Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Navy
Women?s Soccer Defeats Navy 3-0 To Advance To PL Championship Game
11/6/2015 10:01:00 PM | Women's Soccer
BOSTON, Mass. – The No. 2 seed Bucknell women's soccer team will play in the Patriot League Women's Soccer Championship, following a 3-0 victory over third-seeded Navy on Friday night. Bucknell scored twice in the first half and once more in the second half to set up a meeting with top-seeded and two-time defending champion Boston University on Sunday afternoon at Nickerson Field.
First Team All-PL selection Kendall Ham found the back of the net, while Academic All-PL selection Alexis Gannon scored twice more to help the Bison earn a trip to the title game for the first time since 2007.
After a back and forth 20 minutes of action, Bucknell got on the board in the 21st minute. Ham drove the ball up field, beating two defenders to send a shot into the left side of the netting for the unassisted finish and her ninth goal of the season.
The Bison extended their lead with just 1:58 left to play in the first half. Third Team all-leaguer Jackie Ham lobbed the ball to Gannon, who was able to stay onside and beat an oncoming Dayton Weatherby for her fifth goal of the year.
“I loved the way we came out in the first half,” says head coach Kelly Kuss. “We put a lot of pressure on them and we executed our game plan. Those two first half goals gave us a lot of momentum.”
Bucknell added insurance in the 89th minute when Gannon was able to tackle the ball away in Navy territory, and beat the oncoming goalie to tap in a shot to seal the 3-0 win.
Navy's best look of the night came in the 68th minute, when Rachel Feldman ripped a shot from 20 yards out that hit off the left post.
Second Team All-PL member Jessica Ratner finished with five saves in the contest, including a terrific stop in the 33rd minute, going high to make a play in front of a crowed box following a Navy corner kick.
For the sixth straight game, the Bison back line put together a solid performance. Bucknell has now held its opponents scoreless for 569:50 consecutive minutes, and is now unbeaten in its last nine contests.
Bucknell's three goals are the most goals scored in a Patriot League Tournament contest in team history. The Bison last scored three goals in the 2005 title game against Army West Point.
“Overall, I am super excited going into the final,” says coach Kuss. “I really liked the way we played today and we know we have a tough game ahead of us against Boston University.”
Sunday's championship game will mark the first time that Bucknell and Boston University compete in a postseason contest. The two teams last met in the regular season on Sept. 20, with the Terriers winning a 4-0 decision to hand the Bison their only conference loss of the year.
Sunday's Patriot League Women's Soccer Championship is scheduled for 1 p.m., and will broadcast on the Patriot League Network.
