FIELD HOCKEY GAME CENTRAL

HAMILTON, N.Y. (10/29/10) – The Colgate field Hockey team clinched a berth in the Patriot League Tournament last weekend with a win over Holy Cross and has a chance to gain the third seed with a visit to Bucknell on Saturday.

The game is scheduled for noon on Saturday and for all of your live event links, including live stats, visit Field Hockey Game Central.

CLINCHING A TOURNAMENT BERTH
Rookie Olivia Nabhan (Rye, N.Y.) scored with 12 minutes left in the game to lift the Colgate field hockey team to a 1-0 win over Holy Cross as the Raiders qualified for the Patriot League Tournament. Nabhan scored the lone goal of the game with the assist going to classmate Halle Biggar (Pepper Pike, Ohio). Senior captain Kirsten Lalli (Pound Ridge, N.Y.) made seven tops in net to earn her third shutout of the season, including three huge stops on consecutive penalty corners for the Crusaders late in the second half.

LALLI NAMED PL GOALIE OF THE WEEK FOR FOURTH TIME
Lalli continues to rack up the Patriot League weekly awards with her fourth this season, which is tops for goalkeepers in the conference. Lalli backstopped Colgate into the Patriot League Tournament by collecting six saves in a 1-0 blanking of Holy Cross. It was her third shutout of the year, which puts her third in the conference in the category. Kelsey Anderson of Lafayette and Hannah Weitzman of American have more shutouts, but only average between two and four saves a game. Lalli has average around 10 saves per game all season long. She ranks second in the nation averaging just under 10 saves a contest. Lalli is 13th in the country will a save percentage of .768, which leas the Patriot League.

HONORING THE SENIORS
Colgate also recognized three seniors that were playing in their final home game in a Raider uniform. Lalli was one of the three and she was a late bloomer for Colgate, but put up amazing numbers this season and is a big part of the five wins the squad has had so far this season. Senior Allison Waugh (Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.) has been a mainstay on the backline for head coach Cathy Foto in each of her four seasons. A leader on the field, she has score five goals in her career, including a penalty stroke goal in a 5-1 win over Lehigh a couple of weeks ago. The last senior had many special guests come to the game today as Laura Denenga's (Harare, Zimbabwe) family came halfway around the world to see Laura play in her final game at Tyler's Field. Denenga is a two-time second team All-Patriot League performer and leads the team with 19 points.

SCOUTING THE BISON
Bucknell welcomes the Raiders with a 6-11 overall record and a 2-2 mark in Patriot League play. The two teams are tied for third in the conference with the 2-2 record. The Bison has lost the last three games on its schedule and five of the last six contests.

Bucknell has four players in double-digit points, led by Kelly Bruvik who has eight goals and four assists for 20 points. Morgan Kauffman is second with 14 points on six goals and two helpers for 14 points. Corinne Raczek only has eight points, but has six assists to lead the team. In net, Sarah Zargarpour has started all 17 games for the Bison and has allowed 40 goals against, but has four shutouts as one of the top goalkeepers of the league. She has posted a 2.37 goals against average and .643 save percentage.

SERIES HISTORY
Bucknell leads the series with a 22-11-2 advantage since 1976. This is the 36th meeting in the series. The Bison have owned the matchup lately with wins in eight of the last nine, and Colgate's only win came in a 4-3 overtime win in 2007.