Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
VCU
Newcomers Make Big Impact in Bucknell Men's Soccer's 1-1 Draw at VCU
8/24/2012 8:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Aug. 24, 2012
RICHMOND, Va. -- Freshman Jesse Klug scored a goal just 18 minutes into his collegiate career, and rookie goalkeeper Mike Lansing made nine saves, including an incredible diving stop in the second overtime period, helping the Bucknell men's soccer team to a 1-1 tie against a high-quality VCU side in the season opener for both teams on Friday night at Sports Backers Stadium.
Re-starts have been Bucknell's bread and butter in recent years, and the Bison cashed in on a set piece in the first half. Defender Collin Costello delivered a free kick into the box, where Brendan Burgdorf headed the ball over to Klug for a shot into the left side of the net. The native of Washington State scored 67 goals in just two high school seasons along with 14 more with the Seattle Sounders Academy team, and now he has his first at the collegiate level.
Armed with a 1-0 lead, Bucknell spent much of the rest of the night defending. VCU, picked third in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll behind only reigning national runner-up Charlotte and two-time defending league champion Xavier, kept the pressure on and racked up 28 shots on the night. But Lansing, the 6'4" freshman keeper from New Jersey, was stellar in his debut.
Lansing finished with nine saves, including three in overtime. At least four of his stops were of the highlight-reel variety, none bigger than a one-handed diving save to his right to rob Devon Fisher with four minutes left in the match. Lansing also had to move to his right to save a free kick in a hectic situation in the final seconds of the first overtime period.
Bucknell nearly pulled out a 1-0 win, but the defense's only blemish came with 9:25 left in regulation. Jason Johnson took a pass from Jose Manel Bel and sent a quality strike into the left corner.
In addition to the contributions from newcomers Klug and Lansing, freshman Chris Thorsheim started at center midfield and played all 110 minutes in his collegiate debut. A fourth freshman saw time off the bench, with Conor Willings getting a handful of minutes on defense.
"VCU is just an exceptional team, one of the best we have faced in my time at Bucknell," said 14th-year head coach Brendan Nash after the game. "It was a workmanlike effort on our part. We talked about the importance of the first 15 minutes of the game, and we did well in that span and scored a goal not long after that. After we scored, VCU really had us on our heels the rest of the way. It was a total team defensive effort, but I thought Mike Lansing really came of age quickly tonight. There were probably four shots that they thought were in the back of the net that he saved. We certainly would have liked the win, but we will take this result on the road in a tough environment against an outstanding team."
The contest was part of the VCU/Nike Classic, which will continue on Sunday. Bucknell will play Butler, like VCU a first-year member of the Atlantic-10, at 1 p.m. Butler and William & Mary played to a scoreless tie earlier Friday evening.
