Game 13  ·  American (7-5, 2-2 PL) vs. Bucknell (6-6, 3-2 PL)
Saturday, April 16  ·  1 p.m.  ·  Washington, D.C. (Jacobs Complex)
Broadcast: Ryan Piers (pxp)

WASHINGTON - Potential postseason implications are in play on Saturday as the American University lacrosse team hosts Bucknell at 1 p.m. at Jacobs Complex for the Eagles' Pride Game.

PRIDE GAME

• Saturday will also serve as the team's Pride Game in partnership with AU's Center for Diversity and Inclusion, the AU Pride Student Group, and the AU Women's Club Lacrosse team.
• Fans are invited to visit the sand volleyball courts next to Jacobs Complex where there will be a donation drive to help support the TQ (Trans & Queer) Co-Op - an upcoming campus initiative dedicated to providing free and sustainable resources for trans, non-binary, gender conforming, and queer students in a safe, affirming, and cooperative manner. Fans are asked to bring clothes, make-up, and other supplies as donations to the co-op. For more information on how to support the TQ Co-Op, click here.

SERIES HISTORY

• Although the Eagles have fallen to the Bison in the last five meetings, AU still leads the 26-game series, 15-11, including a 9-5 run at home in Washington, D.C.
• Bucknell is coming off back-to-back wins in Lewisburg in 2019 (11-8) and 2021 (17-15). This will be the first time since 2018 that the Eagles host the match-up.
• American's last win was a dominant 16-6 performance in D.C. during the 2015 season.

LOOKING AHEAD TO THE TOURNAMENT

• American is looking for its first Patriot League Tournament appearance since 2013. The Eagles are currently ranked fifth in the league standings behind Bucknell and will be fighting for fourth position and, if the ranking holds, hosting rights in the quarterfinal round.
• The top-six teams in the league make the tournament with the top two getting a bye through the quarterfinal round. The third- and fourth-ranked squads will host the quarterfinal games on May 1 with the winners moving on to the semifinal on May 5. The Patriot League Championship will be hosted by the highest remaining seed on May 7.

SCOUTING THE EAGLES

• American comes into the game off its first pair of back-to-back losses since the start of the season after dropping an 18-8 final to #6 Loyola Maryland on Wednesday at Jacobs Complex.
• Freshmen Alyssa Apuzzo and Maddy Spratt continued with their stellar debut seasons, scoring two goals each to lead the team.
• Fifth-year Emma Vinall currently ranks fourth in the Patriot League with 3.18 goals per game while Spratt sits in the same position for assists per game with 1.73.
• Vinall leads the team with 47 points (38g, 9a) followed by classmate Kendall Goldblum with 41 points (30g, 11a).
• Senior Stefanie Walsh has been having a breakout season and has broken her career-highs across the board with 40 points (27g, 13a), 19 caused turnovers, and 12 ground balls. She leads the PL with 1.64 CT/game.
• Sophomore Mary Alice Collins continues to lead the team from goal. After averaging 16.5 saves/game over a four-game stretch before being held to two against the Greyhounds. She has 91 total on the season (7.6/game).
• The Eagles are looking to secure one of the best seasons in recent history - they are four wins away from tying with the 2003 squad for most single-season wins in program history (11-8), and are three wins away from tying for most single-season Patriot League wins. 

SCOUTING THE BISON

• Bucknell took over fourth position in the league standings after its 18-12 win over Army West Point on Saturday.
• The Bison never trailed in the game and secured the win with an 8-1 run through the second half.
• Allie Boyce and Tatumn Kohlbrenner led Bucknell with four goals each. Boyce added a pair of assists for a team-high six points.
• Two more Bison picked up hat tricks with another three adding their names to the final score sheet.
• Emma Cashwell led with eight draw controls while Abby Neff paced the team on the defensive end with three caused turnovers and two ground balls.
• Caitlin Tucker played all 60 minutes in goal and brought down nine saves. She has 56 total on the season and holds a .448 save percentage and 12.71 goals against average.
• Colleen Kazanjian has split time in goal with Tucker and averages 14.24 goals against with 43 saves (.361).
• Boyce leads the team so far this season with 34 points off 29 goals and five assists. Cashwell is close behind with 31 points (21g, 10a) while Laural McHale has 30 points (21g, 9a).
• Ella Payer has paced the Bison in the draw circle throughout the season and has 57 draw controls after 12 games, followed by Cashwell with 44.

NEXT UP
American will visit Navy on Wednesday, April 20, before returning to Jacobs Complex for its home regular-season finale and senior day celebration on Saturday, April 23, against Colgate. Saturday's game will also be AU's National Girls and Women's in Sports Day with seven of American's varsity women's teams hosting post game clinics and autograph sessions for the kids in attendance. For more information and to register for the NGWSD event, click here. 

For the latest on American University Lacrosse, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_Lacrosse) and Instagram (@au_wlax).