Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Soccer Set to Battle Ohio, Louisville at Gamecock Courtyard Cup
8/26/2010 8:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 26, 2010
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- The Bison women's soccer team heads south in search of its first victory of the young 2010 season as it takes part in the Gamecock Courtyard Cup this weekend in Columbia, S.C. The event is hosted by 13th-ranked South Carolina, although Bucknell will not face the host Gamecocks. Instead, the Bison will take on Ohio on Friday at 5 p.m. and Louisville on Sunday at noon at Stone Stadium. Bucknell is 0-1 on the season, while South Carolina (2-0), Ohio (1-0) and Louisville (1-0) are a combined 4-0.
Bucknell opened its season last Saturday with a 3-2 setback at St. Bonaventure. The Orange & Blue took a 2-1 second-half lead in that game, only to see the Bonnies strike back with the tying and go-ahead goals only minutes later. The Bison played good soccer in stretches and logged two goals on 15 shots, but they could not hold on to the lead on the road.
The Bison will be facing both Ohio and Louisville for the first time in program history, but this will not be the first Bucknell team to pay visit to Columbia. The baseball team was there this past spring for the NCAA Regionals, the men's soccer team picked up one of its bigger regular-season wins there when it knocked off the eighth-ranked Gamecocks in 2000, and the men's basketball team traveled to South Carolina in 1974.
Coverage
- Click HERE for GameTracker coverage of the Bucknell-Ohio game.
- Click HERE for GameTracker coverage of the Bucknell-Louisville game.
About the Bison
- Last week senior forward Christa Matlack was named the Patriot League Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, then she backed it up by producing a goal and an assist in the season opener against St. Bonaventure. Matlack, who was the Patriot League Offensive MVP in 2009, tied the game in the 24th minute with the team's first goal of the season. In the 67th minute, Matlack's shot led to a rebound goal by Kayla Yee that put the Bison in front 2-1.
- The goal was the 26th of Matlack's career, tying her with Katie McElligott for seventh on Bucknell's career list.
- Junior midfielder Tara Cort, making her Bucknell debut after transferring from Clemson, collected her first Bison point with an assist on the Matlack goal. Cort played against South Carolina in both 2008 and 2009, and she started for the Tigers as a freshman in a 1-0 loss to the Gamecocks at Stone Stadium in 2008.
- Senior center backs Amanda Citron and Kelly Johnson had both played in every game over the last three seasons, but both had to sit out the St. Bonaventure game due to injury. Senior Brooke Stokes, normally a right outside midfielder, moved to the back line for the season opener.
- Sophomore back Corinne Collins made her first career start at St. Bonaventure. Freshmen Chelsey Garkowski and Liz Dwornik came on as subs, making their collegiate debuts.
- Head coach Ben Landis split his goalkeepers for the season opener. Junior Colleen Garrehy played the first half, making three saves while allowing one goal. Sophomore Sandita McDermott took the second 45 and stopped two shots while conceding two.
- Citron and Stokes were elected co-captains prior to the season.
- Bucknell was picked third in the Patriot League preseason poll, behind Colgate and Navy. The Bison were just one point behind the Mids in the poll.
- Bucknell has won at least 10 games and qualified for the Patriot League Tournament in each of the last five seasons under Landis.
About Ohio
- The Bobcats opened the year with a 2-0 road win at Pittsburgh.
- Freshman keeper Mattie Liston made five saves en route to the clean sheet in her first career game.
- Jackie Hanson and Kelsey Pichel accounted for Ohio's scoring, while Katie Kemen assisted on both goals against Pitt.
- Ohio returns two All-MAC selections in Pichel, a junior midfielder, and senior defender Rachael Goulding. Ohio was selected to finish third in the MAC Eastern Division with two first-place votes.
- Ohio finished 9-8-2 overall and 6-3-2 in the MAC last season.
About Louisville
- The Cardinals routed Eastern Kentucky 4-1 in their season opener last Friday.
- Louisville had four different goal-scorers in the win: Angelika Uremovich, Christine Exeter, Emily Cardell and Julie Casselman. Three of those scorers are freshmen and the other a sophomore.
- Goalkeeper Taylor Vancil was called upon for three saves, as Louisville held an 18-6 shot advantage.
- The Cardinals return nine starters from last year's team that finished 5-11-1 overall and 2-8-1 in the Big East.
- Louisville was picked to finish fifth in the Big East National Division in 2010.
Looking Ahead
- Following the trip to South Carolina, the Bison will play their next three matches and seven of their next 10 at home. The team's home opener will come next Friday, Sept. 3 against Duquesne at 7 p.m. at Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium.
