Bucknell University Athletics
Field Hockey Travels for Games at St. Joseph's and No. 15 Princeton
8/31/2016 1:35:00 PM | Field Hockey
Setting the Scene
(Friday, Sept. 2, -- 4:30 p.m.)
What: Bucknell (1-0, 0-0 Patriot League) at Saint Joseph's (1-1, 0-0 Atlantic 10)
Where: Ellen Ryan Field, Merion Station, Pa.
Live Stats: SJUHawks.com
(Sunday, Sept. 4, 1 p.m.)
What: Bucknell (1-0, 0-0 Patriot League) at No. 15 Princeton (0-0, 0-0 Ivy League
Where: Bedford Field, Princeton, N.J.
Live Stats: GoPrincetonTigers.com
Watch Live: Ivy League Digital Network ($)
About the Bison
* Bucknell is 1-0 thanks to a 2-0 shutout win over Rutgers on Friday at Graham Field. Playing in her first collegiate game, freshman Brittany Willwerth scored the game-winning goal with an assist from sophomore Nicole Rupnik 24:24 into the first half. Fellow freshman Marisa Morakis tacked on an insurance goal with an assist from Emily Goodloe in the second half.
* Willwerth was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Week after her terrific debut. She is the first Bucknell freshman to score in the season opener since Amanda Faust in 2005.
* Junior goalkeeper Emily Finn stopped the only shot she faced to record her first solo shutout. She moved to 4-2 during her career.
* How big was Bucknell's win over Rutgers? It was just the fourth win in 59 tries against current members of the Big Ten. And the Bison didn't just win, they controlled the entire game. The overall record against Big Ten teams is slightly skewed as 33 of those games came against perennial power Penn State.
* Due in large part to the fact that head coach Jeremy Cook makes sure his team has a quality opponent to start the season, Bucknell is 1-0 for the first time since 2007. With a win over Saint Joseph's, the Bison would improve to 2-0 for the first time since 2006, when they opened with wins over Robert Morris and St. Francis (Pa.).
* The Bison continued their success on their home field, improving to 22-11 over the past four seasons.
Scouting Saint Joseph's
* Saint Joseph's is 1-1 after a 2-1 win over Temple, which was receiving votes in the national poll. The Hawks opened the season with a 6-2 loss to No. 6 Maryland.
* Sophomore forward Anna Willocks is the reigning Atlantic 10 Player of the Week after scoring twice in the loss to the Terrapins and the game-winner against the Owls.
* Freshman Victoria Kammerinke is the reigning Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week after stopping five shots and beating Temple in her collegiate debut.
* The Hawks went 9-9 and finished fifth in the Atlantic 10 last season. They were picked to finish third this season.
Scouting Princeton
* Princeton, which is ranked 15th in the nation, will open its season at home against No. 1 North Carolina on Friday.
* The Tigers have won 12 straight Ivy League titles. Last season, they beat Maryland in the NCAA first round, before falling to eventual national champion Syracuse in the quarterfinals.
* Princeton went 11-7 overall and 7-0 in the Ivy League last season. The Tigers return 17 players, including Ivy League Rookie of the Year Sophia Tornetta and All-Ivy League honorees Cat Caro, Ryan McCarthy and Elise Wong.
Series History with Saint Joseph's
* Bucknell leads the all-time series 3-1. The teams have played in each of the past two seasons, with the Bison winning 4-0 in 2014 and 4-2 in 2015.
* Rupnik and junior Stephanie Dressler each tallied one goal and one assist in Bucknell's win last season. Dressler's goal broke a 2-2 tie in the 66th minute. Senior Emma Fitzgerald also scored a goal.
* The Bison are 40-42-1 against the current nine members of the Atlantic 10.
Series History with Princeton
* Princeton leads the all-time series 4-1, including a 5-1 win last season.
* Bucknell recorded a 1-0 victory in overtime over Princeton in 2014. The Tigers were ranked 14th in the nation at the time of the game.
* The Bison are 27-26-1 all-time against the current eight teams in the Ivy League.
Up Next
* Bucknell's following two games will be against nationally-ranked opponents. The Bison will host No. 9 Albany on Sunday, Sept. 11, and will travel to play No. 18 Penn State on Tuesday, Sept. 13.
