Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Men's Soccer Puts Five-Game Unbeaten Streak on Line
9/18/2008 8:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 18, 2008
LEWISBURG, Pa. - For the first time in three weeks, the Bucknell men's soccer team will not have a tournament title to chase, but the Bison still have two tough road challenges to navigate this weekend as it looks to extend a five-game unbeaten string.
On Friday night Bucknell visits a 3-1-2 Binghamton side that is also unbeaten in its last five contests, including Sunday's 1-0 win over No. 21 Wisconsin. Game time is 7 p.m., and the contest can be been live online at bubearcats.com.
Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m., the Bison make their second trip of the season to the city of Buffalo, where they take on Niagara. The Purple Eagles are 3-1-1 on the season heading into Friday night's home game with Duquesne.
BISON MEN'S SOCCER NOTEBOOK
Coverage
- Click HERE to watch the Bucknell-Binghamton game live.
- Click HERE for Bucknell-Binghamton live statistics.
- Click HERE for Bucknell-Niagara live statistics.
Bucknell-Binghamton Series Notes
- The Bison and Bearcats first met in 2001, and since then Bucknell owns a 3-1-1 series lead.
- Bucknell won the first meeting 4-0 at home in 2001, then followed it up with a 2-0 win in Binghamton in 2002.
- Bucknell's 1-0 home victory in 2005 came when the Bearcats were ranked No. 19 in the nation.
- Last season in Lewisburg, Binghamton prevailed 1-0 on Liam Carson's goal in the 19th minute. The Bison fell despite a 15-6 shot advantage. That was the last time Bucknell failed to score in a game.
Bucknell-Niagara Series Notes
- Bucknell has a 4-1 edge in a series that began in 1998.
- Niagara won the first meeting 1-0, but since then the Bison have won four straight by a combined 10-1 margin.
- Bucknell won 5-1 in 2002, its highest scoring output that season.
- Last year in Lewisburg, the Bison scored a 1-0 win when Justin Wolf snapped a scoreless duel with just 1:53 left in regulation. Bucknell finished with a 22-7 edge on the shot board.
About Binghamton
- Binghamton comes in ranked No. 10 in the NSCAA/adidas Northeast Region poll.
- On Sunday America East Rookie of the Week Andy Tiedt scored in the 36th minute to give the Beacats a win over No. 21 Wisconsin at the Wisconsin-Milwaukee Tournament. Binghamton played host UWM to a scoreless tie on Friday night.
- Binghamton and junior goalkeeper Jason Stenta have registered three straight shutouts dating back to a 1-1 tie with Colgate on Sept. 5. The Bearcats have outscored foes 7-4 on the season.
- Binghamton is 1-0-1 against the Patriot League this season. The Bearcats defeated Lafayette 2-1 on Aug. 31 in addition to the draw with Colgate.
- Stenta has 23 career shutouts, tying the Binghamton Division I record. He has a 0.62 goals-against average this season.
- Carson and Scott Zobre lead the team with two goals apiece. Darren McAllister also has four points on a goal and two assists.
About Niagara
- Ranked No. 3 in the NSCAA/adidas North Atlantic Region poll, Niagara plays Duquesne at home on Friday before hosting the Bison.
- Most recently, Niagara tied Cleveland State 3-3 on Sept. 12. Senior Matt Durand had two goals in that game for the Purple Eagles.
- Durand has five goals and three assists for a team-high 13 points thus far.
- Eric Brodfuehrer is next on the team with three goals.
- John Fiutowski and Jason Whitehead have shared the goalkeeping duties. The pair has allowed nine goals in five games, while the Purple Eagles have tallied 11 times.
- Niagara has been outshot 95-62 on the season.
- Niagara's three wins have come against Longwood (4-3), Florida Atlantic (1-0) and St. Francis (N.Y.) (2-0). The Purple Eagles lone loss was a 3-1 decision against Oakland.
About Last Weekend
- For the second week in a row, the Bison walked off with a tournament championship, this one coming at their own Days Inn Classic.
- Bucknell defeated Cornell 3-0 in the rain on Friday night, behind two more goals from the red-hot Chris Hennings and one from Ross Liberati. All the scoring game in the second half, and Tommy Caso (4 saves) and the Bison defense pitched a shutout.
- Heat and humidity replaced the rain on Sunday, and Bucknell pulled out a gutsy 2-2 tie with Hartwick in a very physical game. The Bison took a 1-0 lead on Alex Russo's penalty kick late in the first half, but they had to play the final 68 minutes down a man due to a red card. Hartiwck scored twice in the second half to go ahead, but freshman Luke Joyner scored on a shorthanded breakaway in the 82nd minute to help Bucknell gain a tie.
- New Hampshire also went 1-0-1 in the tournament, but Bucknell was awarded the title based on fewer goals allowed.
- Junior co-captain Patrick Selwood earned Tournament MVP honors. Joining him on the All-Tournament Team were Hennings, Matt Hittson and Mark Schmiegel.
About the Bison
- Bucknell is now ranked No. 5 in the NSCAA/adidas Middle-Atlantic Regional poll. The Bison are one of five Patriot League teams in the top 10 in the regional rankings, joining Colgate (3), Holy Cross (6), Lehigh (8) and Navy (10).
- Bucknell had never beaten Cornell in seven previous meetings until Friday's 3-0 win.
- Freshman Nader Sawtarie collected his first career point with an assist on the go-ahead goal in the Cornell game.
- Hennings' two goals against the Big Red give him seven on the season. In addition to being the Patriot League's top scorer, Hennings ranks No. 5 in the nation in goals per game and No. 9 in points per game.
- Russo's tally against Hartwick was his first of the season. It came on Bucknell's first penalty kick attempt of the year.
- Joyner's tying goal was the first tally of his career. Conor O'Brien had the assist, giving him a league-high four helpers on the season.
- With six points in six games, Schmiegel ranks tied for sixth in the Patriot League scoring chase.
- Caso leads the Patriot League in saves per game at 5.17.
- Bucknell leads the Patriot League and ranks 15th in the nation in scoring offense at 2.33 goals per game.
- Despite outscoring foes 14-9, Bucknell has been outshot 96-82 and outnumbered in corner kicks 46-20 this season.
- Bucknell's school-record scoring streak has now reached 21 games and surpassed the one-year anniversary. The team's last shutout came at the hands of Binghamton on Sept. 11, 2007.
- Head coach Brendan Nash has used the same starting lineup in all six games thus far.
Weekly Awards and Honors
- Patriot League BRINE Offensive Player of the Week: Chris Hennings (Sept. 2).
- Patriot League BRINE Goalkeeper of the Week: Tommy Caso (Sept. 8).
- Patriot League BRINE Defensive Player of the Week: Ross Liberati (Sept. 8).
- Patriot League BRINE Rookie of the Week: Tommy Caso (Sept. 8).
- Soccer America Team of the Week: Ross Liberati (Sept. 8).
- Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week: Chris Hennings (Sept. 4).
- Damon's Bison Athlete of the Week: Chris Hennings (Sept. 1).
Looking Ahead
- Bucknell's busy week continues on Wednesday with a 3:30 p.m. game at Saint Francis (Pa.). That will be the final tuneup prior to next Saturday's Patriot League opener against Navy. The 7 p.m. contest will air live on Bison Vision, and prior to the game there will be a ceremony to formally dedicate Holmes Stadium, the new stadium facility that serves Bison Varsity Soccer Field and Graham Field. At 6 p.m. a free tailgate picnic is open to the public.
