Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lehigh
Matlack, Defense Power Bucknell Women's Soccer Past Lehigh, 2-0
10/24/2008 8:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 24, 2008
BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- The Bucknell women's soccer team scored twice in the first 20 minutes of play and the defense, backed by a terrific seven-save effort from Kathryn Sutton (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville Area), made it stand up in a 2-0 road win over Patriot League rival Lehigh on Friday night. Christa Matlack (South Williamsport, Pa./South Williamsport Area) had a goal and an assist for the Bison, who improved to 9-5-2 overall, 3-2-0 in the league, and moved up a spot into third place in the standings with two conference games to play.
The Bison had been 0-4-1 in its last five against Lehigh (5-9-1, 1-4-0) - although the tie came in the 2005 Patriot League Tournament and Bucknell went on to win in penalty kicks - but in this one they took control early.
Just 15:24 into the game, Patriot League scoring leader Jennifer Dervarics (Emmaus, Pa./Emmaus), playing not far from her hometown, played a pass into the box from the left side for Matlack, who one-timed it past Lauren Mains for a 1-0 Bison lead. The goal was Matlack's seventh of the season, second-most in the league behind only Dervarics (10).
Less than five minutes later there was a flurry in the Lehigh box, Matlack gained control and passed back to Kelliann Doherty (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional), who blasted a left-footed shot off the fingertips of Mains into the back of the net. It was Doherty's second goal of the season, both coming in Patriot League play.
Sutton recorded her seventh shutout of the season, extending the Bucknell individual and team single-season records. Lehigh outshot the Bison 12-8, but with Sutton cutting off the angles and the back line otherwise keeping the ball out of harm's way, Bucknell seemingly had the more dangerous opportunities.
Elsewhere on Friday, Army and Navy finished in a 0-0 tie in a battle of Patriot League unbeatens. The Black Knights are now 4-0-1 and have a two-point lead over the 3-0-2 Midshipmen. American, which entered the day a point ahead of Bucknell, settled for a 1-1 tie with Holy Cross, which allowed the Bison to leapfrog the Eagles into third place. Colgate also jumped over American with a 3-0 win at Lafayette.
Bucknell will play at Lafayette on Sunday at 1 p.m. A victory would give the Bison a double-digit victory total for the fourth year in a row.
