Category: Soccer

Doug Hendry

Staff Writer

After missing the Patriot League tournament in 2011 and 2012, the women’s soccer team clinched a spot in the playoffs this year with a 2-0 shutout against Holy Cross at Emmitt Field on Oct. 26, its fifth shutout of the season.

It was Homecoming Weekend and Senior Day for the Bison, and they knew that destiny was in their own hands. The scoring started in the first half for the Bison, as a defender deflected a Cassie Denger ’15 strike into the net to give the team a 1-0 lead. The Crusaders sent in a barrage of shots towards the end of the first half, but Jessica Ratner ’17 stopped everything in her way in her first collegiate start.

The game went back and forth in the second half as Holy Cross tried to equalize, but the defense stepped up once again, limiting the Crusaders to only a few quality opportunities on offense. Offensively for the Orange and Blue, Chelsey Garkowski ’14 scored with less than five minutes remaining on an assist from Courtney Nelson ’15 to put the game away. This was the fourth goal of the season for the senior, ensuring the Bison fans would leave the stadium happy.

“Helping the team clinch a tournament berth was unbelievable, especially on Senior Day. To be able to start for the first time and get the shutout is something I have honestly dreamed about since I was in high school,” Ratner said.

Holy Cross had 12 total shots, and Ratner made seven saves to secure her first shutout and second win of the season. The Orange and Blue also performed strongly on offense, putting together 18 total shots. Garkowski recorded four shots, while Liz Dwornik ’14, Evelyn Nicinski ’15, and Sarah Bresette ’17 had three shots apiece. This constant offensive pressure led to the ninth straight victory for the Orange and Blue over Holy Cross.

Garkowski, Dwornik, Bridget Gilmartin ’14, Corey Tipton ’14, and Alex Degarmo ’14 were all honored before the game, as this was their final regular season home game as Bison. It was also the 100th career win for head coach Ben Landis.

The Bison are now 7-8-1 overall and 4-3-1 in Patriot League play, with 13 points in the Patriot League standings. In a tie for fourth place with American, the Bison are still in contention for a home game in their quarterfinal match. The Bison’s regular season finale will be on Nov. 2 at Boston University at 2 p.m.

“Going into Boston University, I think the focus needs to be on keeping possession of the ball and playing our hearts out, not just to get the win but for each other. Boston is a really good team and in order to beat them we have to work together, keep possession, and never give up,” Ratner said.

Doug Hendry

Staff Writer

Women’s Soccer Stuns Lehigh, Beats Loyola, for first conference wins

A two-goal first half deficit could not deter the women’s soccer team on Sept. 27, as it came back against Lehigh for a 3-2 overtime victory at the Ulrich Sports Complex. Sarah Bresette ’17 led the Bison with two goals, while tri-captain Liz Dwornik ’14 dished out three assists. On Oct. 2, the Bison’s winning streak continued with a 2-1 win at Emmitt Field against Patriot League newcomer Loyola (Md.).

Lehigh’s only two shots on goal in the first half ended up in the back of the net, and the Bison were unable to cut into the lead during the first half. With 45 minutes to go, the Bison entered the second half a new team.

“Going into the second half, we really just came out with the belief that we could turn things around. Every Patriot League game is so important and we knew we needed the three points that come with a victory,” Dwornik said.

Their first score came in the 57th minute, when Evelyn Nicinski ’15 redirected a header past the keeper. Less than seven minutes later, Chelsey Garkowski ’14 and Dwornik kept the pressure on the Lehigh goalie, and Bresette powered the loose ball into the net for her first goal of the game.

The Bison almost ended the game early, as Garkowski’s run up the right side led to a cross into the box in the closing seconds. Despite the pressure, the offense couldn’t finish, leading to the Bison’s third overtime match this season. It didn’t take long, as the Bison were able to end on the winning side this time. Bresette’s second goal was a far-post rocket from outside the 18. Bresette’s first multi-goal game, with the help of Dwornik’s career-high three assists, capped an amazing comeback and first conference win for the Bison.

