BOSTON - Aiming for a fourth straight appearance in the Patriot League title game, the No. 14 Boston University field hockey team (12-5) opens the conference tournament on Friday (Nov. 4) with a semifinal match-up against fourth-seeded Bucknell (9-8). Game time at New Balance Field is set for 1 p.m.

BU, the two-time defending conference champion, is hosting the tournament for the second consecutive year after claiming the regular-season title with a win at American on Saturday. American, the No. 2 seed, will take on third-seeded Holy Cross in Friday's second semifinal at 4 p.m. Free coffee, hot chocolate and donuts will be available for fans. 
 
The winners will face off on Sunday (Nov. 6) at noon in the championship game. All three contests will be broadcast live on the Patriot League Network.
 
The Terriers and Bison will be meeting in the league tournament for the fourth time in as many years. BU won the first three, which included two semifinal match-ups and the 2014 title game.
 
Last season's tournament tilt between the two schools went to double overtime before Sofi Laurito scored to lift the Terriers to a 3-2 triumph.
 
BU is 5-1 all-time in the PL tournament with its only loss coming in the 2013 championship game against American.
 
Earlier this season, BU traveled to Bucknell and earned a 2-1 victory. The Terriers got a goal in each half to take a 2-0 lead before the Bison scored in the 63rd minute.
 
This year's Bucknell team features three All-PL players. Senior midfielder Amy Mucelli was a unanimous first-team selection and was joined on the top squad by classmate Anna Wills. Freshman forward Brittany Willwerth was named to the second team.
 
Sophomore Nicole Rupnik leads the Bison in both points (18) and goals (8) and junior Stephanie Dressler is second in scoring with 14 points on five goals and four assists. Willwerth ranks third with 12 points (5g, 2a) while Mucelli and fellow senior Estelle Palandjian share the team lead in assists at five.
 
In goal, junior Emily Finn has played every second this season for Bucknell and enters the tournament with a .735 save percentage and a 1.98 goals-against average.
 
The Terriers placed five players – all seniors – on the All-PL teams, led by tri-captains Hester van der Laan and Ellie Landsman, who earned the Patriot League Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards, respectively, and were joined on the first team by Taylor Blood and Cammy Jensen. Tri-captain Amanda Cassera was selected to the second team.
 
Cassera has paced the Terriers in scoring all season long and enters the postseason with 22 points on nine goals and four assists. Van der Laan (6g, 4a) and Blood (4g, 7a) have contributed 16 and 15 points, respectively. Sophomores Kara Enoch (5g, 2a) and Ally Hammel (4g, 4a) have each added 12 points and nine of Enoch's points have come in the past five contests.
 
Jensen has started all 17 games in her senior campaign and currently ranks eighth in the nation and first in the Patriot League in goals-against average at 1.22. Her save percentage of .724 is good for 24th in the country.