Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Loyola (Md.)
Thorsheim, Klug Spark Men's Soccer in 5-0 Win over Loyola
10/28/2015 8:25:00 PM | Men's Soccer
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Chris Thorsheim scored two goals, Jesse Klug had three assists in his second game back from injury, and the Bucknell men's soccer team scored its most goals in a conference game in 42 years with a 5-0 rout of Loyola on Wednesday evening at rain-soaked Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium.
The victory upped Bucknell's season record to 6-6-4 and its Patriot League mark to 2-3-2. The Bison temporarily moved into a tie for sixth place along with Army and Holy Cross, but the Black Knights and Crusaders were both in action later on Wednesday evening.
"This is the type of performance we have been looking for," said head coach Brendan Nash. "We created chances and limited their chances in our defensive end. We know what we have to do to get into the postseason. We don't feel like we are a ninth-place team, but that's the reality and we need results. Today we just focused on Loyola and getting the three points."
For the second time in 15 days, the Bison pumped in five goals in a game, and it was the fourth time this year that the team has scored at least four. The five goals is a new record for Bucknell in a Patriot League match. The Bison had scored four in a PL game twice, including last year's 4-1 win at Loyola.
The last time Bucknell scored at least five goals in any conference game was Oct. 27, 1973, when it defeated Lafayette 6-0 in a Middle Atlantic Conference tilt.
This is the first time since 1993 that the Bison have engineered two five-goal games in one season – they also did it in a 5-2 win at Howard back on Oct. 13 – and it is the first time since 1985 that they have reached the four-goal plateau in four different games.
The team's two most-decorated players were the catalysts in this one, as Thorsheim scored twice in the opening 23 minutes to get the Bison off to a great start, and Klug was a nuisance for the Greyhounds all night. Thorsheim jumped into the Patriot League lead with eight goals on the season, while Klug recorded the 14th three-assist game in team history and the second of his career.
The icebreaker came 9:16 into the match, when Thorsheim lost his man at midfield and sent Klug out wide to the left of the penalty area. Klug returned the favor, finding Thorsheim in the center of the box about eight yards from goal, and Thorsheim's low shot eluded the left mitt of Loyola keeper Matt Sanchez.
Bucknell capitalized on a corner kick in the 23rd minute. Sebastiaan Blickman and Zack Rockmore kept the ball alive in the air, and Thorsheim finished from a seated position inside the 6-yard box to make it 2-0.
Austin Lenart, who had been dealing with some injuries of his own, was right in the middle of Bucknell's three-goal spurt in the second half. In the 52nd minute, Klug sped through traffic with the ball, drew two defenders and slipped a pass to his left to an on-rushing Lenart. His shot beat Sanchez and was headed for the empty net as it was pushed across the line by a sliding Loyola defender.
That was Lenart's first goal of the season, and he almost had a second about 14 minutes later after Klug and Thorsheim again sliced through the Loyola defense. Thorsheim hit Lenart in stride for a breakaway, but his shot hit the inside of the right post and walked all the way across the goal line before being cleared away.
With exactly 20 minutes remaining an own goal made it 4-0, as a Thorsheim delivery went in off a Greyhounds defender. Patrick Figgie got in on the fun in the 77th minute with his first goal of the season. Figgie punched in a rebound after Sanchez made a diving save on Klug.
Bucknell had Loyola (2-11-2, 0-6-1) under duress right from the opening whistle and finished with a 26-6 shot advantage. Klug led the way with seven attempts, while Rockmore had four.
At the other end, Clarke Fox made three saves, as the back four of Rockmore, Sterling Kirk, Peter Krebs and Adam Bradshaw helped keep his uniform clean. Fox's shutout was the 12th of his career, eighth-most in Bucknell history.
"It is great to have Jesse and Austin back out there," said Nash. "It just makes us a better team. We will take the positives out of this one and get prepared to play Lehigh on Saturday.
Next up for Bucknell is a road test at Lehigh on Saturday at 7 p.m. The Mountain Hawks (9-5-1, 3-3-0) were scheduled to play Lafayette on Wednesday, but the match was pushed back a day due to rain.
