Four Finals Set on Thursday: UMass, Miami, Wagner, Sacred Heart, Lafayette and Boston University All Advance

Thursday was finals day across American college hockey. Four conferences played their semi-finals, and all four title games are now set for Saturday.

The biggest statement came in the MAC. Top seeds UMass, 17-1, beat Kent State 5-1 to reach the final, where they’ll meet Miami. The RedHawks edged James Madison 1-0 in the second semi. Miami are chasing a ninth straight MAC title-game appearance, and the final is Saturday at 1 p.m. ET (11 p.m. PKT) at the Miami Field Hockey Complex in Oxford, Ohio, live on ESPN+.

Saint Joseph’s are through to their 11th straight Atlantic 10 final, a league record. The Hawks beat Davidson 2-1 in the first semi, with Alison Buffington scoring after five minutes and Alex Enslin adding a third-quarter rebound off a Milou Kluyt corner. Davidson’s Ise Adams scored in the final minute, but it wasn’t enough. Richmond join them in Saturday’s final after Clara Larripa’s golden goal in the 68th minute sealed a 2-1 overtime win over VCU. The final is Saturday at noon ET (10 p.m. PKT) at Cary Street Field in Richmond, live on ESPN+. It’s a rematch of last season’s final.

Wagner made it four straight NEC finals. The Seahawks beat Rider 2-0, scoring inside the first nine minutes, and finished the league season 8-0. They’ll meet Sacred Heart on Saturday at noon ET (10 p.m. PKT) at the Wagner Field Hockey Complex on Staten Island, live on ESPN+. Sacred Heart got there with a 2-1 overtime win over Quinnipiac.

The Patriot League final is the heavyweight tie of the weekend. Top seeds Lafayette, 15-2 and ranked 15th nationally, beat Holy Cross 4-0 in the first semi, scoring from a penalty corner after eight minutes, again just before half-time, once more in the third quarter, and a fourth in the 55th minute. They’ll face defending champions Boston University, who edged American 1-0 on a 39th-minute goal. American goalkeeper Teagan Harmon made nine saves and her side even won the corner count 7-6, but BU found the one goal that mattered. The final is Saturday at noon ET (10 p.m. PKT) at Rappolt Field in Easton, Pennsylvania, live on ESPN+.

Four finals, four favourites, and four underdogs with nothing to lose. Saturday is going to be busy.