Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Marist
Bucknell Women's Soccer Can't Overcome Slow Start, Falls to Marist 3-2
9/18/2009 8:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 18, 2009
LEWISBURG, Pa. - A rough start defensively helped put an end to the Bucknell women's soccer team's three-match winning streak, as Marist stunned the Bison with three goals in the first 27 minutes and held on to win 3-2 Friday night at Emmitt Field. Christa Matlack (South Williamsport, Pa./South Williamsport) and Kelliann Doherty (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional) both scored for the Bison, who fell to 4-4 on the season.
Bucknell was coming off back-to-back 1-0 shutouts on the road last weekend, and sophomore goalkeeper Colleen Garrehy (Danville, Calif./Carondelet) had not allowed a goal in her last 185 minutes, but the Red Foxes (2-3-1) needed only 4:33 to punch one in. Forward Jackie Sabia worked her way around a defender, dribbled to the left side of the cage and scored from close range to make it 1-0.
Matlack tallied her much-anticipated first goal of the season in the 20th minute to even things up. Brooke Stokes (Gladwyne, Pa./The Shipley School) played a long lead pass from near the midfield stripe, and Matlack outran a defender to the ball and scored her 17th career goal from the right side of the box.
The large crowd had barely settled back in their seats when Marist went back ahead. Only 39 seconds after the Matlack goal, Kate Fox settled a pass from Jessica Arabia, turned toward the goal and fired a 16-yard shot in off the gloves of Garrehy.
Only 6:12 later, Merrilynn Esteve found herself all alone behind the defense, took one touch to get around the keeper and scored into an empty net to make it 3-1.
It stayed that way until just over eight minutes into the second half, when Doherty re-energized the crowd by heading in a terrific cross from Chelsea McGorry (Charlton, Mass./Shepherd Hill Regional), sent in from all the way out on the right sideline.
It was also Doherty's first goal of the season, meaning all nine Bucknell goals this season have come from nine different goal-scorers.
The Bison very nearly tied it on a re-start with 12 minutes to play, as Kelsey Johnson (Monroe, Conn./Masuk) had a back-post volley from point-blank range ricochet off the face of Marist keeper Jamie Balzarini. The game-saving stop knocked an injured Balzarini out of the game, and Bucknell could not get another quality shot on freshman reserve Caitlin Landsman.
Their best chance came with about 2:20 to play, when Matlack lobbed a shot just wide. Doherty tracked down the rebound on the end line and passed to a wide open Kayla Yee (Centennial, Colo./Heritage) in front, but she just could not get enough foot on the ball and Landsman was there for the easy scoop.
Bucknell played in the Marist end for the majority of the game and finished with an 18-12 shot advantage. Balzarini made seven saves before departing for Marist. Garrehy stopped two shots in the first half before being replaced by Kathryn Sutton (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville Area) in the second. Sutton did not face a shot on frame.
The Bison will have to regroup quickly, as Virginia Commonwealth comes to town on Sunday for a 3 p.m. start. That will be the second game of a soccer doubleheader, as the Bucknell men host 24th-ranked College of Charleston at noon. Both games will air live on Bison Vision on BucknellBison.com.