“It felt so great to finally get an overtime victory,” Dwornik said. “This was one of the best experiences I have had since playing soccer at Bucknell. I honestly could not wipe the smile off my face even hours after the game had ended.”

Five days later, the Bison returned home for a match against Loyola (Md.). This was the first game between the Bison and Loyola as conference rivals. Loyola had not won in its past nine matches, and the Bison took control of the game through the first half. Cassie Denger ’15 had her left-footed shot go over the Loyola keeper after a beautiful long through ball by Nicinski. With less than four minutes in the half, the Bison took a 2-0 lead when Corey Tipton ’14 scored her first goal of the year after some chaotic play inside the box.

Loyola fought back in the second half, cutting the deficit to one goal, but couldn’t muster enough offense to defeat the Orange and Blue. The Loyola goalkeeper was busy all night, and the Bison earned its second conference victory.

Bresette earned Brine Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week, and the Bison (5-6, 2-1 PL) will travel to face American tomorrow at noon.

Doug Hendry

Contributing Writer

Although the women’s soccer team put up a tough fight through a massive rain storm on Sept. 21 against Army at Emmitt Field, they couldn’t pull through and lost in double overtime 2-1. Chelsey Garkowski ’14 scored the lone goal for the Bison in their first conference game of the season.

“I think anyone watching saw that it was a very good game on both ends,” Sarah Bresette ’17 said. “Chelsey had a great goal to keep us in the game, and we went into overtime pumped up and ready. Obviously it was a tough loss, but a great game all in all.”

The Orange and Blue had just returned home from a pair of matches in Maryland and were looking to kick off conference play on the right foot. Army came into the match with a 4-3-1 record, including a 5-0 dismantling of Rhode Island in its last match. Looking to stop the momentum of the Black Knights, the Bison would have their hands full. Even more, the Bison would be without Evelyn Nicinski ’15, who was playing for Poland in a World Cup qualifier.

The first update on the scoreboard came on Army’s goal from the top of the 18 with less than four minutes remaining in the first half. The Bison had a few chances to put up a goal of their own, including Courtney Nelson ’15 who made a pair of long runs from defense. Yet the Bison trailed 1-0 after the first half.

The Bison had no problem getting the equalizing goal as Garkowski outhustled the defense and scored in the 47th minute. Garkowski is one of two players, along with goalkeeper Jessie Ashworth ’16, to start in all nine games for the Bison.

The Army squad would not give up that easily, as they took control of the final portion of regulation. The Black Knights, finishing with 22 shots, used effective corners as well as a barrage of crosses into the box, threatening to put the game winner on the board. Still, the Bison defense stopped everything in its way, forcing overtime.

It was a balanced battle for the majority of the game, but Army kept the ball throughout overtime. An Army player redirected an incoming cross right in front of the keeper for the final goal one minute into the second overtime period.

“Finishing out those games to clinch a victory requires us finding the inner drive for that final push, which is something that I feel we are so close to mastering,” Montana Paley ’17 said.

The Bison, now 3-6 (0-1 in-conference), will square off against Lehigh in Bethlehem, Pa. tonight at 7 for another conference battle.

Doug Hendry

Contributing Writer

The women’s soccer team snapped its four-game losing streak in Maryland this past weekend, as it blanked Towson 1-0 on Sept. 13 at the Tiger Soccer Complex. In its second game of the weekend against UMBC, the Retrievers scored a late goal to win 1-0 at Retriever Soccer Park on Sept. 15.

Back on the road for a pair of games in Maryland, the Bison faced off against the Towson Tigers. Both teams started slow, with the scoreboard still blank at the end of the first half. In the second half, two juniors helped put the Orange and Blue into the lead. Brigit Falcon ’15 put the winning goal into the back of the net with the assist from Evelyn Nicinski ’15 in the 71st minute. The shot was Falcon’s first goal of the season.

