WASHINGTON – Agustina Roffo's goal in the 46th minute was the difference maker in a tight back-and-forth game on Saturday at Jacobs Complex when, for the 13th time in program history, the American University field hockey team was crowned the Patriot League Champion after going ahead 1-0 in the final frame.

QUICK NOTABLES

• Roffo's goal was her second of the season after scoring against Yale on Sep. 9. The sophomore winger from Argentina took just one shot on goal to change the outcome of the game.
• Freshman midfielder Sophie Willemse tallied the assist on the goal, sending it to Roffo who tipped the ball into the net off a corner.
• Senior goalkeeper Bryn Underwood made four saves when the Leopards did manage to break through the stalwart defensive line. 

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

• American placed four on the Patriot League All-Tournament Team, starting with Tournament MVP Tayla-Jade Weiss. The junior defender played every minute of both games throughout the tournament and anchored the defensive line that refused to let Lafayette get any goals past for the shutout. She also scored a goal and had an assist in the semifinal matchup with Bucknell.
• Fifth-year Charllene Boshoff, senior Bryn Underwood, and Roffo joined Weiss as members of the 11-player All-Tournament Team.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Despite neither team, scoring in the first three frames, the game did not lack intensity. Both the Eagles and the Leopards knew what was at stake when they took to the field. The first thirty minutes of the championship contest was evenly paced back and forth, but it was the third that the tides began to shift.
• Coming out of the break, the Eagles pushed forward, not allowing Lafayette a single shot in the third frame, and taking two of their own. American also earned two more penalty corners during the period to push their total to five through 45 minutes of gameplay.
• It was less than thirty seconds into the third period when AU earned their sixth penalty corner. Inserted by fifth-year Megan Hoffman it was slapped by Willemse toward the frame where Roffo at the right post redirected the ball and sent it between the legs of a Leopard defender into the cage.
• Despite pulling their goalkeeper in the 56th minute to gain the advantage of an extra field player, Lafayette was unable to break through the defense anchored by Weiss to find an equalizer and force overtime.
• The Eagles ended up holding out and topping the Leopards 1-0 to earn an automatic qualification for the NCAA tournament.

NEXT UP...THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

• The Eagles will await their fate to be told on Sunday night's NCAA Selection Show. The event will begin at 10 p.m. EST and live-streamed on NCAA.com.
• The tournament consists of an 18-team field, with 10 spots going to automatic qualifiers and the remaining eight teams chosen at large by the NCAA selection committee.
• The opening round games will be played at two of the four first- and second-round host sites, with the semifinals and finals hosted by North Carolina.   

KEEP UP WITH US

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