Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Holy Cross
Bucknell Men's Soccer Ends Holy Cross' Five-Game Winning Streak, 2-0
9/24/2005 8:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 24, 2005
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Freshmen Anthony Ferraro (West Long Branch, N.J./Shore Regional) and Mark Schmiegel (Toms River, N.J./Toms River North) netted second-half goals, and senior Adam Edwards (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown) recorded his fifth shutout of the season, as the Bucknell men's soccer team opened up Patriot League play with a 2-0 victory over Holy Cross Saturday afternoon at Varsity Soccer Field.
The Bison victory halted the Crusaders' five-match winning streak and helped Bucknell improve to 4-2-2 overall and 1-0-0 in the Patriot League on the season. Holy Cross fell to 5-3-0 overall and 0-1-0 in Patriot League play.
Ferraro put Bucknell ahead 1-0 in the first minute of the second half after a scoreless first half, which featured senior Eric Brunton (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) picking up a red card to leave the Bison with 10 players on the field the final 52 minutes of the contest. Following a foul on Holy Cross, Tim Faneck lined up for a kick to put the ball back into play. From about 10 yards inside of midfield he served the ball to Ferraro, who was stationed just inside the box. Ferraro headed the ball in past Crusader goalkeeper Richard Whipple and ruined his bid for a fourth shutout this season.
From there, the Bison, who had not scored more than one goal in any game this year, packed it in on the defensive side of the field and helped Edwards pick up his fifth shutout of the season and 23rd of his career. He moved into second place on the Patriot League career list and is just one shy of tying the Bucknell single-season standard. Edwards was called on to make four saves to preserve the shutout.
With the Bison focusing on defense, Holy Cross was able to launch 18 shots, including 13 in the second half. Bucknell attempted just nine shots with three of those coming after halftime. Two of those three following intermission resulted in goals as Schmiegel added an insurance tally at the 67:15 mark. The Bison made a rare second-half appearance on the offensive side of the field and Scmiegel took a pass from sophomore Corey Curnutte (Waterford, Mich./Detroit Country Day) in a crowd and snuck it past Whipple.
Ferraro and Schmiegel became the first pair of Bucknell freshmen to score goals in the same game since current seniors Brunton and Scott Visnic (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) each scored a goal in a 3-2 overtime win over Robert Morris to open the 2002 campaign.
Despite not netting a goal, Holy Cross did have a golden opportunity to even the score about seven minutes into the second half. Gerald Dickinson headed a ball from inside the box that rolled just wide right of the goal. However, the Crusaders recovered it and Kevin Leonard fired a hard line drive that nearly snuck past Edwards' outstretched hand, but it hit the crossbar instead.
The Bison conclude their two-game homestand Wednesday night with a non-league game against Binghamton at 7 p.m. Doug Birdsong, the play-by-play voice of the Bison Sports Network, will call all the action live on WVBU 90.5 in the Lewisburg area, and on the internet at www.SportsJuice.com. Coverage begins at 6:45 p.m.
