With a 4-1 victory at Lehigh on Nov. 1, the field hockey team clinched the Patriot League regular season title and, for the first time in the program’s history, the right to host the conference tournament. The team found continued success on Senior Day with a 2-0 victory over Lock Haven on Nov. 2, boosting its overall record to 12-5.

The Orange and Blue started off the weekend strong with a full team effort to defeat the Mountain Hawks and concluded their league play record at a perfect 6-0. In the game’s opening moments, the Mountain Hawks took an early lead with a quick goal to put Lehigh ahead 1-0.

The Bison returned in the second half with a newfound energy and immediately earned back the lead. Goals from four different players challenged Lehigh, as it was unable to stop multiple offensive threats. Cassie Lawrence ’15 sparked the team’s offensive effort with an unassisted goal eight minutes into the half. Kiersten Sydnor ’16 broke the tie with a second goal five minutes later, and Lexie Curry ’18 boosted the team’s lead to two with only seven minutes left to play. Abby Watson ’16 worked extremely hard to put her teammates in an excellent scoring position for both of the latter goals. Anna Wills ’17 sealed the Orange and Blue victory with a goal in the 69th minute of the match. Shannon Keen ’16 recorded five saves and secured her 11th win of the season.

The team performed strongly again on Senior Day in a match against non-league opponent Lock Haven. Seniors Cassie Lawrence, Amie Pritchard, Kelsey Mucelli, Maggie Murphy, and Liz Wills were all honored for their outstanding contributions over the past four years, including their very impressive senior campaign.

“This year seems more incredible than the others because of the leadership and dedication that our seniors have shown since the first day of preseason,” Keen said.

This leadership and dedication led the team to the victory. Sydnor scored both goals for the Bison, which paired with a strong defensive effort, kept the scoreboard at 2-0 in favor of the Orange and Blue. Keen recorded a shutout, and the win also signified the team’s third game this season without a single shot on goal. The Bison dominated each half of the match, holding an advantage in both shots on goal and penalty corners. Thus, Lock Haven’s prior goals per game average of 3.13 was shattered by a strong Orange and Blue collaborative effort.

“We were able to play back-to-back games and still come out victorious. We played together as a team and that was a huge factor in our success,” Stephanie Dressler ’18 said.

The Orange and Blue will take on Colgate in their semifinal match at Graham Field on Nov. 7 at 11 a.m., with the victor playing the winner of the American and Boston match for a Patriot League title on Nov. 8 at 1 p.m.