WASHINGTON – After defeating the Bucknell Bison 3-2 in their semifinal match on Thursday, top-seeded American University field hockey team will take on No. 2 Lafayette in the 2023 Patriot League Field Hockey Championship game on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 1 p.m. at home at Jacobs Complex. This will be American's 16th appearance in the Championship game, having won 12 times in 22 seasons since joining the league.
The Eagles and Leopards will meet for the League title for the seventh time, including the third time in the last five seasons. American has won five of the six former title matchups, with the only loss coming in overtime in 2012.
QUICK INFO
- Date & Time: Saturday, Nov. 4; 1 p.m.
- Site: Washington, D.C. (Jacobs Complex)
- TV: ESPN+
INSIDE THE SERIES
- American leads the all-time series 27-8 over the Leopards.
- In this year's regular season matchup, held in D.C. on Sept. 23, the Eagles topped Lafayette 3-1 after Lafayette jumped out to an early lead.
- The previous ten games have only seen American lose once, in 2018; however, the four of the last six meetings have gone to either overtime or double overtime with American taking each of those victories.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT AMERICAN
- American finished the regular season by going 9-7 overall and 6-0 in the league. American has scored 33 goals in open play across 17 games.
- The Eagles have shown that they can push back against difficult competition, taking multiple ranked opponents to the brink, losing to No. 5 Penn State 3-2 in overtime, No. 9 Maryland 2-1, and No. 14 Liberty 1-0 in a shootout after the game wasn't settled in 80 minutes of play.
- This season, graduate student defender Charllene Boshoff leads the Eagles with seven goals, which had her finish the regular season as seventh in the conference. She co-leads for the team in 14 points.
- Joining Boshoff with 14 points each is fellow graduate student Megan Hoffman as well as first year Emilia Winkler. Hoffman scored the first goal of the game against Bucknell in AU's PL semifinal matchup that the Eagles won 3-2.
- Junior defender Tayla-Jade Weiss has racked up 13 points with three goals and seen assists. One of each coming against the Bison.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT LAFAYETTE
- Lafayette concluded the 2023 regular season with an 11-6 (5-1 PL) record. The Leopards have only dropped one game since their 1-3 loss to American on Sept. 23, closing out the regular season by going 9-1.
- The Leopards were able to fight back twice against the Terriers in the PL semifinal matchup to force overtime in the final minute of regulation and eventually top Boston University 3-2 off a goal from freshman Lena Thedrian in the fifth minute of the extra period.
- Midfielder Stella Malinowski claimed PL Rookie of the Year as well as Second-Team recognition. She's played over 800 minutes and started in all 18 contests this season. She racked up 18 points on eight goals and two assists. She also has a 3-for-3 record in penalty strokes and has been awarded four weekly conference awards.
- The Leopards had a conference-best five student-athletes named to All-League teams with two on the First Team–Lineke Spaans and Makenzie Switzer–and three on the Second Team–Laine Delmotte, Malinowski, Josephine van Wijk.
MAJOR AWARDS
- American placed four players on the All-League Teams, including Charllene Boshoff, who won Defensive Player of the Year.
- Boshoff and fellow South African Tayla-Jade Weiss, a junior defender for the Eagles, were both named to the All-Patriot League First Team.
- On the All-League Second Team was senior goalkeeper Bryn Underwood and freshman standout Emilia Winkler.
- Underwood was also announced as the League's 2023 Field Hockey Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
- Head Coach Steve Jennings, in his 25th year at the helm, was named the PL Coach of the Year for the 11th time in 22 years in the Patriot League.
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.
PARKING INFORMATION
- Parking is only permitted in the School of International Service (SIS) or The Katzen Art Center Garage during work hours (8 a.m. - 5 p.m. on weekdays).
- Guests using these locations must utilize the hourly rate pay boxes inside each respective garage.
HOW TO WATCH ON ESPN+
- A subscription to ESPN+ is available for purchase via ESPN.com, ESPNPlus.com, or the ESPN App. Fans can access ESPN+ content only after they have subscribed. To subscribe, click here. It costs $69.99/month or $99.99/year.
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