Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Army
Army Steals 2-1 OT Decision from Bucknell Women's Soccer with Two Late Goals
10/22/2010 8:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 22, 2010
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Army scored with 4:55 left in regulation and then again 5:05 into overtime to swipe a 2-1 victory from Bucknell Friday night at chilly Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium. Christa Matlack (South Williamsport, Pa./South Williamsport) scored her sixth goal of the season for the Bison, but Army was able to leapfrog both Bucknell and Lehigh into sole possession of first place in the Patriot League standings.
Army is now 12-3-2 overall and 3-0-2 in the Patriot League, and with 11 points now has a one-point lead over Lehigh. The Mountain Hawks, who conceded the tying goal in the 86th minute of a 1-1 draw with Navy on Friday, has 10 points, while Bucknell and Colgate are now tied for fourth with nine points. Navy remains within striking distance with seven points with two rounds of Patriot League play remaining for all eight teams.
Bucknell was outshot 9-2 in the first half, but one of those attempts hit paydirt in the 39th minute. The sequence started with a long punt from goalkeeper Sandita McDermott (Rhinebeck, N.Y./Red Hook). Midfielder Kelliann Doherty (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional) flicked a header forward into open space for the streaking Matlack, who then got into a footrace with Army keeper Alex Lostetter. At the top of the 18-yard box, Lostetter arrived first by a split second, but Matlack was able to smother her clearing attempt and redirect it back into the open goal.
It was Matlack's sixth goal of the season and 31st of her career, moving her into sole possession of fifth place on Bucknell's all-time list.
The goal also ended Army's scoreless streak at 534 straight minutes. The Black Knights had allowed only four goals all season and came in ranked No. 1 in the nation in goals-against average.
McDermott's brilliant play in the first half kept Army off the board. Just five minutes into the game she aggressively charged out to suffocate a shot by Joey Molacek after nice passing combination. Her best save of the night came in the 23rd minute, when she leaped high to swat away a header from point-blank range on an Army corner kick. And then on a restart with 14 minutes left in the half Julia Stallard broke in free from the right side, but McDermott deflected her shot off the crossbar, and Brooke Stokes (Gladwyne, Pa./Shipley School) headed the rebound out of harm's way.
Bucknell worked hard to protect the 1-0 advantage in the second half and really did not allow any serious threats until a slight push was whistled with about 5:30 left and led to an Army free kick in the Bison end of the field. Tara Cort (Wellesley Mass./Wellesley) leapt high to head the ball out of the box, but Carlie Turnnidge corralled the second ball outside of the box. Turnnidge dribbled far to the right side, then sent a cross into the top of the six-yard box, where Kim An got a head on it and redirected it into the left side of the net. The goal was An's Patriot League-leading ninth of the season.
In overtime, Turnnidge lofted a pop-up into the box from the left side, and McDermott was well-positioned to make the catch, but the ball slipped though her hands and was tapped home by Marilinh Nguyen.
Army finished with a 15-5 shot advantage and a 4-1 edge in corner kicks. Bucknell's lone corner kick came in overtime, but the Black Knights were able to clear. McDermott finished with six saves for Bucknell, while Lostetter had three for Army.
Bucknell remains home on Sunday to face Holy Cross at 1 p.m.