Towson stepped up the pressure through the final part of the game, but the clutch play of Jessie Ashworth ’16, including five total saves, preserved the third shutout of the season for the Bison.

“The victory over Towson was crucial to building confidence and putting the past couple games behind us,” defender Lauren Dandie ’16 said. “We have a young back line which has had to endure some unfortunate injuries and adjust to new personalities, so getting this shutout is something we take a lot of pride in.”

On Sept. 15, for the second game in a row, the score was tied 0-0 at halftime, with the time of possession heavily favoring UMBC. The Bison were outshot 5-1 in the first half.

It looked as if the game was going to go into overtime, but UMBC headed the ball into the net off a far corner for the lone goal with 5:06 remaining. This score proved to be the deciding factor in UMBC’s victory.

The Bison have scored eight goals through eight games this season, while racking up nearly 15 shots per game.

The women’s soccer team, now 3-5, will face Army at home tomorrow at 2 p.m. for the start of conference play. Dandie has confidence in her team going against Patriot League opponents.

“With league play right around the corner, I believe that we need to take one opponent at a time and focus in on that. Hopefully from here on out we are able to stay healthy and continue to work hard in practices and stay positive as a team. We are an extremely close unit, and if we work for each other on the field while doing our individual jobs, I have faith that the victories will come,” Dandie said.

Doug Hendry

Contributing Writer

The women’s soccer team stood firm against St. Francis (Pa.) and one of the top forwards in the nation, but the Red Flash came from behind with two late goals to steal a 2-1 win at Emmitt Field on Sept. 7. In their following game against Penn State on Sept. 10, the Bison suffered another loss (6-0) on their home turf.

After a pair of tough road losses, the Bison returned home to face St. Francis. Both teams used aggressive formations with plenty of shots but failed to score during the first half. The Red Flash focused on short, simple passing while the Orange and Blue tried for quick counterattacks.

The Bison featured various outlooks on the field, as Head Coach Ben Landis used 19 different players.

“Our team has great team chemistry off the field, so when we play together and work for each other, we really can put it together,” Cassie Denger ’15 said. “Our team is about playing hard for the person next to you, no matter who it is.”

The speed and energy of the Bison subs helped counteract the experience of St. Francis, and Danielle Piccirilli ’16 put the Bison on the board first with a goal off the post with 25 minutes remaining in the second half.

The Orange and Blue faced 38 total shots, including 15 from Tesa McKibben, the NCAA Division I active leader in points scored. McKibben scored a late goal in regulation to tie the game, as well as the game-winner with one minute left in the second overtime period. The win for the Red Flash was their fourth straight against the Bison.

Looking forward, the Orange and Blue were hunting for a big upset in their toughest test yet against No. 13 Penn State. This Penn State squad made it to the national championship game the previous season.

“We have to set the tone early on our home field,” Denger said before the game. “We will play tough for each other and give everything we have.” 

Unfortunately, the Bison did not kick off to a great start. Penn State scored less than two minutes into the game and did not take its foot off the pedal. Despite the loss, 1,390 spectators turned out to watch the Bison, the largest audience the women’s soccer team has ever seen.

The Bison, now 2-4, will head to Towson today, looking to start another winning streak.

Ajan Caneda
Copy Editor

The women’s soccer team battled hard against Navy on Oct. 27, but was defeated 1-0 in Annapolis, Md. A win or draw would have clinched a Patriot League playoff spot for the Orange and Blue, but one-loss Navy broke the scoreless game and protected the lead from a Bison shooting surge in the second half. Lehigh’s win against Holy Cross eliminated the Bison from playoff contention.

With Navy being undefeated in the Patriot League, the Bison were determined to give the Midshipmen their first loss in conference play. Navy started out aggressively on offense with a 15-5 shot advantage in the first half. Goalie Sandita McDermott ’13 halted Navy’s barrage temporarily, saving seven shots. The game appeared to be 0-0 going into halftime, but Navy scored their first goal in the 43rd minute to take the lead.

