Bucknell University Athletics
Men's Soccer's Burgdorf, Alli Honored After Bison Win Class of '98 Invitational Title
9/17/2012 8:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 17, 2012
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell men's soccer team enjoyed a banner weekend, defeating Adelphi and Albany by a combined margin of 11-0 to win the Class of '98 Invitational, and two of the team's key players in those victories were honored on Monday. Tournament MVP Brendan Burgdorf was named Bison Athlete of the Week, while All-Tournament selection Mayowa Alli earned Patriot League Brine Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Bucknell co-hosted the Class of '98 Invitational with Penn State, and the Bison claimed the tourney title on goal differential over the Nittany Lions, who also went 2-0 on the weekend. Bucknell raced past Adelphi 7-0 on Friday, producing its highest goal total in 20 years, and then the Bison blanked Albany 4-0 on Sunday. The 11 goals were the team's most in consecutive games since 1973.
Burgdorf had two of those 11 goals, one in each game. He tallied the all-important opening goal against Adelphi just 5:19 into the match. Against Albany, Burgdorf finished a Josh Plump assist to give the Bison a 3-0 lead in the 59th minute.
Burgdorf, a two-time All-Patriot League honoree and a member of the 2012 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, now has 19 career goals.
Alli plays one of the two central defense positions, and he anchored a Bucknell defense that posted two shutouts while conceding only three shots on goal (16 total shots) in 180 minutes. The Bison now have three straight shutouts during their current four-game winning streak and a scoreless streak that has now reached 291:07.
Alli also contributes in the offensive half of the field, thanks to his own long throw-in ability as well as a vertical leap that makes him a target on set pieces. He contributed to goals in both situations this weekend. In the Adelphi game his throw-in was finished with a running header by Jonathan Grad, giving Bucknell a 2-0 lead late in the first half.
Against Albany, Alli scored the team's first two goals, both on headers. In the 15th minute Bucknell had a corner kick that the Great Danes were able to clear out of the box, but Josh Butzke pounced on the loose ball and served it back in to Alli, who nodded it home for the game's opening goal. Then with just 15 seconds left in the half, Alli scored on a spectacular flying header off Chris Thorsheim's free kick, giving the Bison a 2-0 lead.
Alli led Bucknell with seven goals en route to First Team All-Region and First Team All-Patriot League honors last season. These were his first two goals of 2012, as the Bison have gotten extremely balanced scoring so far. Through seven games, 12 different players have accounted for the team's 17 goals, and 17 of the 21 field players on the roster have at least one point.
Bucknell currently ranks 15th among the 201 Division I men's soccer teams in goals per game at 2.43. The Bison rank third nationally in total assists with 21.
Bucknell now ranks No. 5 in the NSCAA Mid-Atlantic Region poll, trailing only Charlotte, Xavier, VCU and Dayton, all of the Atlantic 10.
Bucknell's 4-1-2 record is the best in the Patriot League heading into league play, which begins next weekend. The Bison will visit Lehigh on Saturday at 7 p.m.
