Bucknell University
Loyola (Md.)
Klug, Grad Score Twice Each in Men's Soccer's 4-1 Win at Loyola
10/8/2014 9:29:00 PM | Men's Soccer
BALTIMORE, Md. -- Jonathan Grad and Jesse Klug both registered two goals and an assist to help the Bucknell men's soccer team cruise past Loyola 4-1 on Wednesday night in a Patriot League match at the Ridley Athletic Complex. Austin Lenart recorded two assists for the Bison, who scored four goals in a Patriot League road game for the first time ever and scored four in any Patriot League contest for the first time in 23 years.
This was a critical bounce-back victory for the Bison (6-6 overall, 2-1 Patriot League) after letting a late lead slip away in a 2-1 home loss to Lehigh over the weekend. Bucknell now sits in a three-way tie for second place, three points in back of Boston University, which improved to 3-0 with a win over Holy Cross on Wednesday.
"We really challenged the guys to respond from Saturday's disappointing finish, and that is very tough to do in a mid-week game on the road," said head coach Brendan Nash. "We did a great job at the start, then let up for a bit. But I thought we played a complete 45 minutes in the second half."
The Bison led 2-0 after early goals from Grad and Klug. Loyola got one back on a Dylan Engel goal in the 27th minute, but Grad and Klug both scored again 13 minutes apart in the second half to put the game away. Both of Grad's goals came on headers, giving him his first career multi-goal game and a career-high five goals on the season.
Klug is now up to six goals and 16 points on the year, and it was his terrific cross into the box that got the Bison going in the 10th minute. From all the way out near the right touch line, Klug sent a perfect ball into Grad, who headed it home from close range for a 1-0 Bison lead.
Just nine minutes later it was 2-0. Grad and Connor Willings played a little give-and-go near midfield, and then Willings threaded a pass ahead to Klug, who took a touch to his right an crushed a shot past keeper Matt Sanchez into the left side netting.
Loyola battled back in the 27th minute and cut Bucknell's lead in half. The Bison had trouble clearing, and Joey Wilkins took the ball down the right flank and placed a cross just between two defenders, where it was volleyed in by Engel.
That was one of only three shot attempts all night for the Greyhounds (4-4-2, 1-2-0), as the Bison defense was well-organized the rest of the way.
Still leading 2-1 into the early stages of the second half, Bucknell took advantage of a corner kick opportunity. Klug worked a short corner with Chris Thorsheim, who then poked a pass to Lenart in wide-open space about 25 yards from goal. Lenart drove the ball into the box, and Grad flicked a header past a frozen goalkeeper to restore the two-goal lead.
In the 67th minute Klug made it 4-1. In the deep left corner of the area Klug momentarily lost possession but quickly took the ball back and passed to Lenart near the top of the box. Lenart gave it right back to Klug, who turned and fired a low shot just inside the left post. This was Klug's second career two-goal game, with the other coming last season in a 2-0 win at Seton Hall.
The Bison finished with an 11-3 shot advantage and a 6-3 edge in corner kicks. Clarke Fox played all 90 minutes in goal and recorded one save. Sanchez logged three saves for Loyola, which lost at home for the first time this season.
The four-goal outburst matched Bucknell's season high, set in a 4-0 win over Howard on Sept. 13. This was Bucknell's highest offensive output on the road since a 5-4 win at Canisius on Aug. 31, 2008.
Since the Patriot League's inception in 1990, the only other time Bucknell scored four in a league match came in a 4-1 win over Holy Cross on Sept. 21, 1991 in Lewisburg.
Bucknell has another tough test on Saturday when it hosts No. 20 American at 1 p.m. at Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium.
