On Saturday, Oct. 28, Field Hockey hosted Colgate at Graham Field. After four quarters on Senior Day, the Bison clinched a much-needed 5-0 win. This game completed an undefeated 2023 home schedule (7-0) for the Bison and helped give them momentum heading into the Patriot League Championships. 

The Bison haven’t had an undefeated home season since 1976. 

From the moment the game began, the Orange and Blue pressured Colgate’s defense and never let up. 

The Bison scored goals in the first three periods of play. Lily Neilson ’25 scored twice and assisted to Rachel Apa ’24. Kira Leclercq ’26 added another goal, as well as Mia Fields ’24. 

Leclercq scored the first goal of the game within nine minutes. The next two goals came from Neilson within one minute of each other. For her first goal, Neilson pivoted and beat the goalie to smash the ball into the unprotected goal, while her second goal came from a slick spin move, leaving the goalkeeper on the ground with a perfectly placed ball. In the third quarter, the Bison added their final two goals. Apa scored on a fast break, followed by Fields, who slammed a shot right past the goalie. 

Although the fourth quarter didn’t have any scoring, there were still plenty of substitutions. Both teams tested new combinations and gave the starters a break.

Neilson’s 28 points this season helped her finish second in the Patriot League. Additionally, her 88 career points wrote her into the Bucknell history books, putting her in fourth all-time. Furthermore, Neilson’s 42 goals place her third in Bison’s annuals and her 13 goals this season are 10th in the school’s single-season history.

On Nov. 2, the Bison will head to the No. 1 seed, American, to compete in the Patriot League Tournament.