Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lafayette
Overtime Goal by O'Brien Lifts Bucknell Men's Soccer to PL Championship Game
11/13/2009 7:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Nov. 13, 2009
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell's Conor O'Brien broke a scoreless tie with his 11th goal of the season 5:39 into the first overtime period, lifting the Bison men's soccer team to a 1-0 victory over Lafayette in the Patriot League Tournament semifinals Friday night in front of nearly 1,000 fans at Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium.
The win advanced Bucknell to Sunday's Patriot League Championship game against American, which defeated Lehigh 6-5 on penalty kicks after playing to a 0-0 tie through regulation and overtime. Kickoff for Sunday's championship game is slated for 1 p.m. It will be Bucknell's third championship game appearance with the most recent coming in 2006 when it won the title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
O'Brien's goal came when he took a pass along the left sideline from Tommy McCabe and curled a shot into an empty net as Patriot League Goalkeeper of Year Phillip Nelson came out to challenge him. Patrick Selwood was also credited with an assist on the play.
Bucknell (15-5-0), which had been 0-4-5 all-time in Patriot League Tournament action, dominated the game, outshooting Lafayette (10-7-2) by a 14-6 margin. The Bison possessed the ball most of the game and forced Nelson to make six saves, compared to two for their goalie, Tommy Caso, who posted his eighth shutout of the season.
The win was the fourth in the last five games for the Bison, who improved to 2-0 against the Leopards this year. Bucknell now has 15 wins this season, extending its record for victories in a season. The Bison also extended their consecutive games with a goal streak to 25, by far the longest active streak in the nation.
O'Brien now has 11 goals this season, giving him 26 for his career, which is one shy of tying Bill Dahl for eighth place on the Bucknell all-time list. His 30 points this season are eighth on the single-season ledger.
Sunday's championship game will kick off at 1 p.m. Fans can watch a live video broadcast on Bison Vision. Admission will be charged with an adult ticket costing $4 and a child ticket $2. Students with IDs from the participating institutions will be admitted free of charge.
