Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Army
Bucknell Women's Soccer Drops Heartbreaker in Penalty Kicks at Patriot League Tournament
11/7/2008 7:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Nov. 7, 2008
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Caroline Miller scored in the seventh round of penalty kicks to lift third-seeded Army past No. 2 Bucknell in the Patriot League Tournament semifinals on Friday night at the U.S. Naval Academy. Bucknell outshot Army 17-14 and had a number of good chances in the second overtime period, but the Bison misfired three times in PKs and saw their season come to an end at 11-6-3.
The Bison had a 12-9 shot advantage at the end of a scoreless regulation, with the best look a Christa Matlack (South Williamsport, Pa./South Williamsport Area) drive from the left side that missed the far post by inches six minutes into the second half. Alex Lostetter made a tough save on Matlack 10 minutes later, and the Army keeper also made a tricky stop on a hard shot by Jennifer Dervarics (Emmaus, Pa./Emmaus) in the second overtime.
Kathryn Sutton (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville Area) also had a superb night in the Bison crease. She was credited with five saves, three coming in the first overtime when Army went on the attack. The Black Knights earned their first three corner kicks of the night during that 10-minute span, and Sutton punched a Dymon Washington shot over the bar midway through the period to keep the game going.
Dervarics and Kelliann Doherty (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional) scored for Bucknell in the first two rounds of penalty kicks, but Sarah Goss and Lindsay Gordon answered for Army.
Both teams missed the goal in the third round, then Nicole Marotta (Bridgewater, N.J./Mount St. Mary Academy) put Bucknell up 3-2 leading off round four. Deanna Clegg then hit the crossbar on her attempt in round four, meaning that the Bison could have won it with a goal to start round five, but the potential winning shot missed to the left.
Elizabeth Betterbed tied it for Army to extend the session. Both keepers got fingertips on the sixth-round shots, but both went in off the feet of Brooke Stokes (Gladwyne, Pa./The Shipley School) and Julia Stallard. In round seven, Bucknell started with a miss high over the bar, then Miller won it for the Black Knights, sending them on to Sunday's championship match against host Navy, a 1-0 overtime winner over Colgate earlier in the night.
It was the first Patriot League Women's Soccer Tournament match to go to penalty kicks since 2005, when Bucknell outlasted Lehigh 5-4 in the semifinals.
It was the second time this season Bucknell and Army played a scoreless 90 minutes. On Oct. 12 in Lewisburg, the Black Knights won 1-0 in overtime.
The disappointing finish brought to an end the terrific careers of Bucknell's three seniors - Dervarics, Marotta and Kelly Boswell (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill West) - who will go in the books as the winningest class in program history. The trio won a record 45 games and captured a Patriot League Tournament title and two regular-season crowns.
