Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lehigh *
Bucknell Field Hockey Defeats Lehigh 2-1 in Double Overtime and Finishes in Second Place in the Patriot League
10/29/2005 8:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Oct. 29, 2005
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Bucknell field hockey team defeated Lehigh, 2-1, in a double overtime, league-match-up, to grab the second place spot in the Patriot Leauge, early Saturday afternoon at the Ulrich Sports Complex in Bethlehem, Pa. Senior goalkeeper Liz Jordan (Towson, Md./St. Paul's) compiled 25 saves, to surpass her old career mark of 24.
Lehigh shot four shots in the first half of the game, all of which were blocked by Jordan, while the Bison were also left scoreless going into the second half.
With less than five minutes left to play in the game, senior Kelly O'Brien (Rye, N.Y./Rye) scored off an assist from junior Callista Costopoulos (Shermans Dale, Pa./West Perry) to give the Orange and Blue a 1-0 lead. The one-goal lead lasted less than 20 seconds as Lehigh's Christy Smith answered O'Brien's goal on a break away. When the final horn went off, the two teams were tied with one score each.
At the end of the first overtime, neither team was able to find an empty net as Jordan recorded 10 saves, from 12 shots, with Lehigh's goalkeeper, Meghan Gove, saving all of Bucknell's six shots.
Almost seven minutes into the second overtime, sophomore Kelly Hoffman (Boyertown, Pa. Oley Valley) took an unassisted shot and caught Gove off-guard, to score the game-winning tally, and give the Bison their best conference finish since 1995.
"We finished second in the conference today and we're all very pleased," said head coach Heather Lewis. "Today's effort took a lot of guts from the entire team. Jordan was outstanding with 25 saves, including a save off a penalty stroke. Hoffman played great for us and it was suitable that the game-winner came from her, based on today's performance."
Jordan is currently ranked as one of the best goal keepers in the PL and the nation with 181 saves, for a save percentage of .823 and a goals allowed average of 2.45, while Hoffman sits sixth on the team with three goals scored, for six points. O'Brien is tied for first on the squad with seven goals.
Bucknell will travel to Washington, D.C. next weekend for the Patriot League Tournament hosted by American. The Bison (8-9, 4-1 PL) are scheduled to play the PL's number-three ranked team on Saturday, November 5.
