Bucknell University
Drexel
Another Shutout, Another Alli Goal as Bison Men's Soccer Blanks Drexel 1-0
9/21/2011 8:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 21, 2011
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Following an increasingly familiar storyline, the Bucknell men's soccer team used strong defense and another Mayowa Alli (Lanham, Md./Bishop McNamara) goal on a set piece to turn back Drexel 1-0 in a non-league game Wednesday night at Vidas Field. Alli's Patriot League-leading sixth goal of the year came 83 minutes into a scoreless duel, and it upped Bucknell's season record to 5-3.
In a final tuneup prior to the start of conference play, the Bison turned in yet another strong defensive effort. They limited Drexel (0-5-1) to six total shots and just three on target, all of which were turned aside by Tommy Caso (Phoenix, Md./McDonogh). His final save of the night was a dandy on a scramble in the box with Bucknell clinging to the 1-0 lead with five minutes to play.
For Caso and the Bison, it was their third straight shutout, and they now have a scoreless streak of 288:06 dating back to the second half of the Notre Dame game on Sept. 11. The last time Bucknell compiled three straight shutouts was in the 2009 postseason, when it blanked Lafayette and American in the Patriot League Tournament and Princeton in the NCAA Tournament.
Caso now has 17 career shutouts, moving him within one of Joey Kuterbach in the No. 4 spot on Bucknell's all-time list.
The Bison have been deadly on set pieces of late, with Alli doing much of the damage. The sophomore back struck again at the 83:01 mark, chesting down a 40-yard free kick from CK Kumah (Accra, Ghana/Hotchkiss School) before booting it past Drexel keeper Pentti Pussinen.
It was Alli's third game-winning goal of the season, and all six of his tallies on the season have come on corner kicks or free kicks.
The Bison will now turn their attention to Patriot League rival Lehigh, which comes to Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium on Saturday at 4 p.m. The Mountain Hawks are 3-1-3 on the season and ranked fourth in the NSCAA Mid-Atlantic Poll, one spot ahead of Bucknell.
