Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Howard
Men's Soccer Explodes in Second Half, Tops Howard 5-2
10/13/2015 5:14:00 PM | Men's Soccer
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Andrew Leischner turned in his first career two-goal game, and Chris Thorsheim logged a goal and an assist as Bucknell scored five times in the second half of a come-from-behind 5-2 victory over Howard on Tuesday afternoon at Greene Stadium.
Bucknell (4-5-4) came in looking to snap a six-game winless streak (0-3-3) that has coincided with some offensive struggles. The Bison had not scored in 277 minutes, and it had been a full month since they had scored from the run of play (the team's last four goals were all on penalty kicks or direct free kicks). But immediately after falling behind 2-0 to Howard (0-12-2), Bucknell exploded for three goals in just 4:19 and five total in the second half.
Victor Guirma put the hosts on top 2-0 exactly 51 minutes into the match when he popped in a header over the top of charging goalkeeper Clarke Fox.
Only 3:15 later, Thorsheim got Bucknell going. He pressured a Howard back into a turnover, took the ball in on a breakaway and scored his team-leading sixth goal of the season.
A mere 47 seconds later the game was tied. Thorsheim and Adam Bradshaw worked a combo from a short corner kick, and Bradshaw's service into the box was headed in by Sebastiaan Blickman. It was Blickman's fourth goal of the year, expanding on his career high.
Just 3:32 after that, Leishner, who was about to be subbed out, dribbled to about 35 yards out and unleashed a left-footed shot to the top corner, giving Bucknell a stunning 3-2 lead.
The visitors picked up an insurance goal off a set piece in the 73rd minute. Ben Derleth pressured the Howard goalkeeper and drew a foul. On the re-start, Thorsheim rolled the ball to center back Zack Rockmore, who crushed it into the back of the net for his third goal of the season.
Bucknell tacked on one more in the final seconds of the match. Derleth took the ball to the corner to try to run off some clock, but a lane opened up straight into the box, and Leischner tapped in Derleth's centering pass.
Leischner now has three career goals, all of them coming in Washington, D.C. His other goal came at American in 2013.
"We had four key guys out with injuries, so we were forced to try some different combinations," said head coach Brendan Nash. "In the second half it started working a little better. We challenged them at the half to dig a little deeper, and even though we gave up a goal early in the second half, it was good to respond with five goals."
For Bucknell, the five goals in a half were its most since 2012, when it also scored five times in the second half of a 7-0 win over Adelphi. The five total goals were Bucknell's most on the road since a wild 5-4 victory at Canisius in 2008.
Fox finished with two saves as Bucknell outshot Howard 14-12. Sam Howard stopped two shots and Jordan Austin had one save in relief for Howard.
This was Bucknell's final non-conference game of the regular season, and now the Bison will prepare to host Patriot League preseason favorite Navy on Saturday at 4 p.m. The Midshipmen are 3-0 in league play, while the Bison are 0-2-2.
