July 17, 2009

EASTON, Pa. - The Lafayette field hockey team has announced its 2009 fall schedule. The Leopards will have nine home contests, including the program's first-ever Lafayette College Invitational.

Lafayette opens the season with three straight road games that begin with a Sept. 5 contest at Longwood. The Leopards play against Radford (at Longwood) the next day before traveling to Temple on Sept. 11.

Lafayette opens its home season with four games in seven days at Rappolt Field. The team plays host to Georgetown on Sept. 13 followed by Big-10 champion Penn State on Sept. 16 and Pacific on Sept. 17.

On Sept. 20, the Leopards will hold the inaugural Lafayette College Tournament. Pacific and Hofstra will square off in the first game followed by the Leopards' game against Quinnipiac.

Lafayette is back on the road for three games from Sept. 26-Oct. 3. The Oct. 3 contest at Bucknell marks the start of Patriot League play.

League play continues on Oct. 10 when the Leopards welcome Holy Cross to Rappolt Field. A road game at West Chester precedes another two-game homestand that includes archrival Lehigh on Oct. 17 and Rutgers on Oct. 18.

On Oct. 21, Lafayette travels to Drexel before hosting defending Patriot League champion American on Oct. 24. The squad rounds out Patriot League play on Oct. 31 at Colgate.

The Patriot League Tournament will take place on Nov. 7-8 at the site of the highest seed.

The Leopards are coming off a highly successful 2008 campaign. Their 12-7 record marked the winningest season in five years and the squad ranked 12th nationally in shutout victories. Six players earned All-Patriot League selections and a league-high seventeen student-athletes were placed on the Academic Honor Roll.