Bucknell University
UMBC
Bucknell Men's Soccer Plays UMBC to Scoreless Draw
10/4/2011 8:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Oct. 4, 2011
BALTIMORE, Md. -- The Bucknell men's soccer team saw its scoring drought continue on Tuesday night, but the Bison were stout defensively against a potent UMBC offense and walked off with a 0-0 draw in a non-conference match at Retriever Soccer Park. Bucknell is now 5-5-1 on the season with a critical Patriot League match looming at Navy on Saturday night.
The matchup of two defending conference champions -- UMBC last year won the America East title, beat Princeton in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and then lost to William & Mary in penalty kicks in round two -- featured plenty of wide open, end-to-end action, but both teams defended their 18s well. Bucknell finished with a 13-11 shot advantage.
UMBC, which led the nation in goal-scoring two seasons ago and posted three against top-ranked Maryland earlier this year, fell to 4-3-3 overall.
Local product Tommy Caso (Phoenix, Md./McDonogh) had a good night in goal for the Bison, finishing with five saves en route to his fourth shutout of the season and 18th of his career. That ties him with Joey Kuterbach for fourth place on Bucknell's all-time list.
Caso made two of his stops late in the first 10-minute overtime period, one on Michael DiCesare and the other on Kingsley Onwuka.
In the second session of extra time, UMBC keeper Dan Louisignau made one of his three saves on Josh Plump (Millburn, N.J./Millburn). The Bison had two late corner kicks, but nothing came of them.
Bucknell's best flurry came midway through the first half when Brendan Burgdorf (Westfield, N.J./Pingry School) piped a shot that Louisignau deflected off the crossbar. Bison scoring leader Mayowa Alli (Lanham, Md./Bishop McNamara) got a head on the ensuing corner kick, but the Retrievers' keeper was again there for the save.
With a league game upcoming, Bison head coach Brendan Nash used six reserves, and only three starting field players were on for all 110 minutes. Ten different Bucknell players attempted a shot, and no player in the game for either side attempted more than two.
UMBC finished with an 8-6 edge in corner kicks, and both teams were whistled for 15 fouls.
This was Bucknell's first scoreless tie since Sept. 8, 2007 at Duquesne.
