Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
St. Bonaventure
Bucknell Women's Soccer Wins Third Straight, 3-0 at St. Bonaventure
9/2/2012 8:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 2, 2012
OLEAN, N.Y. -- Liz Dwornik scored twice and Courtney Nelson added her second goal of the weekend to lift the resurgent Bucknell women's soccer team to a 3-0 victory at St. Bonaventure on Sunday. The Bison have now won three straight games to improve to 3-2 on the season, and they avenged a 2011 loss with a shutout for the second time in three days.
The Bison topped Buffalo 1-0 on Friday night, and they extended their scoreless streak to 236:54 dating back to the first half of a 3-1 win over Robert Morris on Aug. 26. Senior goalkeeper Sandita McDermott made six saves for her ninth career shutout, tying Katie Dry for fourth on Bucknell's all-time list.
Bucknell had not generated much offense until late in the first half, when Dwornik's first goal of the season broke the scoreless deadlock at the 40:28 mark. Dwornik had just come into the game as a substitute, and her first touch of the game was a strike from the top of the box after a nice passing combination from Kayla Yee and Cassie Denger.
And then just 1:41 after halftime the Bison struck again. St. Bonaventure cleared away a corner kick, and freshman defender Lauren Dandie sent the ball back in to the right side of the box. Chelsey Garkowski served a cross to the back post, and Nelson streaked in to finish her team-leading third goal of the season. Nelson also had the goal in the win over Buffalo on Friday, and it was her third goal in the last four games.
Bucknell finished the scoring in the 76th minute when Dwornik's 25-yard shot grazed a defender and found the net. That gave Dwornik her first career multi-goal game.
The Bison were outshot 20-8. They only put four shots on frame, but three of them went in. McDermott had a tricky save in the second half with Bucknell protecting a 2-0 lead, as she held her line and tipped a ball over the bar.
Christina Sarokon and Kathryn Kerkman split the game in goal for the Bonnies (0-5-1). Sarokon made their lone save of the day on Brigit Falcon in the first half.
"It was certainly not our best performance today in terms of quality, but we made the most of our opportunities and came away with a good win on the road," said head coach Ben Landis. "Even when we are not at our best, we are still playing with great confidence. We have now played five straight scoreless halves defensively, and to put three goals on the board on the road is terrific. We were scrambling a little bit, and the goals just before and just after the half really sunk their momentum."
Bucknell now has eight goals on the season, all coming in the last four games. In 2011 the Bison scored 10 goals all year, and they didn't get their eighth until Oct. 21 against Lehigh in their 14th game of the season.
Bucknell fell 1-0 to the Bonnies last season and were just 1-4 all-time against the prior to Sunday's victory.
The Bison are back home again on Friday against UMBC at 7 p.m.
