Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
St. Bonaventure
Bucknell Women's Soccer Drops Season Opener at St. Bonaventure, 3-2
8/21/2010 8:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 21, 2010
OLEAN, N.Y. -- Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year Christa Matlack scored a goal and assisted on another, but Bucknell's season opener was spoiled by a late rally, as Anna Cunningham's 74th-minute strike lifted St. Bonaventure to a 3-2 victory Saturday afternoon at McGraw-Jennings Field. Kayla Yee scored in the 67th minute to put the Bison up 2-1, but the Bonnies scored twice in the next seven minutes to win the first meeting between the two teams since 1993.
Bucknell entered the game with a depleted lineup thanks to some nagging preseason injuries. Most notably, stalwart senior center backs Amanda Citron and Kelsey Johnson missed a game for the first time in their careers. St. Bonaventure took advantage by putting the first goal of the season on the board just seven minutes into the game, when Courtney Bosse scored off an assist from Cunningham.
The Bison settled down, however, and tied it in the 24th minute when Matlack took a pass from newcomer Tara Cort and buried a high shot for her 26th career goal, tying her with Katie McElligott for seventh on Bucknell's career list.
Bonnies goalkeeper Kathryn Kerkman kept it a 1-1 game with some tough saves early in the second half, but the Bison took their first lead of the season in the 67th minute when Yee knocked in a rebound of Matlack's 30-yard shot.
The lead was short-lived, however. Just 3:16 after the Yee score, Bosse netted the equalizer with a turning shot after a feed from Alyssa Lapp. Only 4:05 after that, and just after Kerkman made a save on a shot by Cort, Cunningham produced the game-winner.
The Bison had few chances to draw even in the final minutes, the best coming on a free kick in the 89th minute, but the shot sailed over the bar.
Colleen Garrehy played the first half in goal for Bucknell and made three saves. Sandita McDermott played the final 45 minutes and stopped two shots. Kerkman made six stops for St. Bonaventure. The Bonnies, who returned 10 starters from last year's team that finished third in the 14-team Atlantic 10 Conference, finished with a 20-15 shot advantage. Bucknell's Matlack and St. Bonaventure's Bosse led all players with six attempts each.
Bucknell will be back in action next Friday and Sunday at the Gamecock Courtyard Cup in Columbia, S.C. The Bison will play Ohio on Friday at 5 p.m. and Louisville Sunday at noon.
