Bucknell University
Binghamton
Bison Drop Season-Opener to Binghamton, 2-1
8/29/2014 10:41:00 PM | Men's Soccer
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Second-half goals by Luca Bottoni and Charlie Novoth spoiled the Bucknell men's soccer team's season opener before a large and energetic crowd at Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium on Friday night, as visiting Binghamton topped the Bison 2-1.
Bucknell completely dominated the opening 45 minutes, outshooting Binghamton 9-1, but the Bison just could not get a ball past Bearcats keeper Robert Moewes. Binghamton turned the tables a bit in the second half and broke the scoreless deadlock in the 62nd minute.
A long punt by Moewes was headed forward by a Bison defender, but Logan Roberts gathered the carom and slotted a pass ahead to Bottoni, who scored from about 15 yards out past charging keeper Mike Lansing.
Bucknell nearly equalized just seconds later when Austin Lenart sent in a hard, low cross from the right side, but Moewes swatted away Jesse Klug's redirect from point-blank range.
Binghamton made it 2-0 when Novoth scored on a direct kick just outside the penalty area, with the ball just sneaking inside the upper right post off the fingertips of a diving Lansing.
Bucknell averted the shutout with 0:01 remaining when Justin Galiani scored on a volley after Zack Rockmore's free kick into the box. It was the first collegiate goal for the freshman Galiani.
The Bison maintained nearly all of the possession in the first half and put plenty of pressure on the Binghamton goal. The first good look of the night came from freshman Jack Zollicoffer 10 minutes in, but Moewes steered aside his blast from 25 yards out. About nine minutes later Jesse Klug split the Bearcats back line but pulled his shot just wide of the left post.
Moewes made another quick reaction save on Chris Thorsheim's close-range header on a corner kick sequence with 16:40 left in the half, and three minutes later Rockmore had a free header on a corner kick that just slipped wide.
The Bison attempted 11 corner kicks to just three for Binghamton, and the Bison finished with a 16-7 shot advantage. Moewes had five saves for Binghamton, while Lansing had one for Bucknell.
"It was frustrating not getting a goal there in the first half after putting on all that pressure," said head coach Brendan Nash after the game. "Binghamton adjusted well and made us play farther from the goal in the second half. We told the guys after the game that now we need to adjust. We've only played one game, but let's see how we react on Sunday."
The Bison are back home on Sunday at 5 p.m. against Hartwick. There will be a free barbeque tailgate for the first 500 fans at Emmitt Field, and the first 100 fans will receive a free tee shirt.
