Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Men's Soccer to Face George Mason in NCAA First Round
11/6/2006 7:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Nov. 6, 2006
- NCAA Bracket
- Geore Mason Men's Soccer Web site
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell men's soccer team, which won its first Patriot League title this past weekend, will travel to Fairfax, Va., to face George Mason in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The match will take place on Saturday, Nov. 11, at 1 p.m. The Bison are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1976, while the Patriots are in the field for the first time in 10 years.
"After 30 years it feels awesome to be in the NCAAs," commented eighth-year Bucknell head coach Brendan Nash. "All the e-mails from alums and past players in the last couple of days have been amazing. I don't know much about George Mason yet, but we are going to give them our best effort."
The Bison, who at 8-7-6 have the fewest victories in the 48-team field, earned the Patriot League's automatic bid after defeating top-seeded Lehigh and second-seeded Lafayette in the Patriot League Tournament. Bucknell, seeded fourth in the four-team field, defeated both in-state rivals on penalty kicks.
George Mason is no stranger to penalty kicks, having lost the Colonial Athletic Association championship to Hofstra on penalty kicks. The Patriots are 12-5-3 this season for their most victories in a season since 1998.
Bucknell, which is making its fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament, has never faced George Mason. The Bison are 1-3 all-time in NCAA play, having defeated Penn State 1-0 in 1974. Bucknell was 0-3-2 during the season against teams in the NCAA field.
The winner of Saturday's match will advance to face No. 4 Virginia in Charlottesville, Va., on Nov. 15 at 7 p.m.
