Lafayette led the Patriot League with four all region selections. Lafayette is in the Mid East region along with schools like Penn State, Yale, Bucknell, Syracuse and Connecticut. The other Patriot League school that had multiple selections was American who had three in the Mid Atlantic Region.
Leading the Leopards was no surprise as Junior Lineke Spaans was selected for the first team. Joining her on the second team were Sophomores Josephine van Wijk and Makenzie Switzer along with the Patriot League rookie of the year Stella Malinowski.
Remarkably, all four will be returning to compete for the Patriot League title!!! In addition freshman Katie Gibbs and Junior Laine Delmotte have been selected for the Junior Canadian World Cup team playing in Santiago, Chile this week and next!!
The Leopards will be returning to their team, a group that saw the majority of minutes during their run as runner up in the League. They missed going to NCAA tournament because of a one goal loss in the Patriot League Championship.
By adding a decent freshman class next year and the return of several injured players the Leopards should be favored to take it all next year or I might eat a hockey ball if they are not !!! I can’t wait for spring, as skills improve and we can insert a healthy team to the pitch.
In a hard fought contest, the Leopards narrowly missed winning it all but for a a goal by American early in the fourth quarter. Lafayette out shot the Eagles and the Eagles out cornered the Leopards, both stats proving both teams executed to their strength.
In an interview with the on camera host, America Coach Steve Jennings revealed he likes to substitute early to preserve freshness for the later quarters. Lafayette was hampered with a shorter bench due to injuries and several walking wounded on the field. It was a courageous effort by all as the Leopards were in reach of the trophy.
Lena Thedrian sprints upfield
Leneke Spaans was circled by three and sometime four America defenders during the course of the game. Lena Thedrian and co-captain India Ralph picked up the slack in moving the ball downfield.
The Lafayette defense was stout, turning the Eagle offense away especially in the first half. However, in the third quarter American turned it up a notch and they were helped by two back to back green cards against the Leopards!!
Josephine van Wijk sizes up American
Clearly the longer American bench was helpful, but I had to be impressed by Lafayette’s spirit and effort in the afternoon. Which brings to mind..what now!???
This is clearly a talented and spirited team with virtually all coming back next year. To my mind a new freshman class of 8 or 9 good players would be enough to bring the trophy to Easton. This team deserves the support of the college and their fans. IF WE ARE AT ALL SERIOUS ABOUT CHAMPIONSHIPS reasonable but vigorous support will put us in a good place next year at this same time. That is what Title IX is all about!!! Live it just don’t talk it!!!
We will be playing American, Boston University, and Lehigh at home…and if I am correct in my assessment…hosting the tournament!!
Field Hockey team cheers on Men’s Soccer team in their shoot out win!!
PS. I was pleased to see our team cheering on the soccer team last night to their shootout win in the quarter finals at home. This is a quality group and I could not be more proud of this group of young women!!
Lafayette Comes From Behind Twice To Win In Overtime 3-2 On Thedrian Goal
In an afternoon where the Leopards slowly gained possession time and in the end dominated statistically, Lafayette walked away with a 3-2 win over Boston University. At 64:09 the Leopards were executing a offensive penalty corner which was blocked by Boston. The ricochet ended on the stick of Josephine van Wijk who saw first year player Lena Thedrian on the far post who took the “rock” and delivered the goal for the win. It was Lena’s first goal of the season and career. The team erupted in happiness and swarmed the Lafayette defender.
Mackenzie Switzer closes in on BU player
Later in an interview she viewed the moment as the happiest in her life!. She later hoped her parents were watching in Germany!!
But the final goal was not the only heroics of the afternoon. The Terriers were winning 2-1 with less than one minute left in regulation when first year Lea Good took a ball delivered by Lineke Spaans to the back of the goal to tie the game and put the team into the overtime situation.
Spaans circles around a BU defender
BU started the game with an early goal by Thalia Stevenssens at 3:11 giving them a 1-0 lead which held up though the end of the first half. After halftime super player Lineke Spaans delivered the tying goal at 31:02 with assists from Mackensie Switzer and India Raph. Nine minutes later BU again moved ahead with a goal of their own. In the fourth quarter, the Leopards redoubled efforts culminating in Good’s goal with less than a minute remaining.
co captain India Ralph lines up a pass
Spaans was clearly the catalyst all game long advancing the ball, challenging defences and getting off 6 shots, scoring one goal and assisting on another. Josephine van Wijk was her usual self, placing herself in a position to be a threat culminating in her assist to Thedrian for the win!!
Offensive Penalty Corner explodes
As I mentioned Lafayette dominated the stats getting off 20 shots agains 4 by Boston. They managed to hold BU to 0 shots in the second and fourth quarter. Boston did get off a shot in overtime saved by a spectacularly by Emma Garvey. Lafayette had 8 shots alone in the fourth quarter and four in the overtime.
Catalina Rubel gets down for the block
The Leopards had 10 penalty corners to only one by BU.
Lafayette will meet American on Saturday for the championship and an NCCA bid! American also won their game against Bucknell 3-2 having scored all three goals in the first period. Bucknell came back and had two penalty corner attempts with no time left and failed to connect!!
American beat Lafayette 3-1 early in the season after the Leopards scored first!! The action begins at 1 pm on ESPN plus.
The top four teams in the League standings are still playing this Thursday in the semi-final round of the Patriot League tournament, and anyone is capable of the claiming the championship on Saturday. For example, Bucknell is seeded fourth but all three of their league losses came with one goal margins or overtime shootouts.
Lafayette claimed the number 2 slot, and was tied with Bucknell with a scoring margin of 1.51 positive and with number of shots (86) considering only league play. Lafayette has the stingiest defense of the group by allowing only 5 goals over the 6 games.
In corners earned, American leads the pack with 59, BU has 38, Bucknell has 37 and Lafayette has 30. Bucknell leads with 16 goals, then Lafayette with 14, American with 13 and Boston recorded 12 goals during the PL season.
But the task at hand is the semi-final game tomorrow. Lafayette plays at 2 pm after the American /Bucknell game. Boston has always been known for their defense and how it creates offensive opportunities but the Lafayette defense has been stellar this season.
The Leopards will enter the playoffs after capturing five all patriot honors. Stella Malinowski was rookie of the year, Lineke Spaans ad Mackensie Switzer made first team and Laine Delmotte, Josephine vanWijk, and Stella Malinowski were named to the second team. It should be noted that is three juniors, a sophomore, and a freshman, all returning next year.
During the play by play last Saturday between American and Boston the announcer said how that game could be the preview of the championship game. Lafayette will have something to say about that by captains Spaans and Ralph, and the team. An eleven year veteran coach, Jennifer Stone will have the team ready. This is an intense competitive group that will be on the turf in the coming days!! Couldn’t be more excited for the tournament.
Lafayette College Field Hockey 