NEC and Patriot League Finals Today: Wagner Host Sacred Heart, Lafayette Face Boston University
Two more conference titles are decided on Saturday, and both finals start at the same time.
In the NEC, No. 1 Wagner host No. 3 Sacred Heart at noon ET (10pm PKT). Wagner got here with a 2-0 semifinal win over Rider. Sacred Heart needed overtime to beat Quinnipiac 2-1 in the other semi. The hosts are favourites, but Sacred Heart have already shown they can win a tight one on the road in this tournament.
In the Patriot League, also at noon ET (10pm PKT), No. 1 Lafayette host No. 3 Boston University. Lafayette beat Holy Cross 4-0 in their semifinal. Boston University edged American 1-0 in theirs.
Lafayette are the story of this final. They’re 15-2 overall and 6-0 in the Patriot League, and they’re regular-season champions for the first time since 2012. The league’s major awards, announced on November 3, went their way too: Katie Gibb was named midfielder of the year, Lena Thedrian defender of the year, and Addison Kahn goalkeeper of the year. That’s a team built from the back, and Boston University will have to find a way through a defence that has barely been breached all season.
For our money, Lafayette should win this. A 15-2 record, a home final, and all three major individual awards in the squad is a lot to overcome. But Boston University only need one goal and a good defensive day to ruin the party, and they already proved in the semifinal they can win 1-0. Both finals are at noon ET, both carry an NCAA auto-bid, and both will be done by tonight.
