Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Penn State
Sutton's Career Night Leads Bison Women's Soccer to 0-0 Draw with Penn State
9/23/2009 8:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 23, 2009
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Senior goalkeeper Kathryn Sutton (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville Area) broke the Bucknell career shutouts record in sensational fashion Wednesday night, making one highlight-reel save after another to help the Bison preserve a 0-0 tie with traditional Big Ten power Penn State. It was Bucknell's first point against the Nittany Lions in 14 all-time meetings.
Bucknell improved to 4-5-1 on the season, while Penn State, which had been ranked as high as No. 5 in the nation earlier in the year after beating No. 9 Virginia and Connecticut, fell to 4-4-1.
The Bison came into the game struggling a bit on defense after allowing three goals in two straight home losses to Marist and Virginia Commonwealth over the weekend. But the unit held strong in this one, even as Penn State amped up its pressure with about 20 minutes remaining in regulation.
The final shot chart read 30-10 in favor of Penn State, but it was much closer early on. In fact, even though the Nittany Lions outshot the Bison 11-6 in the first half, it was Bucknell that had the best chances.
In the 21st minute, Christa Matlack (South Williamsport, Pa./South Williamsport) stole the ball in the penalty area and swerved to her right to avoid oncoming goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, but her shot toward the vacated net skidded off the left post.
Moments later the Bison played the ball back into the box, and Kelliann Doherty (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional) perfectly judged a high bounce and sent a header ticketed for the upper right corner. But Naeher, a two-time All-American and U.S. National Team keeper, made a spectacular finger-tip save.
Matlack had another good look from 14 yards out with 12:30 left in the first half, but Naeher was well-positioned for the save. Naeher was required for four saves on Bucknell's six first-half shots.
Bucknell had another close call only two minutes into the second period, when Chelsea McGorry (Charlton, Mass./Shepherd Hill Regional) turned and fired a shot from 25 yards out that struck the top right corner of the goal frame, ricocheted back off the body of Naeher and safely over the end line.
From that point on the Nittany Lions had the best looks, but Sutton was up to every challenge. With 26 minutes left in regulation she made her best save of the night to that point, a sliding stop on Hermann Trophy candidate Katie Schoepfer. Only a minute later, Sutton had to change directions for an acrobatic kick save on Penn State's leading scorer, Danielle Toney. And only three minutes after that Sutton robbed Schoepfer again with a diving save on a free kick.
Penn State outshot the Bison 10-0 in the two overtime periods, and Sutton came up with four more saves in extra time. With 6:30 left in the first period Toney got loose on a quick breakaway, but Sutton kicked aside her attempt. In almost the exact same scenario at the other end of the field in the second overtime, she robbed Maddy Evans.
The Bison had one last shot before time expired, but Naeher made a diving save on McGorry just after the final horn sounded.
All told, Sutton finished with a career-high 11 saves. Hobbled with an injury throughout much of the early portion of the season that cost her some playing time, she seemed perfectly fit in this one. The shutout was her first of the season and 13th of her career. That is a new Bucknell career record, surpassing the old mark of 12.5 previously set by Becky Snover (1993-96) in an era when combined shutouts were credited.
While Sutton deservedly received most of the kudos after the game, Bucknell's defensive corps, led by co-captains Lauren Stoller (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) and Amanda Citron (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield), along with Caitlin Holtz (Freehold, N.J./Freehold), Kelsey Johnson (Monroe, Conn./Masuk) and Casey Crowley (Hamilton Square, N.J./The Peddie School), turned in perhaps their best game of the year as well.
Matlack led Bucknell with three shot attempts, while Schoepfer, Toney and Christine Nairn all had seven for Penn State.
Bucknell and Penn State had met 13 times previously, including twice in the NCAA Tournament (2001, 2005). The Nittany Lions had outscored the Bison 55-8 in those 13 meetings, although the last three contests had all been close. In 2006 Penn State won 1-0; in 2007 at Emmitt Field, the two teams played a scoreless first half and it was still a 2-1 game with eight minutes left before the Lions won 5-1; and last season it was a 1-1 game in the second half before Penn State prevailed 4-2.
The Bison will look to build on this positive result in its next outing on Sunday at Cornell at 3 p.m. That will be the team's final tuneup before going to American to start Patriot League play on Oct. 3.
