BOSTON - First place in the Patriot League will be on the line Saturday when the No. 25 Boston University field hockey team hosts No. 24 American at New Balance Field. Game time is set for 11 a.m.
 

No. 25 Boston University (6-5, 2-0 PL) vs. No. 24 American (9-3, 3-0 PL)
Date & Time	Saturday, Oct. 7 | 11 a.m.
Venue	New Balance Field | Boston, Mass.
Live Stats	GoTerriers.com
Watch	Patriot League Network | Where and How to Watch PLN
Twitter	@BUGameDay | @TerrierFH

 
The teams have met for the PL championship in three of the past four seasons with the Eagles winning in 2013 and 2016 and BU coming out on top in 2015. Last season, the Terriers earned a 2-1 road win over American to claim the league's regular-season title and earn the right to host the conference tournament, where the Eagles emerged victorious in a 1-0 contest in the title match.

The Eagles are 3-0 in Patriot League play this season and 9-3 overall, having won six of their past seven contests. The Terriers have alternated wins and losses over their past five contests and enter the weekend with a record of 6-5 to go along with a 2-0 conference mark.

Last weekend, the Eagles earned 3-2 home wins over both Holy Cross and Longwood. BU posted a 5-1 league win at Colgate last Friday before most recently falling to No. 2 Duke, 5-1, at home on Sunday.

Saturday will also pit the league's Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year in juniors Rafaela Rubas (American) and Ally Hammel (BU). Rubas is part of an impressive American scoring trio, as senior Haley Bowcutt has a team-high 21 points (8g, 5a), one ahead of Rubas (7g, 6a). Freshman Noor Coenen has had a strong start to her collegiate career, tallying 18 points on eight goals and two assists. 

In goal for the Eagles, junior Maura Jacobs boasts a league-best 1.34 goals-against average to go along with a .644 save percentage. 

The Terriers are led offensively by freshman Ailsa Connolly, who has 14 points on seven goals, while senior Grace Boston (3g, 2a) and Hammel (3g, 1a) have contributed eight and seven points, respectively, to BU's balanced scoring attack. Hammel is coming off a three-goal weekend. Four other Terriers have recorded six points apiece and that group includes senior Kali Shumock, who is tied with Rubas for the PL lead in assists this season with six.

After splitting the first 10 games of the season with junior Kathleen Keegan, freshman Millie Baker played the entire Duke game in goal for the Terriers. Head-to-head, Keegan holds the lead in both goals-against average (1.80 - 2.33) and save percentage (.679 - .573). 

In 12 all-time meetings, the Terriers hold a 9-3 lead over the Eagles and had won five straight games against their new conference rival before last year's title game. Saturday's tilt could very well end up determining where this year's tournament will be played.