Lafayette earned the top seed and home-field advantage for the Patriot League field hockey championship after finishing conference play undefeated. The Leopards host Holy Cross in a semifinal Thursday, while American faces defending champion Boston University; both winners advance to Saturday’s title game.

By the Numbers
  • Lafayette: 15-2 overall, 6-0 in the Patriot League, and riding a six-game winning streak.
  • The Leopards went 10-0 at home and claimed their first regular-season title since 2012.
  • American has reached the championship field for 26 consecutive seasons.
Yes, But

Lafayette is the clear favorite on paper, but the single-elimination format leaves little margin for error. Holy Cross is returning to the postseason for the first time since spring 2021, while Boston University enters as the defending champion.

State of Play
  • Thursday, Nov. 5: No. 4 Holy Cross visits No. 1 Lafayette at noon.
  • Thursday, Nov. 5: No. 3 Boston University meets No. 2 American at 3 p.m.
  • The championship game is Saturday, Nov. 7, at noon. All three games will air on ESPN+.
Bottom Line

Lafayette has earned the advantage of playing at home, but the title will come down to execution in two win-or-go-home games.