Patriot League Semifinal  ·  #1 American (11-5, 6-0 PL) vs. #4 Holy Cross (6-11, 2-4 PL)
Friday, Nov. 8, 2019  ·  11:35 a.m.  ·  Washington, D.C. (Jacobs Complex)
All-Time Record: American leads, 18-8
Broadcast: Patriot League Network on WatchStadium

WASHINGTON - The top-seeded American University field hockey squad (11-5, 6-0 PL) will open postseason play at home on Friday with an 11:35 a.m. start against No. 4 Holy Cross in the Patriot League semifinal round. Jacobs Complex will also host the second semifinal game between No. 2 Lafayette and No. 3 Bucknell at 2:35 p.m. on Friday. The winners of the two games will play for the Patriot League title at 12:05 p.m. on Sunday, November 10.

THE SERIES

• The Eagles rose to 22-3 against the Crusaders earlier this season with a 3-2 victory at home. The win stretched AU's 17-season streak to 21-0 against Holy Cross.
• Freshman Charllene Boshoff's first goal proved to be the difference-maker, as she put away the game-winner off a penalty corner insertion from sophomore Georgia Davies midway through the fourth quarter. Junior Noor Coenen and sophomore Aidan Rossman also picked up a goal each while juniors Lauren Fredricks and Gaby de Kock joined Davies with assists.
• The last time AU faced Holy Cross in the postseason was in 2016 when the Eagles came away with a 1-0 victory en route to the program's 10th Patriot League title and NCAA First Round appearance.
• The Crusaders last toppled American in 2002 with wins during both the regular season and Patriot League Tournament where they knocked out the Eagles in the semifinals, 1-0.

SCOUTING THE EAGLES

• The Eagles picked up momentum throughout the conference season, culminating in the PL regular season title and the season's first appearance on the NFHCA National Rankings at No. 25 on Wednesday,
• American fared well in the postseason Patriot League awards, starting with the 2019 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, junior Noor Coenen. Coenen, who is the third consecutive PL Player of the Year and sixth in program history, opened the season at the third consecutive Preseason Player of the Year for the Eagles. This is her second PL major award after being selected as Rookie of the Year in 2017. 
• Coenen leads the league with a career-high 34 points, and is tied for first with 14 goals. She also ranks third in the PL after pitching in six assists throughout the season. She also sits alongside some of the top players in the country with a No. 8 national ranking for points per game (2.13), and No. 13 ranking for goals per game (0.88).
• Freshman goalkeeper Fiona Minter also sits within the top-25 in the country with her 1.34 goals against average. Minter, who has led the team from goal in all but two games this season, has 31 saves on the season and a .620 save percentage.
• Joining Coenen with All-League selections were sophomore Georgia Davies (First Team), sophomore-transfer Atina Pagani (First Team), junior Lauren Fredricks (Second Team) and senior Jette Dieckmann (Second Team). This was the first All-Patriot League honor for all four Eagles, and the third for Coenen, who has now earned First League honors all three years.
• Sophomore Aidan Rossman also came away with her first PL postseason award after making the 11-player Academic All-Patriot League Team on Thursday.
• AU is coming off a 1-0 victory over then-undefeated Lafayette on Saturday to secure the program's 11th Patriot League regular season title, and the first for the team since 2013. Sophomore Hannah Moser hit the game-winner early in the match off a long run along the baseline to beat the Leopards' defensive line and goalkeeper. 
• Senior Caroline Miller also came away with a highlight, earning her second career shutout to cap off her senior day performance. 
• The Eagles, who have boasted one of the top defensive lines in the country all season, lead the league in several categories, including goals per game (2.56), goals against average (1.22), and scoring margin (1.29).
• American also ranks within the top-15 nationally for goals against average (12th) and scoring margin (15th).

SCOUTING THE CRUSADERS

• Holy Cross enters the postseason off five consecutive losses, including two to Patriot League foes with Boston University, 5-4, and Bucknell, 2-1. The Crusaders closed the season with a 6-11 overall record, 2-4 in the league.
• The Crusaders put three players on the All-Patriot League teams with Madeline Alderfer (First Team), goalkeeper Marcia LaPlante (Second Team), and Emily Devine (Second Team).
• Minke Koomen has paced Holy Cross on the offensive end, though, with 21 points off nine goals and three asists. Alderfer follows wth 12 points after pitching in a team-high eight assists alongside her two goals.
• LaPlante comes into the game as one of the top goalkeepers in the league with 8.44 saves per game and a .809 save percentage. She also ranked fourth with a 1.98 goals against average, and second with her three shutouts this season.
• As a team, Holy Cross is averaging 1.65 goals per game while its opponents have averaged 2.24.

For the latest on American University Field Hockey, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_FieldHockey) and Instagram (@aufieldhockey).