Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Colgate
Bruvik, Raczek Push Bucknell Field Hockey Past Colgate, 3-2, in Overtime
10/30/2010 8:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Oct. 30, 2010
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Corinne Raczek (Ocean Township, N.J./Ocean Township) recorded the biggest assist of her career, helping on Kelly Bruvik's (Skillman, N.J./Stuart Country Day) game-winning goal with :04 remaining in overtime and giving Bucknell field hockey a 3-2 victory over Colgate at Graham Field at Holmes Stadium on Saturday afternoon. In addition to propelling the Bison to the No. 3 seed in the Patriot League Tournament, Raczek tied the program record in career assists with 34.
The veteran duo made their Senior Day one to remember with some late theatrics as Bucknell (7-11, 3-2) closed out its regular season. A scoreless tie at halftime turned into a 2-2 draw at the end of regulation, sending the Bison to their third overtime game this season.
Bucknell has now won two of those extra-period contests, thanks to Bruvik and Raczek. Raczek did her part by weaving her way through traffic with the clock winding down. She somehow found her classmate in front of the net, putting Bruvik in perfect position to flick the ball past the Raiders' Kirsten Lalli with just before time expired.
Bruvik's goal was her ninth of the season, setting a single-season high. The senior, who also earned an assist earlier in the game, climbed up the Bucknell record lists with her three-point performance. She is now tied for eighth in career goals with 25, 12th in career points with 57 and tied for 14th in single-season points with 23.
Raczek's assist was equally historical as she tied former teammate Amanda Faust for the school record and moved into fourth all-time in the Patriot League in career helpers. She and Faust, who both have 34 assists in their careers, are the only two Bison in program history to register more than 30. Raczek also has seven assists this season, tying her for 12th in the record books.
Putting the two seniors in position for their fireworks was a strong all-around team effort on the offensive end. Bucknell outshot Colgate (5-11, 2-3) 38-8, including 13-1 in the first half. They also drew more than three times as many penalty corners, leading 15-4 at the end of the game.
Despite spending a majority of the time in front of Colgate's net, Bucknell was unable to capitalize on any of its scoring opportunities in the first half. Lalli made seven saves in the opening 35 minutes of the game, while the Bison's Sarah Zargarpour (North Vancouver, Canada/Handsworth Secondary) was not even tested.
Bucknell continued to put pressure on Colgate in the second half and was finally rewarded for its effort less than a minute after play reopened. Rachel Misko (Morristown, N.J./Madison) found the back of the net with 33:57 on the clock. The freshman tallied her sixth goal of the season on Bruvik's pass to but the Bison ahead 1-0.
The home team's advantage did not last long, however. Less than two minutes later, the Raiders' Kendall Zaharris nabbed her first goal of the season to tie it up. Soon after, Laura Denenga gave Colgate its first lead of the day at 2-1. At that point, the Raiders had just four shots in the game with only half of those being on goal.
The intensity steadily increased over the remainder of the game as both teams were playing for the right to be the third seed in the Patriot League Tournament. Katie Durkin (New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan) literally threw herself into the effort just as the clock ticked past 21 minutes. A shot from Bruvik was turned away by Lalli, but Durkin corralled the rebound and used every inch of her short stature to cash in on a second chance. The sophomore shot the ball while diving and snuck it past Lalli to knot the game at 2-2.
Neither team scored in the remaining 20:56, but it was not for a lack of opportunity on Bucknell's part. The Bison got off 11 shots down the stretch and forced Lalli to make a save on six of those occasions.
Lalli finished the game with 20 stops but took the loss, dropping her record to 5-11. Zargarpour earned the win, improving to 6-10 after allowing two goals and making three saves. The Bison keeper now has 10 career victories, keeping her in 11th place in Bucknell's record books.
Bucknell's season will continue on Friday, Nov. 5 as it takes on second-seeded Lafayette in the Patriot League Tournament semifinals. Colgate was relegated to the fourth seed with today's loss. The Raiders will take on American, which earned the top seed and the right to host with today's 3-1 win over Lafayette, in Washington, D.C., in the other semifinal. The championship game is slated for Nov. 6.