“[Our] team kept the shape and formation the same to start the second half but switched to a more offensive minded shape halfway through in hopes to get a goal and tie the game up,” McDermott said.

The Bison were more successful defending Navy in the second half, limiting them to eight shots and zero corner kicks. Courtney Nelson ’15 and Liz Dwornik ’14 combined for nine of the Orange and Blue’s 14 shot attempts in the game. Even with the shot advantage in the second half, Navy’s defense controlled the tempo of the game, as the Bison were unable to find the net. McDermott had 11 saves in the game. Nelson had three shots on goal, while Chelsey Garkowski ’14, Cassie Denger ’15 and Dwornik each had one on target.

“We put three players in the back instead of four [in the second half] which did help us get an increased offensive attack but unfortunately not enough for this particular day,” McDermott said.

The Orange and Blue finished their season 10-9 overall with a 3-4 record in Patriot League play, improving from a 5-10-1 record last year. They also had six shutouts this season, including three straight against Buffalo, St. Bonaventure and UMBC.

Although disappointed from the loss, McDermott is proud of her team’s effort and the strong showing it put together this year. She ends her Bison career second in program history in both shutouts and goals-against average. She also finished third in save percentage, fourth in wins and fifth in saves. Joining McDermott on the graduating stage are Taryn Boucher ’13, Corinne Collins ’13, Meghan Fitzpatrick ’13, Emily Trosch ’13, Jenna Tryon ’13 and Kayla Yee ’13.

“Navy is the first place team, currently, and we played an amazing game against them. Having a 1-0 result is something to be proud of,” McDermott said. “I just couldn’t be happier to have been surrounded by such an amazing group of girls and coaching staff to allow us all do what we love and just play soccer. Having the chance to break school records and now be listed on several of the record lists is amazing and more than anything I ever imagined out of my college career.”

Ajan Caneda
Copy Editor

The women’s soccer team defeated Lafayette 1-0 this past weekend to put itself in prime position to secure a playoff spot. Earlier last week, the Bison suffered a 2-1 loss at Lehigh in a double overtime thriller. The Orange and Blue are currently fourth in the Patriot League standings with one regular season game left to play.

“Going into the Lafayette game, we knew we had to win. Our team handled that pressure and I thought we remained composed even though it was 0-0 for the majority of the game,” Kayla Yee ’13 said.

On Sunday, the Bison defeated Lafayette 1-0 in a hard fought match-up. Defense was the focus for both teams, as they combined for only four shot attempts in the first half.

The Orange and Blue pressured the Leopard defense, as they attempted six shots in the second half. In her first minutes of the match, Jenna Tryon ’13 launched a cross pass that found Taryn Boucher ’13, who scored the game winning goal on a leaping volley with seven minutes and six seconds remaining in the game. Boucher also shined on the other end of the field, leading to her first career Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week award.

“Taryn [Boucher] had a great goal with about seven minutes to play, and after that our defense did great to finish out the game and keep them off the scoreboard,” Yee said.

At Lehigh, the Bison were in unusual territory, as they went into overtime for the first time this season.

Thirty seconds into the first half, Chelsey Garkowski ’14 nailed a goal in the top left corner of the net to give the Orange and Blue the early lead. The Mountain Hawks answered back with a goal in the 12th minute to tie the score. It remained 1-1 at halftime.

The Mountain Hawks picked up the intensity in the second half with 11 shot attempts. The Bison defense remained stout, preventing Lehigh from finding the net. Goalie Sandita McDermott ’13 continued her sensational goalkeeping with a season-high of 12 saves. Unfortunately, the Orange and Blue only had five shot attempts in the second half, two of which were on target. The game remained 1-1 heading into overtime.

Lehigh carried their momentum into overtime with 13 shot attempts. The Bison offense struggled to produce, finishing with one shot attempt in the overtime period. Even with a strong defensive performance, the Mountain Hawk attack was too much, as a Lehigh goal clinched the game in the 106th minute.

Garkowski finished with a team-high four shot attempts. Courtney Nelson ’15 had three of her own, while six players finished with one.

