WORCESTER, Mass. – The Holy Cross field hockey team will take on top-seeded Boston University in the semifinals of the Patriot League Tournament this Thursday at 12 p.m. in Boston.

The Crusaders clinched the four seed last Sunday when they defeated Colgate, 2-1, and Boston University defeated Lehigh, 5-2. The victory leapfrogged the Crusaders from seventh place in the conference at 1.0 points per game, all the way to fourth at 1.4 points per game. This completed the four-team field with Boston University as the top seed, American as the second, Bucknell as the third, and Holy Cross as the fourth.

This will be the Crusaders fourth appearance in the postseason in the last five years after qualifying during the 2016, 2017, and 2019 seasons. The Terriers are appearing in the postseason for the first time since 2018 after missing them last year for the first time in program history since joining the Patriot League in 2013. It snapped a six-year streak that saw BU finish the regular season either first or second in the league.

Things to Know About the Crusaders (2-3, 2-3 PL):

• Every game Holy Cross has played this season has been decided by one goal, and that trend continued the in the final game of the regular season, a 2-1 victory over Colgate.
• In the game against the Raiders, freshman Allie McDonough struck first with just 31 seconds remaining in the second quarter, her first collegiate goal, to give the Crusaders a 1-0 lead headed into halftime. Lily Watson assisted on the play.
• Early in the third, Caitlin Little doubled the Holy Cross lead off a feed from Courtney McMullen on a penalty corner. Colgate's Taylor Casamassa would cut the lead in half just a minute into the final frame, but it wasn't enough as the Crusaders would hold on for the victory.
• Freshman goalie Brooke Ross came up huge in just her second collegiate start, making eight saves in the game including four in the fourth quarter to preserve the win.
• McDonough earned Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors for her efforts against Colgate and Ross was named Goalkeeper of the Week. It was Ross' second honor in as many games as she was named Rookie of the Week after her first collegiate victory against Lehigh.
• The Crusaders have displayed a balanced offensive attacked this season, with their six goals coming from five different players. Rachel Perry is the only player to have scored twice and she leads the team with four points. Lily Watson and Kristen Weber are tied for second on the team with three points from one goal and one assist. Gabby Venezia has a team-high two assists on the year.
• In Ross' two starts, coming in the final two games of the regular season, the freshman has posted team-leading marks in goals against average at 1.00 and save percentage at .889. Emma Skumurski started the first three games and recorded a 1.58 and .737 respectively.

Things to Know About the Terriers (4-0, 4-0 PL):

• BU started the year out with three one-goal victories, all 2-1 games, over Holy Cross, Lafayette, and Colgate. The Terrier offense exploded in its most recent game of the season, a 5-2 over Lehigh. In the game, Liz Ryan scored two goals, while Kathryn Scheerer, Tess Csejka, and Elli McIntyre all picked up one.
• The Terriers took an early 2-0 lead in the first three minutes of game action, but the Mountain Hawks answered back, tying the game at two going into the half. BU would go on to score three unanswered goals in the second half to claim the win.
• On the season, Scheerer leads the team with three goals and one assist for seven points. Ryan's three goals put her at second on the team and McIntyre is third with two.
• Thalia Steenssens has a team-high three assists on the year, while Casey Thompson has recorded two.
• Caroline Kelly has started three of the Terriers' four games in goal and has posted a 1.32 goals against average and a .667 save percentage. Kate Thompson got the start against Colgate and allowed one goal and stopped three of four shots on goal.

Last Time They Met:

• The Crusaders and Terriers opened the season in Worcester with BU claiming the 2-1 victory.
• Scheerer scored at the two-minute mark of the game to give the Terrieres the early lead. Weber would tie the game with an assist from Minke Koomen later in the first quarter and that's how the game would remain until the end of the fourth.
• Rebecca Janes recorded the game-winner with under three minutes remaining in the game to start BU out 1-0 on the year and drop Holy Cross to 0-1.
• Shots were relatively even on the day with the Terriers holding the slight edge at 13-11. BU also out earned Holy Cross in penalty corners, 7-3.
• Both Skumurski and Kelly made four saves on the day.