Bucknell University
Lehigh
Bucknell Men's Soccer Stunned by Lehigh in Double OT in Front of Capacity Crowd
9/24/2011 8:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 24, 2011
Final Stats |
Photo Gallery 
| BUY PHOTOS
LEWISBURG, Pa. - A standing-room-only crowd at Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium left disappointed as Lehigh's Kevin Strunk headed in a Jordie Ciuffetelli service with 3:49 left in double overtime, sending the Mountain Hawks to a 1-0 win over Bucknell in the Patriot League opener for both teams on Saturday afternoon. The Bison outshot Lehigh 25-15 and had a number of great scoring chances, but they were kept off the scoreboard for the first time this season and fell to 5-4 overall.
This was yet another intensely contested match between two of the league's top teams, and for the fourth year in a row the visiting team prevailed by one goal. Bucknell was the more dangerous team for most of the contest, but Lehigh capitalized in the 107th minute when Strunk, the reigning Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, was left unmarked in the box for the winning goal. The Bison had just cleared away a throw-in from Ciuffetelli into the box, but the ball came right back to Ciuffetelli on the left wing, and he served it back in to Strunk, who headed it home from about 12 yards out.
The goal ended Bucknell's three-game winning streak, and it ended the team's scoreless streak at 394:17. Lehigh improved to 4-1-3 on the season and has allowed only two goals in its eight games. The Mountain Hawks became the first team to shut out Bucknell on Emmitt Field since Colgate on Oct. 18, 2008, ending a run of 25 straight home games with a goal.
Ciuffetelli, Lehigh's right back, not only assisted on the winning goal, but he also saved two shots off the goal line, one coming 15 minutes into the game off a shot from Nader Sawtarie and the other a game-saver on a Josh Plump shot in the second overtime period.
The Bison nearly scored in the fifth minute of the game when Plump turned in the box and set a rocket at Lehigh keeper Ciaran Nugent, who needed quick hands to deflect the ball over the bar. Eight minutes later sustained pressure resulted in a good look for Sawtarie, but his shot to the far post was knocked away by Ciufatelli. Ryan Sappington and Pat Plourde also had quality attempts later in the half, but their shots were off the mark.
Lehigh's best chance in regulation came four minutes into the second half when the Bison were called for a foul just outside the penalty box. Strunk's free kick was just deflected by the end of the wall, and Bucknell cleared away the ensuing corner kick.
Inside 23 minutes to play the Bison had Lehigh back on its heels with another flurry, and Luke Joyner just missed on a leaping header after a nice service from Sawtarie. In the 78th minute Plump skipped a low shot just inches wide of the right post, and then in the final seconds of regulation the Bison almost caught Lehigh napping when Brendan Burgdorf's long cross just missed connecting with a sliding CK Kumah.
Tommy Caso finished with three saves in the game, all coming after halftime, while Nugent made two saves for Lehigh. Burgdorf led all players with seven shots for the Bison, while Plump had five. The Bison had eight corner kicks to Lehigh's three.
Bucknell now has a full week off before hosting American in another key Patriot League game next Saturday at 7 p.m.
