WASHINGTON - The No. 17 American University field hockey team (12-3, 6-0 PL) advanced to its 15th Patriot League Tournament final on Thursday, November 4, with a 1-0 win over Lehigh (11-7, 4-2 PL).

NOTEWORTHY

• Fifth-year Noor Coenen sent in the game-winner off a nicely placed shot into the lower corner of the cage with less than three minutes remaining in the first half.
• Coenen, a two-time Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year in 2019 and 2020, was selected to her fifth consecutive All-Patriot First Team earlier in the week. With the goal, she now moves into fifth-place all-time in Patriot League history with 137 points. She now sits one point away from tying with Camile Infante ('06) for third in the AU career record books.
• Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year, sophomore Bryn Underwood, picked up five saves on the day for her sixth shutout of the season, and fourth against a Patriot League opponent. Underwood also held the Mountain Hawks scoreless during the 2-0 regular season win in Bethlehem on October 9.
• It was an even battle between the two teams with each earning seven shots, but Lehigh held the advantage in penalty corners, 7-4.
• American entered the tournament as the one-seed after going undefeated in conference play. The Mountain Hawks were the four-seed.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The game started as a midfield battle as neither team was able to place a shot on goal in the first 15 minutes.
• That changed quickly in the second quarter with Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year Aidan Rossman firing off a close shot after AU's first penalty corner of the day that sailed just over the cage.
• Lehigh nearly managed to pull to an early lead with just over five minutes left in the half, picking up three consecutive penalty corners. But the Eagles defense held off the attacks and Underwood came away with her second save of the game to keep the score at 0-0.
• With under three minutes left in the stanza, Coenen ran in the game-winner, weaving through four Lehigh defenders before placing the shot between the legs of Lehigh goalkeeper Maddie Kahn.
• The Mountain Hawks pressed hard during the second half, but three more saves from Underwood along with clutch defending from senior Georgia Davies, junior Charllene Boshoff, and the rest of AU's back line held off the onslaught.

NEXT UP...
American will face two-seed Lafayette in the Championship game at noon on Saturday at Jacobs Complex.

TICKETS

• Tickets are on sale now for both Patriot League Tournament semifinal games and Saturday's Championship online at AUEagles.com/Tickets.
• Tickets are priced at $8 for adults, and $5 for youth and seniors.
• Students of participating schools get in FREE.

MASK POLICY AT AU ATHLETICS EVENTS 

• Individuals are required to wear masks to all American University athletics events, per current AU guidelines.  
• We also encourage social distancing at all of our venues. 

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