Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Colgate
Bucknell Men's Soccer Stuns Colgate 2-1 with Two Goals in Last 9:18
10/24/2009 8:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Oct. 24, 2009
HAMILTON, N.Y. - Bucknell sophomore Andrew Powell (Charlton, Mass./St. John's) blasted home a game-winning shot with 1:52 left in regulation after freshman Josh Plump (Millburn, N.J./Millburn) had tied the game only minutes earlier, helping the Bison steal a 2-1 Patriot League win over defending-champion Colgate on Saturday night at Van Doren Field. The dramatic win pushed Bucknell to 12-4 overall and 4-1 in the Patriot League, and the Bison pulled within one point of first-place American, which played to a scoreless tie with Lehigh earlier in the day.
The Bison were outshot 17-6 through 72 minutes, but the game turned in their favor late in the match. Bucknell outshot Colgate 8-2 over the final 18 minutes. Conor O'Brien (Mt. Sinai, N.Y./St. Anthony's), Plump and Travis Rand (Westbrook, Maine/Westbrook) all put shots on goal that were saved by Chris Miller, then after a fourth straight corner kick Plump had a shot cleared off the line by a Colgate defender.
Bucknell has been shut out only once in its last 50 games, and that was by Colgate last season in Lewisburg. Bucknell came in with a goal in 20 straight games, tied with Winthrop for the longest streak in the nation. That streak appeared to be in jeopardy until Plump finally broke the seal on the Colgate cage with his first career goal with just 9:18 remaining.
Powell kept it a 1-0 game by clearing a Colgate shot off the line, and the Bison countered just moments later. Sean King (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) passed a ball into the box to O'Brien, who redirected it over to Plump on the left side. Plump hit a one-timer over Miller's head to even the game.
Tommy Caso (Phoenix, Md./McDonogh) and Miller traded saves in the 85th minute, then Powell came through with the game winner in the 89th minute. The Raiders cleared a ball out of their box that Powell intercepted about 35 yards out. He dribbled toward the center of the field about 25 yards out and unleashed a perfect drive inside the post.
Powell, who sat out the Penn State game on Wednesday with an injury, played the full 90 in this one and registered his second career goal. His first was also a dramatic one, coming in the 85th minute of a 1-0 win over Saint Francis (Pa.) earlier this season.
Just eight days earlier, Colgate (6-8-1, 2-3-0) turned the same trick on Lafayette, scoring twice in the final 14 minutes to shock the Leopards 2-1 on the road. The winning goal in that game came at 88:07, while Powell's came at 88:08.
Colgate outshot Bucknell 10-4 in the first half and took a 1-0 lead on Alex Weekes' unassisted goal after a scramble in the box in the 31st minute. Caso had come off his line to chase down the loose ball, and Weeks lobbed it over his head for his sixth goal of the season.
The Bison are now within one of the program record for wins in a season. The 2002 team won a record 13 matches. This is the fourth team to win 12 in one season.
O'Brien, the Patriot League scoring leader, picked up his 22nd career assist. That ties him with Jonathan Hemmert for second on Bucknell's all-time list. O'Brien nearly scored his 11th goal of the season just a minute into the game, but his shot struck the crossbar.
Caso finished with a career-high 10 saves for the Bison, while Miller was credited with six for the Raiders. Colgate finished with a 19-14 shot advantage, while Bucknell led in corner kicks 7-5.
Bucknell plays its final non-conference game of the regular season on Tuesday night at NJIT, then the Bison host Lafayette on Friday night in a contest that will be televised live on Fox Soccer Channel. Game time is 8 p.m. at Emmitt Field.
