomery which McMackin deflected at the left post past Lafayette goalkeeper Kelsey Andersen, giving American a 2-0 advantage.

Christine Fingerhuth moved the score to 3-0 moments later, scoring a tremendous goal in the 57^th minute. Melissa Casale set up the play, driving the ball downfield on an odd man rush. Andersen came out of the cage in an attempt to break up the play but Casale was able to slip a pass to Fingerhuth on the left side where she made a diving effort to put the ball to the far post.

Lafayette would get one score back in the 67^th minute on a goal by Kristin Heaney but it proved to be too little, too late, as American held on for the 3-1 win.

The win secures the 2010 Patriot League Regular Season Championship for the Eagles, their eighth straight regular season title. As the regular season champion, American has also earned the right to host the 2010 Patriot League Tournament which will take place next Friday and Saturday, November 5-6, at Jacobs Field. American now stands at 15-3 overall and 5-0 in the Patriot League, marking the seventh time in the last eight seasons the team has gone undefeated in conference play.

Fingerhuth's score gives her a career-best 15 for the season and a career-high 32 points. The senior has now moved into a tie with Camila Infante '07 for fourth place on American's career goals list with 49, and sits in seventh place with 110 career points. Fingerhuth's 49 tallies ranks her fifth in Patriot League history while her 110 points are the seventh most all-time.

McMackin's two goal performance gives her four scores for the year and 10 points. Montgomery's two helpers on the goals were the first two of her career while Ellenberger now has 11 assists on the year. Goalkeeper Hannah Weitzman made one save against two shots on goal to pick up her 15^th win of the season.

American will face fourth-seeded Colgate on Friday at 11:30 a.m. in the first round of the Patriot League Tournament. The other first round matchup with pit second-seeded Lafayette against third-seeded Bucknell at 1:45 p.m. The winner of each game will then meet on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. to decide the 2010 Patriot League Champion.

All three matches will be broadcast live via Patriot League All*Access. Fans can purchase a month-long subscription for $7.95 to watch each game, as well as all other fall Patriot League Championships. For more information on Patriot League All*Access, click here.

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