Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lehigh
Field Hockey Clips Lehigh 2-1 in Conference Opener
9/17/2016 2:50:00 PM | Field Hockey
BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Anna Wills and Nicole Rupnik scored goals and Emily Finn stopped six shots to help the Bucknell field hockey team to a 2-1 victory at Lehigh on Saturday in the Patriot League openers for both teams. The Bison improved to 3-3 on the season and defeated the Mountain Hawks (1-5) for the fifth straight time.
Wills, an all-conference central defender, scored a goal against Lehigh for the third year in a row, this one breaking the scoreless deadlock 15:40 into the contest. After a flurry inside the arc that saw one shot saved by goalie Julia Ward and another cleared off the line by a Lehigh defender, Bucknell was awarded a penalty stroke. Wills slotted the shot past Ward for a 1-0 Bison lead.
Nearly eight minutes into the second half the lead grew to 2-0 as Bucknell cashed in on a penalty corner. Stephanie Dressler sent a shot toward the right post, where Rupnik tipped it in for her third goal of the season.
Teresa Carotenuto got one back for Lehigh with 4:25 remaining off a feed from Marissa Glatt. But the Bison controlled play from there, earning four penalty corners while forcing three late saves from reserve netminder Paige Innarella in the final three minutes.
Bucknell finished with a 19-9 shot advantage and a 9-3 edge in corners. Ward had one save and Innarella four for Lehigh. Finn made five of her six stops in the second half.
The Bison were coming off a stretch of playing three straight ranked opponents, one of which was a win over No. 12 Albany last week. Now back level at 3-3 on the season, Bucknell steps back out of league play on Sunday with a game against Quinnipiac at Columbia's field hockey complex in New York City. Game time is 4 p.m.