The Bison will conclude their regular season tomorrow in Annapolis, Md. against Navy. The Orange and Blue can clinch a playoff berth with a win or tie against the Midshipmen, or a Lehigh loss or draw tomorrow.

“Saturday is a big game; we have to win or draw against Navy in order to make playoffs. I have complete confidence in my team and am looking forward to Saturday,” Yee said.

Ajan Caneda
Copy Editor

After dropping its first conference game against Colgate on Sept. 29, the women’s soccer team bounced back to pick up home wins over Holy Cross and Army. Unfortunately, the Orange and Blue were unable to capitalize on its scoring opportunities against American, falling 1-0 to the Eagles on Senior Day. Seven seniors were honored, including midfielder Taryn Boucher ’13, who had a team high of seven shot attempts in the loss. Currently, the Bison are 9-7 overall, with a 2-2 record in Patriot League play.

“There was a lot of excitement going into the game, but we understood that it was important for us to stay focused on beating American,” Boucher said. “Unfortunately, although I think we were the better team, we could not come back from their goal in the first half. Sometimes that’s just the game of soccer.”

The Bison struggled on offense early, reeling off only three shot attempts in the first half. American countered with eight of their own and found the back of the net in the 25th minute for the 1-0 lead. Despite the low shot production, the Bison kept the pressure on with four corner kicks in the half.

In the second half, the Bison picked things up, trying to even the score. The Orange and Blue outshot the Eagles 11-4 in the half. This included a blocked shot attempt by Boucher that would have been the equalizer for the Bison. Despite the shot advantage for the Orange and Blue, American stayed strong in goal, not allowing anything to go past the net, including a Kayla Yee ’13 penalty kick that sailed over the goal post.

Goalie Sandita McDermott ’13 finished with three saves, while Boucher, Yee and Liz Dwornik ’14 combined for 12 of the Bison’s 14 shot attempts.

“It was definitely a hard loss, especially on Senior Day,” Yee said. “We started out slow in the first half and American capitalized on their chances. In the second half, I thought we were the better team but weren’t able to find the back of the net.”

Yee and McDermott reflected on their journeys as Bison soccer players.

“The past four years at Bucknell have been amazing. My teammates and coaches have been the best part of my experience … and I’m definitely going to miss them next year,” Yee said.

“Being a member of this team really embodies something so much more than yourself and allows you to not only grow as an individual but really grow with a group, particularly with the six other girls in my class. I would say that being a part of this team is what made my Bucknell experience as amazing as it is,” McDermott said.

The Bison start a three-game road trip against two Patriot League rivals this weekend. They will travel to Bethlehem, Pa. tonight to face Lehigh. On Sunday, the Orange and Blue will make their way to Easton, Pa. to battle Lafayette at 1 p.m.

“Although the loss was disappointing, our season is far from over. We have a really important weekend coming up versus Lehigh and Lafayette, and it’s important for us to put this defeat behind us and focus on winning our next three league games and securing our spot in the tournament,” Boucher said.

Ajan Caneda
Copy Editor

The women’s soccer team struggled this past week, falling 4-1 against Colgate in its Patriot League opener on Sept. 29. On Oct. 2, the Orange and Blue put up a valiant effort against No. 4 Penn State, but were unable to contain the offensive attack of the Nittany Lions, suffering a 3-1 loss in Happy Valley.

During this season, the Bison (7-6) have gotten off to early leads that have allowed them to control the tempo of the game. In the Orange and Blue’s home conference opener, Colgate struck first, scoring its first goal in the ninth minute of the match. The Raiders continued to pressure the Orange and Blue, reeling off 14 shot attempts and six corner kicks in the first half. A Bison own goal pushed the lead to 2-0 at halftime.

“It was a pretty tough game, and Colgate finished their best chances, while we struggled a bit in that area,” Courtney Nelson ’15 said.

