Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Boston U.
Five Bucknell Players Score in Field Hockey's 5-2 Win Over Boston U.
10/4/2014 3:36:00 PM | Field Hockey
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Five different players scored for the Bucknell field hockey team as the Bison rolled to a 5-2 win over visiting Boston U. in a key Patriot League game on Saturday at Graham Field. The Bison improved to 6-2 overall and are one of just two teams still unbeaten in conference play at 2-0.
Playing each other for just the fourth time, Bucknell recorded its first-ever win over Boston U. It gives the Bison back-to-back quality wins. The Terriers appeared in the national rankings two weeks ago before dropping out of the most recent poll with a loss last weekend. The Bison shut out defending Patriot League champion American a week ago.
“It was intimidating at first to see the schedule and see that we had to play those teams back-to-back, but we've done a great job at getting better every game,” Bucknell head coach Jeremy Cook said. “That was our best game so far against one of the best teams we've played so far.”
The Bison were dominant from start to finish. They registered a 22-3 advantage in shots and allowed just two shots on goal. They received goals from Abby Watson, Lexie Curry, Liz Wills, Amie Pritchard and Kiersten Sydnor.
Watson put Bucknell on the scoreboard first, scoring her first goal of the season 15:23 into the first half. She fired a shot off the Boston U. goaltender, got her own rebound and put it back to put her team up 1-0. It was the second straight goal off a rebound for the Bison, who received a game-winner in the same manner from Cassie Lawrence against American last weekend.
Less than eight minutes later Lexie Curry put Bucknell up 2-0 with her second goal of the year. Stephanie Dressler set up the score with a nice centering pass, and Curry beat the goaltender to the left post.
Despite the large discrepancy in shots – Bucknell out-shot Boston U. 11-1 in the first half – the Terriers were right in the game early in the second half thanks to a goal by Bea Baumberger Altirriba that cut the deficit to one. The score came off a penalty corner and was assisted by Taylor Blood and Rachel Coll.
It took the Bison a little more than a minute to respond with a penalty corner goal of their own. Liz Wills scored her team-leading fifth goal of the season to put them up 3-1. Amie Pritchard and Kelsey Mucelli notched assists on the play.
Just four minutes later Pritchard increased the lead to 4-1 with her fourth goal of the season. Following a hard shot by Liz Wills that went off the goalie and into the air, Pritchard reached above her head to bat the ball out of the air and past the goalie.
The Terriers cut the lead to 4-2 on an impressive backhanded goal by Hester van der Laan, but that's as close as they would get. The Bison completed the scoring on Kiersten Sydnor's goal with seconds to play.
Bucknell returns to action Sunday as it hosts Drexel for a non-conference game at Graham Field. Cook, a 2002 Drexel grad, will coach against his alma mater for the second time.
