The fourth-seeded Holy Cross field hockey team is set to take on the top seed and No.15 nationally ranked Lafayette in the Patriot League semifinal round on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 12 p.m. in Easton, Pa. at Rappolt Field.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE CRUSADERS:
The Crusaders, who make their first appearance in the postseason since the spring of 2021, enter the matchup as the fourth seed in the tournament after finishing the regular season with a 9-6 overall record and 3-3 mark in the Patriot League. Holy Cross posted their first nine-win season since 2016 and first winning record since 2006 under first-year head coach Kim Cosenza.

The Crusaders are led on offense by newly minted Patriot League Rookie of the Year Marianna MacLean, who posted 25 points on eight goals and nine assists in 15 games, finishing the regular season in the top five of every offensive category in the Patriot League. The only freshman to earn a spot on the Patriot League first team, MacLean became the first Crusader to earn Rookie of the Year honors since 2016. Also earning spots on the Patriot League postseason teams were senior midfielder Maguire Sturgis, who led the Crusaders in minutes played this season, and junior goalkeeper Mia McCloskey, who posted a 7-5 record, 1.79 goals-against average, and .689 save percentage.

SCOUTING THE LEOPARDS:
Lafayette enters the matchup as the Patriot League Regular Season Champions, earning the honor of hosting the Patriot League Championship tournament. The Leopards, who sit at No. 15 in the national rankings, finished the regular season with a 15-2 overall record and perfect 6-0 record in conference play. 

The Leopards took home four of the six Patriot League major awards that were named on Tuesday, with senior Katie Gibb earning Midfielder of the Year, senior Lena Thedrian earning Defender of the Year, junior Addison Kahn earning Goalkeeper of the Year, and the staff earning Coaching Staff of the Year. Senior Stella Malinowski, senior Lea Good, and sophomore Rosalie van Gool also earned spots on the Patriot League postseason teams.

MATCHUP NOTES:
The two sides matched up once this season at the end of September at the Hart Turf Field. In a tightly contested defensive showdown that saw the two teams combine for just three shots, Lafayette came out victorious thanks to a goal in the third quarter.

Holy Cross and Lafayette met five times in the postseason dating back to 1997, with Holy Cross holding the slight edge in the all-time series, 3-2. The last meeting in the postseason between the two sides came in the 2006 season, with Holy Cross taking the semifinal matchup by a commanding 5-2 score.

Second-seeded American (10-7, 4-2 PL) will take on defending Patriot League Champion No. 3 Boston University (8-9, 4-2 PL) in the second game of the day at 3 p.m. The winners of the semifinal-round matchups will meet in the 2026 Patriot League Championship Game, set for Saturday, Nov. 7 at noon.

FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS 
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