In the second half, Cassie Denger ’15 offered a cross-pass to Evelyn Nicinski ’15, who nailed a goal off of a leaping volley. The Orange and Blue were able to outshoot Colgate 11-10 in the second half. Unfortunately, the Raiders answered with back to back goals in the 56th and 59th minute to seal the game.

Nicinski led the Bison with four shot attempts. Nelson, Kayla Yee ’13 and Chelsey Garkowski ’14 each had three. Goalie Sandita McDermott ’13 finished a complete game with seven saves.

“We can’t let this one defeat keep us down; Colgate is a good team, but we haven’t peaked yet and will keep on improving,” Nelson said.

Following the loss, the Orange and Blue traveled to State College to face Penn State. The Bison were strong defensively, holding the Nittany Lions scoreless for a majority of the first half. A Bison foul led to a penalty kick goal for Penn State, giving them the lead at halftime.

After a Penn State goal in the 58th minute, the Bison countered with a goal from midfielder Jenna Tryon ’13, her first since her first year. Midfielder Taryn Boucher ’13 had a chance for the equalizer down the stretch but was unable to convert. The Nittany Lions scored their final goal in the 74th minute off a cross pass to finish a 3-1 victory.

McDermott had 11 saves, off of 20 Penn State shot attempts, 14 of which were on goal. This is only the second time this season that the Bison have lost consecutive games.

This was the last non-conference game for the Bison, and they look to regain momentum as they return home for two Patriot League contests this weekend. The Orange and Blue face Holy Cross today at 7 p.m., followed by a match against Army on Sunday at 1 p.m.

“As a team, we will be picking each other up and working on communication as we prepare for Holy Cross this weekend,” Nelson said.

Ajan Caneda

Copy Editor

Forward Chelsey Garkowski ’14 scored four goals that powered the women’s soccer team to a 5-0 victory against Canisius on Sept. 21. Garkowski is the third Bison player in program history to have a four-goal performance and she is one of four players in Division I soccer this season to score four goals. The win marked the Orange and Blue’s largest shutout of the season.

“Chelsey is a great player. She works hard and fights for every ball. She deserved that game and all those goals,” forward Cassie Denger ’15 said.

In a half that featured 21 Bison shot attempts, Garkowski showcased her powerful offense. The Bison got off to another quick start, as Taryn Boucher ’13 delivered a pass up the right wing to Garkowski for the first goal in the seventh minute. Despite 10 saves by the Golden Griffins, the Bison attack was too much to handle, as Bridget Gilmartin ’14 dished an assist to Garkowski for another goal in the 16th minute. Garkowski nailed her third straight goal off an assist from Courtney Nelson ’15 to bring the score to 3-0 at the half.

“We played really well on Friday, and on offense we had great combinations and were able to find the back of the net,” forward Kayla Yee ’13 said. “Chelsey had an amazing game with four incredible goals, and our defense was solid and kept them off the scoreboard.”

Nelson picked up right where she left off in the second half, launching a cross-pass to Yee, which led to the fourth Bison goal in the 56th minute. Garkowski, who had eight shot attempts, capped off an incredible performance as Nelson had her third assist in the game on a chip pass to Garkowski, who found the back of the net in the 62nd minute.

“Our team worked together to win the ball and give our forwards the opportunity to go towards goal. We are so ready to start league play and show everyone in the Patriot League what we are all about,” Denger said.

It was an offensive driven game as the Orange and Blue outshot Canisius 29-20, but the Bison defense prevented the Golden Griffins from finding the net. Goalie Sandita McDermott ’13 secured her fifth shutout of the season with six saves in 68 minutes of action. Jessie Ashworth ’16 finished out the game with a save of her own. Head coach Ben Landis played all 22 field players in the win.

The Bison start Patriot League play at home against Colgate tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. The Orange and Blue will also travel to Penn State on Oct. 2 to face the Nittany Lions at 7 p.m.

“Overall, we are playing great soccer and I still think we can be even better. I know we are all excited for Patriot League play and to start with a win against Colgate,” Yee said.