Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Robert Morris
Bucknell Women's Soccer Gets in Win Column, 3-1 over Robert Morris
8/26/2012 8:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 26, 2012
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LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Sophomore Cassie Denger scored the go-ahead goal in the 52nd minute and then had a beautiful assist to freshman Danielle Piccirilli for a big insurance marker in the 76th, leading the Bucknell women's soccer team to its first win of the season, 3-1 over Robert Morris at sunny Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium.
The Bison came in feeling good about their play after a strong showing in a 2-1 loss at No. 23 Rutgers on Friday night, and they unleashed an offensive barrage against Robert Morris (0-4) that resulted in three goals on 26 total shots.
Early in the match Denger on the right and Courtney Nelson on the left made some quality runs along the flanks, and that opened up the middle of the Colonials defense for Bucknell's opening goal. It came in the 26th minute after Taryn Boucher won a ball in the middle of the field and passed it back to right back Corinne Collins. Collins sent a long lead pass ahead to Chelsey Garkowski, who outmuscled a defender at the top of the box, broke in alone and buried her first goal of the season.
Robert Morris seized momentum just after conceding, and the visitors were able to tie it up at the 33:06 mark. Near the right sideline just inside midfield, Ayana Davis whipped a long diagonal pass that found its way through to Cassie Raymond on the left wing. Raymond, who had just come on as a substitute, scored on a high 18-yard shot that just grazed the fingertips of a lunging Sandita McDermott.
Bucknell turned up the heat after intermission and took the lead back at the 51:34 mark when Kayla Yee sent a direct ball into the box. Two Bison forwards, a defender and goalkeeper Chelsea de Jager all converged on the ball, but it was Denger arriving first to poke it into the net.
Moments later it almost went to 3-1 when Garkowski got in alone again, but her shot went right at de Jager. Bucknell then had to do some quality defending in order to keep the lead. In the 54th minute a long throw-in caught the Bison off guard, and McDermott had to make a tricky save on Davis at her near post.
Only about 30 seconds later, Davis appeared to have a breakaway, but fullback Bridget Gilmartin came flying back to block the shot.
Bucknell had a goal waved off in the 59th minute when Garkowski smothered de Jager's clearing attempt from the top of the area all the way back into the net, but it was ruled to be a hand ball on Garkowski.
McDermott made a diving save to her right to rob Kristen Check in the 72nd minute, and then Bucknell finally broke through with the key insurance goal with 14:35 left in the game. It was a pretty goal, starting with a nice give-and-go between Denger and Piccirilli on the left sideline. Denger was able to carry the ball all the way into the box, veered to her right, then unselfishly slipped a perfect pass to Piccirilli, who one-timed it into the roof of the net for her first collegiate goal.
Once they had the two-goal lead, the rest of the game was all Bison. They fired a number of quality shots that just missed being rewarded. De Jager made a good save on Evelyn Nicinski, tipping her shot over the crossbar. Defender Hannah Bonotto, making her second career start, almost notched her first career goal, but her back-post header off a corner kick barely missed wide of the left post. Meghan Fitzpatrick also nearly scored on a header from a corner kick, but her attempt hit the crossbar.
Bucknell finished with a 26-18 shot advantage, including a 17-9 ledger in the second half. The wide-open affair also featured a total of 16 corner kicks, nine by Bucknell. McDermott finished with five saves, while de Jager had nine for Robert Morris.
"It feels great to get our first win of the season," said coach Ben Landis after the game. "It was disappointing to give up that goal just after we had gone ahead, but we didn't dwell on it at all and attacked relentlessly in the second half. It was great to put three goals on the board. They say when your strikers are scoring goals it means good things are happening, and today two of our starting forwards scored and so did one of our subs. I was proud of our effort all weekend."
Next up for the Bison is a home match against Buffalo next Friday at 7 p.m.
