Bucknell University
Maryland
Bucknell Women's Soccer Rallies Past Maryland, 3-2
8/29/2008 8:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 29, 2008
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Senior co-captain Jennifer Dervarics scored the tying and go-ahead tallies to spark Bucknell's three-goal second-half explosion, and the Bison surprised host Maryland 3-2 at Ludwig Field on Friday night. Junior Chelsea McGorry (Charlton, Mass./Shepherd Hill Regional) added an important insurance goal, and junior keeper Kathryn Sutton (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville Area) made eight saves to keep the Bison unbeaten (2-0-1) on the young season.
Maryland came in listed second among "others receiving votes" in the NSCAA national poll, and the Terrapins are ranked third in the NSCAA/adidas Mid-Atlantic Region rankings. The Terps were coming off a 5-0 blasting of George Mason in their season opener last Saturday.
A Kaila Sciascia goal off a set piece in the third minute of the game staked Maryland to a quick 1-0 lead, and it remained a tight contest into the second half when the Bison offense came alive, scoring three times in a span of 21 minutes.
Dervarics, the Patriot League Preseason Offensive Player of the Year who had already scored big goals in Bucknell's first two matches, once again came up big for a front line that has been beset by injuries throughout the preseason. In the 55th minute, Brooke Stokes (Gladwyne, Pa./The Shipley School) passed to Dervarics, who lofted a shot toward the goal from about 25 yards out, catching Maryland keeper Yewande Balogun out of position and tying the game at 1-apiece.
Just 13 minutes later, Dervarics struck again to put the Bison ahead for good. Caitlin Holtz (Freehold, N.J./The Peddie School) sent a corner kick into traffic in front of the goal, Kelsey Johnson (Monroe, Conn./Masuk) got a head on it, then Dervarics flicked it in for her fourth goal in three games this season.
McGorry provided much-needed insurance with just under 15 minutes to play, scoring a highlight-reel goal into the upper left corner from the right side of the box. Kelly Boswell (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill West) and Lauren Stoller (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) picked up assists on the play, and the goal proved critical when Sciascia knocked in her second tally of the night with just 1:11 remaining.
Maryland outshot Bucknell 16-11, but the Bison had a 5-2 edge in corner kicks and was able to capitalize on one of them. Sutton's eight saves were a season high, with two of those stops coming after she took a boot to the face on a scramble in front of the goal. She remained in the game and preserved the 12th career victory.
The win over a Maryland squad ranked just outside the national top 25 was the latest in a string of upsets sprung by Bucknell teams in College Park. On Nov. 4, 2003, the Bison men's soccer team stunned No. 2 Maryland 1-0, and on March 14, 2006, the Bucknell men's lacrosse team defeated the Terps 7-6 in double overtime when Maryland was ranked No. 1 in the nation.
After the game Bison head coach Ben Landis singled out Dervarics and McGorry for their strong play up front, as well as Stoller, Holtz and co-captain Nicole Marotta (Bridgewater, N.J./Mount St. Mary Academy) in the back in front of Sutton.
"We came here feeling we had a good chance to win the game, but I wasn't sure we could do it if it took three goals to win," said Landis. "It was just a great all-around effort from everyone."
After the game, Bucknell was set to bus directly to Piscataway, N.J., where the Bison will take on another strong side in Rutgers on Sunday at 4:30 p.m.
