The field hockey team triumphed over conference challenger Colgate, defeating the Raiders 6-0 on Oct. 3. The Bison followed that win with a 4-2 victory against St. Joseph’s on Oct. 4.

The Bison started off strong against Colgate, immediately driving the ball up the field and attempting a shot on goal only to be blocked. The offense played hard for the next few minutes and kept Colgate on their toes, resulting in the first goal of the game. Abby Watson ’16 scored the first Bison point, and was assisted by Kiersten Sydnor ’16. Colgate briefly recovered the ball, only to have the Orange and Blue take possession once again. Estelle Palandjian ’17 made a great shot toward the circle, only to be blocked by Colgate’s goalkeeper. Despite being awarded a penalty corner soon after, the Bison were unable to score.

Colgate recovered the ball once again, and maintained possession of it for quite some time. The Bison defense rose to the occasion and prevented them from getting even remotely close to the circle. Emma Fitzgerald ’17 made the second goal for the Orange and Blue with approximately eight minutes left in the first half. Amy Mucelli ’17 showed true skill as she evaded two Colgate players simultaneously, while keeping possession of the ball. Shortly after, the Orange and Blue scored their third point for the first half. Watson made the goal yet again, with help from an assist provided by Claire Lesher ’19.

The second half started strong for the Bison, with Nicole Rupnik ’19 making a goal right away, playing off an assist from Kelsy Kauffman ’17. Sydnor played impressively and made two unassisted goals less than a minute apart. Goalkeeper Emily Finn ’18 made two saves for the Orange and Blue, successfully preventing Colgate from scoring any points the entire game.

In the game against St. Joseph’s, the Bison started out strong once again. With an assist from Stephanie Dressler ’18, Rupnik scored the first point for the Orange and Blue within the first three minutes of the game. St. Joseph’s retaliated with their first point nearly six minutes later, in the eighth minute of play. The Orange and Blue eventually cornered the opposing goalkeeper, and Fitzgerald was able to shoot the ball past her. The game was full of tension as the ball changed hands rapidly. One opponent made another shot within the last 10 minutes of the first half, which was successfully blocked by Shannon Keen ’16.

The second half was just as tense for the Bison. Luckily, Sydnor and Dressler were able to score two goals, while the rest of the Bison held St. Joseph’s at bay. This 4-2 defeat over St. Joseph’s secured the Bison’s place in the Patriot League as one of the two undefeated teams at this moment.

The Bison will face Lafayette on Oct. 10 followed by a game against Temple on Oct. 11.