Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Soccer Kicks Off 2006 at Owl Eyes Classic on Friday
8/24/2006 8:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 24, 2006
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell women's soccer team will begin its run towards defending its 2005 Patriot League championship as the team's 2006 season will kick off on Friday at the Owl Eyes Classic against host Temple in Ambler, Pa at 4 p.m. The Bison, who were tabbed fourth in the Patriot League preseason poll, just one vote behind Navy in third, have an all-time record of 1-1 against the Owls.
After one of the most successful seasons in program history, Bucknell will look to raise the bar again for the 2006 season. In addition to capturing the Patriot League title, the 2005 Bison squad posted a record of 11-9-1, the second-highest win total ever for the Orange and Blue. The team also matched a program record with its mid-season five-game winning streak and more than doubled scoring production from the year before.
With all this in mind, Ben Landis feels confident that Bucknell can continue its success in his second season as the head coach of the Bison. "Coming off of a championship run last year, I think our returning players begin 2006 with a level of self-respect and confidence that is unmatched from previous years," said Landis. "The core of last year's team is back as we return seven of our top eight scorers from 2005, our leader in our captain, Shannon Curd, a very athletic and intelligent group of players, and overall a team that understands me and how and why we do the things we do. We've improved greatly in my short time here but the core of how we do things from training to travel to education and match preparation are on a level where we have high expectations of ourselves to play to our abilities and reach new levels of success this fall."
Bucknell's top two scorers in 2005 managed to etch their names into the Bison record books among the all-time season leaders and began to climb up the career lists as well. Senior Jennifer Margolis, who earned all-league first team and Soccer Buzz Mid-Atlantic Region third team honors last year, led the Orange and Blue in goals and points during the 2005 campaign. Her 29 points rank fifth on the season all-time list, while her 13 goals rank fourth. Margolis is also sixth on the Bucknell career lists for points (52) and goals (21), while ranking eighth in career assists (10). Junior Krista Lee Gentile finished second on the squad in points and goals last season while tying for the team lead in assists on her way to her second All-Patriot League selection. Gentile ranks seventh in the Bison record books in season points (28), ninth in season goals (11), seventh in season assists (6), ninth in career points (43), and eighth in career goals (18). Her classmate, Leslie Schulze, also had six assists last year to match Gentile for the team lead and rank seventh on the all-time season leaders list.
After graduating 10 seniors last year, the Bison will welcome 10 newcomers to the squad for 2006. "The seven incoming freshmen coupled with the three upperclassmen who are new to our team are collectively and individually a great addition to our group," Landis commented. "This is a large group of newcomers who bring speed, athleticism, technical and tactical abilities to play at a high level. Many of them have had terrific experiences with their club and ODP teams playing and winning in very competitive environments. Those experiences will have prepared them well to make an impact here."
In contrast from Bucknell's schedule in 2005 where the balance of the team's home matches took place in September, the Bison open with matches against Temple and Central Arkansas on Aug. 25 and 27 at the Owl Eyes Classic and will be on the road until Sunday, Sept. 17, when the Orange and Blue will play host to Robert Morris in an afternoon contest. Almost two weeks later on Sept. 30, the squad will begin Patriot League play under the lights at the Varsity Soccer Field against Colgate.
Saint Francis (Pa.), Robert Morris, Marist and Cornell were all non-league opponents for the Bison in 2005 and return to the schedule for 2006. Bucknell also welcomes Penn State back to its slate after not facing the Nittany Lions during the 2005 regular season but meeting them in the NCAA Tournament last fall.
Also in a departure from 2005, a campaign in which the Bison played exclusively in the Northeast, the squad will venture to Colorado this year during the first weekend of September to take on Air Force and Colorado College.
"Last year, I had no impact on our schedule, it was already set, and although balanced between the number of home and away games, it was difficult in many stretches," said Landis. "Having the ability to set this year's schedule I wanted to increase the level of our competition, play in some attractive tournaments and difficult surroundings to best prepare us for play in November, and set us up to be most successful at home and in league play. I think we have done that with the schedule and now must go out and achieve what we are capable of. We've also added Princeton to our schedule, a Final Four team in 2004. We have reduced the number of mid-week games and will play six matches at home, all on weekends, where we can best showcase our abilities on the best playing surface in the league and do so in front of our fans, families, and recruits who we'll bring to campus for visits. As for league play, it is going to be a very competitive and close battle in the league this year so to have four of our seven matches at home, including Colgate, American, Army, and Holy Cross, that is going to be very important for us to earn maximum points at home."
