Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Penn State
Bucknell Women's Soccer Falls 4-0 to Penn State
9/20/2011 8:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 20, 2011
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LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell women's soccer team put forth a spirited effort against a quality Penn State team on Tuesday night at Emmitt Field, but the Nittany Lions used two early goals on set pieces to propel them to a 4-0 victory. The Bison fell to 2-5 on the season heading into Friday's home game against Marist, while the Nittany Lions, who just this week fell out of the national rankings, improved to 7-3.
When these two teams last met at Emmitt Field in 2009, Bucknell played Penn State to a scoreless tie. This time the Nittany Lions hit the net just 4:33 into the contest. Bri Hovington sent a long free kick into the penalty area that took a big bounce onto the head of Taylor Schram, who nodded it in for her fifth goal of the season.
It stayed 1-0 until the 32:02 mark, when a Bucknell foul just outside the area proved costly. On the restart, Emma Thompson tapped the ball forward to Christine Nairn, who sent a shot around the Bison wall and past keeper Sandita McDermott for a 2-0 lead.
Just over 10 minutes later, Emily Hurd shielded off a Bison defender to take a cross in from Meghan Gill, and Hurd spun to her right and scored with her left foot to make it 3-0. In the 49th minute, high-scoring forward Maya Hayes pulled even in the national goal-scoring race with her 13th of the year, finishing from inside the six-yard box with a one-timer off a cross from Jess Rosenbluth.
Despite the four-goal deficit, the Bison battled hard for the full 90 minutes and did not concede another goal. McDermott and Colleen Garrehy shared the goalkeeping duties and both played well. McDermott made six saves in 51 minutes, including a terrific leaping save on a Whitney Church laser in the first half.
Garrehy stoned Hayes on a breakaway in the second half, and she finished with two saves without a goal given up in just under 39 minutes of action.
Penn State finished with a 25-4 shot advantage and a 16-6 edge in corner kicks. Three of Bucknell's four shots came from Tara Cort, including a near miss on a well-struck volley from 25 yards out in the second half.
Both teams are in the midst of busy weeks and subbed liberally in the game. Penn State, which was ranked No. 21 nationally before dropping its Big Ten opener to Wisconsin over the weekend, used 10 reserves, while the Bison sent on nine.
Bucknell concludes its three-game homestand on Friday against Marist at 7 p.m. Next Tuesday, the Bison will head back to Mount St. Mary's to make up the game that was postponed by severe thunderstorms last week.
