Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lehigh
Bison Field Hockey Outshoots Lehigh 25-7 but Falls 1-0 on the Road
10/15/2011 8:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Oct. 15, 2011
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Bucknell field hockey outshot Lehigh 25-7 and more had more than double the penalty corners, but the Mountain Hawks got through with a 1-0 win at the Ulrich Sports Complex on Saturday afternoon. It was the fifth consecutive meeting between Bucknell and Lehigh to be decided by a single goal but just the second to end in a loss for the Bison, which are now 4-9 overall and 1-2 in the Patriot League.
Bucknell and Lehigh (5-11, 2-1) have a history of close contests as no game has been decided by more than two goals since the 1998 season. Shutouts are rare in the series, however, and today's meeting marks the first time since 2002 that either team has been held without a goal.
The Bison had more than their share of opportunities on Saturday, firing off 25 shots and getting 17 of those on goal. The Mountain Hawks finished with just seven total shots, three of which were on goal. By the final buzzer, the Lehigh keeper Sierra Segear had 15 saves, compared to two for the Bison's Erica Perrine (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan).
Penalty corners were also heavily in Bucknell's favor. The Bison tallied 14 in the game, including 10 in the second half. They limited Lehigh to one in the final frame and six corners overall.
Despite the Mountain Hawks' fewer number of penalty corners, that was how they put the game winner on the board. Just over 10 minutes had elapsed in the first half when Abby Tilton received a pass from Kimberly Eng at the far post. Tilton got the ball past Perrine for her sixth goal of the season.
Trying to play catch-up, Bucknell put up most of its offensive production in the second half. In addition to the 10 penalty corners, the Bison also tallied 17 shots. Katie Durkin (New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan) got off seven shots in the game, six of which made it on goal, but Bucknell was unable to get one through and took their sixth shutout loss of the year.
With just two games remaining on their Patriot League schedule, the Bison are now in fourth place in the conference standings. Bucknell's final league opponents are American at Graham Field on Oct. 22 and Colgate on Oct. 29. The Bison will first look to Towson, however. Bucknell and the Tigers face off tomorrow at noon in College Park, Md.
