Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Saint Francis (Pa.)
Bison Women's Soccer Rallies for Tie at Saint Francis (Pa.), 1-1
9/28/2014 4:41:00 PM | Women's Soccer
LORETTO, Pa. -- Freshman Maddie Mulford scored her first collegiate goal to tie the game with six minutes left in regulation, and seniors Dana Calderone and Michaela Berman keyed a strong defensive effort in their first career starts to help the Bucknell women's soccer team gain a 1-1 draw at defending Northeast Conference champion Saint Francis (Pa.) on Sunday afternoon.
It was the second tie in 48 hours for the Bison, who are now 5-5-2 on the season. With two games this weekend -- the other was a 0-0 draw with Lehigh on Friday night -- and two more Patriot League contests coming up later this week, head coach Ben Landis used this match as an opportunity to rest some starters.
After a slow start, Bucknell came alive in the final 25 minutes of regulation plus overtime. The Bison attempted 12 of their 17 shots and generated numerous quality chances during that 45-minute stretch. At the 84:00 mark, Mulford collected a feed from Madison Loos, took a touch and fired a shot from outside the box into the left side netting for her first career goal.
Saint Francis keeper Romina Kunze made seven of her nine saves in extra time, and she made the biggest play of the game in the first overtime session when she broke up a breakaway attempt by Kendall Ham. Alexis Gannon had just cleared out a Red Flash corner kick, which led to the long breakaway from Ham, but as she tried to take a touch around Kunze, the Saint Francis keeper lunged out and grabbed it.
While that was the best chance of the day for a winner, the Bison would go on to launch eight more shots in the second 10-minute overtime period, six of which were on frame and saved by Kunze.
At the other end, Calderone was just as stout between the pipes. A former walk-on goalkeeper, the senior captain earned her first start and tallied six saves. She made a stop on Jessica Andrew in the final minute of regulation and another on the Saint Francis goal-scorer Mackenzie Walter in the 102nd minute.
In front of Calderon, Berman made her first start and eighth career appearance, turning in a solid 89 minutes at left back.
Walter put Saint Francis (0-9-2) on the board in the 25th minute, firing into the left side of the goal with assists to Gabi Morales and Allison La Duke.
Despite taking just two shots in the first half, Bucknell finished with a 17-11 shot advantage. The Bison led 8-3 in corner kicks, with seven of the eight coming after halftime.
"Coming off a hard-fought draw in a league match on Friday, we were a bit flat in the first half," said Landis. "But we changed the formation with about 20 minutes to go, and the group that we had in there did very well. Maddie Mulford scored a great goal, and we had some good looks in overtime. We really wanted to manage some minutes today, and I was really proud of how Dana and Michaela played."
Bucknell has nothing but Patriot League games remaining on the regular-season schedule, starting Wednesday evening at Loyola. The Bison will be back home again next Saturday against American at 2 p.m.
