WASHINGTON, D.C. - Freshman Martu Coulo knocked in an elevated ball off a corner in the 47th minute for the game's lone goal, pushing the top-seeded Boston University field hockey team past Bucknell, 1-0, in the semifinal round of the Patriot League Championship on Thursday afternoon at Jacobs Recreational Complex.

Senior Caroline Kelly stopped both shots on goal she faced to earn the shutout as the Terriers advanced to the Patriot League title game for the eighth time in 10 years. BU maintained its perfect record in PL semifinal contests, improving to 8-0. 

The Terriers secured a 10-win season and will enter Saturday's title game with a record of 10-8.

BU will face Lehigh for the championship on Saturday after the Mountain Hawks defeated American for their first league tournament win since 1996.
 

WE'RE HEADING TO THE TITLE GAME‼️

This tip-in by Marty was the difference in the 1-0 win.@espn | @PatriotLeagueTV #BUFHApride pic.twitter.com/T7NevbCTve

— BU Field Hockey (@TerrierFH) November 3, 2022

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Terriers had the better of the play in the opening quarter, recording three shots, two of which where on goal, and collecting a pair of corners while not allowing a shot on the other end.
• Bucknell turned the tables in the second quarter, putting two shots on goal while preventing the Terriers from getting a shot off. 
• The Bison's lone corner of the contest came in the 19th minute, and off a broken play, an entry ball was deflected away before Bucknell could get to it.  
• Neither team was able to get on the board in the opening half and the teams entered the break scoreless.
• BU stepped up in the second half and never allowed the Bison to threaten.
• While down a player due to a green card, the Terriers actually strung together their best run of chances with three straight corners towards the end of the third, but a pair of defensive saves kept it a 0-0 game.
• The decisive goal came in early in the fourth as Coulo raced up the field to set up fellow freshman Amalia Preece.
• The pass was ahead of Preece, forcing her to make a diving shot, but the attempt was on goal and the save by Frederick resulted in a corner as the ball went off a defender. 
• The corner was BU's ninth and final of the contest but it proved to be difference as a shot by sophomore Payton Anderson was tipped in the air towards the goalmouth, where Coulo knocked it in from midair at the 46:44 mark.
• BU had to kill off a five-minute yellow card on graduate student Casey Thompson that was issued in the 50th minute.
• The defense stepped up yet again while down a player and returned to full strength in the final minute before shutting down the Bison and clinching the win.

GAME NOTES

• BU outshot Bucknell, 12-3, including an 8-2 margin in shots on goal.
• The Terriers earned nine corners while allowing only one.
• The result secures a 10-win season for BU for the first time since 2018.
• BU has now won six of its past eight games, a span that started with a 2-1 win at then-No. 25 American.

UP NEXT

• The Terriers will face third-seeded Lehigh, which pulled off a 2-1 upset of second-seeded American in a match that was settled by a nine-round shootout.
• The championship game will take place on Saturday (Nov. 5) at 11 a.m.
• BU defeated Lehigh back on Sept. 17 by a score of 4-1.