Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Navy
Bucknell Men's Soccer Blanks Navy, 2-0
10/2/2010 8:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Oct. 2, 2010
LEWISBURG, Pa. - In one of its most complete efforts of the season, the Bucknell men's soccer team stifled red-hot Navy 2-0 Saturday night before a large Family Weekend crowd at Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium. Luke Joyner (Dallas, Texas/J.J. Pearce) and Josh Plump (Millburn, N.J./Millburn) scored the Bucknell goals, while goalkeeper Marc Hartmann (Bradenton, Fla./St. Stephen's) and the Bison defense earned the first shutout of the season.
With the victory, Bucknell improved to 4-5 overall and 1-1 in the Patriot League. Navy came in with a 6-1 record (1-0 Patriot League) and was ranked just outside the top 25 nationally coming in, but the Midshipmen fell to 0-8-1 against Bucknell since 2002.
The Bison adeptly passed the ball around in this one and had a big edge in time of possession, and they also won the majority of the balls in the air. Bucknell did not allow a single shot in the game's first 35 minutes and outshot Navy 9-1 in the first half and 14-7 overall.
Brendan Burgdorf (Westfield, N.J./Pingry School) had the first good chance 11 minutes into the match when he sent a hard, low strike that Navy keeper Aaron Dupere saved, then spilled but recovered before a sliding Bucknell player could get to the rebound.
About 23 minutes in Joyner struck the post on a volley of a well-placed free kick by Andrew Powell (Charlton, Mass./St. John's), but not long after Joyner earned some redemption when he scored his first goal of the year on a very similar sequence.
Nader Sawtarie (Bethany, W.Va./Linsley School) passed a throw-in back to defender Travis Rand (Westbrook, Maine/Westbrook), who sent about a 50-yard ball into the box toward the far post. Joyner ran on to it and volleyed it past Dupere to put the Bison up 1-0.
Bucknell almost scored again in the opening moments of the second half when Burgdorf sprung loose, but his 18-yard rocket rose just over the crossbar. In the 49th minute a long punt by Hartmann bounded untouched onto the streaking Joyner at the top of the box, but his lofted shot was tipped away by Dupere. On the ensuing corner kick, Ross Liberati (Warwick, Md./Tower Hill) teed up a header from close range, but he solidly struck the crossbar and Navy was able to clear.
The Bison did cash in that much-needed insurance tally in the 72nd minute. Rand passed to Brendan Klebanoff (Bethesda, Md./St. Alban's School), who redirected a perfect through ball to Plump in the box. Plump shielded off a defender, then scored from a tough angle to the right of the goal. It was Plump's third goal of the season and second in as many games. He had the overtime game-winner in Tuesday's victory over Drexel.
Hartmann improved to 2-0 on the season and recorded his second career shutout. He finished with two saves in the game, as Bucknell's back four of Rand, Liberati, Powell and freshman Mayowa Alli (Lanham, Md./Bishop McNamara), along with defensive midfielder Ryan Sappington (Barboursville, Va./Shattuck St. Mary's), kept the ball out of harm's way for most of the night.
Rand, a senior back, earned his first career points with his two assists. Klebanoff now has a point in both Patriot League contests, as he scored the team's goal in a loss to American last week.
Bucknell has a non-league home game on Tuesday night against UMBC at 7 p.m. before traveling to Holy Cross next Saturday.
