Bison Play Twice in NY Capital District This Weekend

LEWISBURG, Pa. -- The Bucknell men's soccer team looks to extend its two-game winning streak in New York's Capital District this weekend. The 2-2 Bison take on Albany at 8 p.m. Friday night at Union College's Frank Bailey Field, and on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. they will play a visit to Siena.

After a pair of tough one-goal losses to start the season, Bucknell bounced back with a 1-0 win over Buffalo and a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over La Salle last week. Chris Thorsheim's third-minute goal was the difference in the Buffalo game, and Thorsheim and Jesse Klug tallied second-half goals to lift Bucknell to a win over La Salle last Sunday.

Thorsheim has carried the bulk of the scoring load for the Bison. He registered the team's first four goals of the season before Klug broke the streak, and Thorsheim is tied for the Patriot League goal-scoring lead along with Loyola's Larry Ndjock.

Since yielding three unanswered goals in the season-opener against Canisius, Bucknell has been stout defensively in the last three games. The Bison have allowed only 17 total shots and only six on goal in the last 270 minutes. Sophomore goalkeepers Mike Lansing and Clarke Fox both earned wins last weekend, and senior back Mayowa Alli is this week's Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week.

Bucknell's two-game winning streak also coincides with the insertion of freshmen Peter Krebs and Sebastiaan Blickman into the starting lineup. Krebs played the full 90 minutes at center back in both wins last week, while Blickman played well in a sitting center midfield position.

The Bison have outshot their opponents 78-32 on the season.

Albany comes into Friday's match with an 0-3-1 record. The Great Danes are coming off a 2-0 loss at Iona on Tuesday. Albany recorded a 0-0 tie against Lehigh last weekend, and dropped two games in California on opening weekend. The Great Danes fell 3-0 to No. 25 Cal State Northridge and 2-1 to Cal State Fullerton.

Dominic McGarr has accounted for Albany's lone goal thus far. Tim Allen and Eric Orologio have shared the goalkeeping duties. Allen has strong numbers, with a 0.80 goals-against average and .867 save percentage.

The Bison and Great Danes met for the first time last season, and Bucknell won 4-0 to claim the Class of '98 Invitational at Emmitt Field. Alli headed in two first-half goals, and Brendan Burgdorf and Brian Ward scored in the second half.

Siena improved to 2-1 on the season after a 1-0 home win over Buffalo on Sunday. The Saints opened the year with a 4-1 rout of Sacred Heart, and they have a 1-0 road loss at Hartford. Siena does not have a Friday match and will be on a full week's rest when the Bison come in on Sunday.

Siena was 10-7 overall and a best-ever 6-1 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. First Team All-MAAC selection James Beeston has three goals and two assists for eight points through three games. Matt Hemsley and Falko Friedrichs also have goals. Siena opponents have managed only five shots on goal so far.

This will be the first meeting between Bucknell and Siena in men's soccer.

After this weekend, the Bison will have only one more game prior to the start of Patriot League play. They will visit Seton Hall on Sept. 21 before coming back home to host Army in the conference opener on Sept. 28.