Maddie Dano, Jenna Marek Named to All-Patriot League Women’s Soccer Team

Tuesday, October 30

Lewisburg, Pa.

7 p.m.

Bucknell University

Lehigh (PL Quarterfinals)

Photo by: Marc Hagemeier

Maddie Dano, Jenna Marek Named to All-Patriot League Women’s Soccer Team

10/29/2018 11:27:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Bison Host Lehigh in PL Quarterfinal Game Tuesday

LEWISBURG, Pa. – On the eve of the Patriot League Women's Soccer Tournament, two members of Bucknell's fourth-seeded side were named to the 2018 All-Patriot League Team. Senior center back Maddie Dano was selected to the Second Team, while sophomore forward Jenna Marek earned Third Team honors. It is the first all-league consideration for both players.

After Bucknell lost eight starters from last year's Patriot League championship team, Dano has co-captained the Bison back into a top-four seed while playing a terrific center back all year long. The Mission Viejo, California native has played every minute of every game this season, helping to pilot a team that has been flush with first-year starters all around her.

Dano has started games in all four of her seasons with the Bison, including every game over the last two seasons. In addition to her strong defense on the back line, Dano has also contributed four goals and 10 assists in her career, including a goal and two helpers this season.

Her goal this season was her second career "Olimpico", and it was also the tiebreaking goal in a key 2-1 road win over American. Dano also had two assists from corner kicks in Bucknell's 3-1 away victory over Army West Point.

Marek leads the team with four goals in 2018, all of them coming in Bison victories. She opened her account on Aug. 19 in a 4-1 win over Niagara, and she has since added tallies in one-goal wins over Towson, American and Lehigh. Marek's terrific strike against the Mountain Hawks was perhaps the team's most important goal of the season. It gave the Bison a 1-0 road win that clinched the Patriot League Tournament berth.

Marek's four goals are tied for eighth-most in the Patriot League. The Orlando, Florida native has been one of the league's most accurate shooters this season. Of her 14 total attempts, 11 have been on frame and four have found the back of the net.

American's Yari Bradfield, who leads the league with 13 goals, was named Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year. Alex Jackson of Navy was picked as the Defensive Player of the Year. Top-seeded Boston University claimed two major awards, with Nancy Feldman named Coach of the Year and Taylor Kofton Rookie of the Year. Second-seeded Colgate also nabbed two major honors, as Mara Cosentino was tabbed as the Midfielder of the Year and Kelly Chiavaro as the Goalkeeper of the Year.

Bucknell landed in sole possession of fourth place in the regular-season standings with 15 points, trailing Boston University (23), Colgate (22) and Navy (21). The Bison were six points clear of Lehigh, Army, American and Holy Cross, who finished in a four-way tie for fifth.

Bucknell will host fifth-seeded Lehigh in a Patriot League Tournament quarterfinal game on Tuesday at Emmitt Field.

Setting the Scene
What: Patriot League Tournament Quarterfinals
Who: #5 Lehigh (6-11-0, 3-6-0 PL) at #4 Bucknell (7-10-1, 5-4-0 PL)
When: Tuesday, Oct. 30, 7 p.m.
Where: Emmitt Field, Lewisburg, Pa.
Live Webstream: Patriot League Network
Live Stats: BucknellBison.com

About the Bison

Bucknell finished 5-4 in Patriot League play to earn the No. 4 seed for the Patriot League Tournament. The Bison finished six points clear of a four-way tie for fifth place between Lehigh, Army, American, and Holy Cross. Out of that tiebreaker, Lehigh claimed the No. 5 seed and Army grabbed the No. 6 spot, setting up an Army-Navy quarterfinal in Annapolis on Tuesday night.
The quarterfinal winners will head to Boston for the semifinals on Friday. Boston University beat Colgate on Saturday to swipe the No. 1 seed from the Raiders. The Terriers will host the lowest remaining seed in a semifinal game on Friday, while No. 2 Colgate will take on the higher-seeded quarterfinal winner at Nickerson Field.
This is Bucknell's sixth consecutive season and 12th in the last 14 with a .500 or better conference record.
Bucknell is coming off a 3-0 loss to Navy in the regular-season finale on Friday at Emmitt Field. Navy led 2-0 at the half and then scored a third on its only shot attempt of the second half.
Third Team All-Patriot League selection Jenna Marek is Bucknell's goal leader with four. The biggest of those came at Lehigh on Oct. 17. It was the lone tally in a 1-0 win over the Mountain Hawks that clinched a postseason berth for the Bison.
Holly Burns and Kate Henesey both have two goals and two assists for the Bison, while Carly Baggott and Second Team All-Patriot Leaguer Maddie Dano have a goal and two assists.

About Lehigh/Series History

After starting Patriot League play 0-4, Lehigh won three of its final five league games and played its way into the postseason with a big 2-1 road win over Holy Cross on Friday. The Mountain Hawks fell behind early in that game, but equalized through Kayla Arestivo in the 28th minute, then won it on Sidonie Warnecker's goal in the 85th.
Lehigh has been outscored 22-15 in 17 matches this season.
Arestivo and Sabrina Mertz lead the Mountain Hawks with 10 points apiece on four goals and two assists.
Bucknell is 16-11-3 all-time against Lehigh and 4-1-1 in the last six meetings.
Jenna Marek's goal 57 seconds into the second half was the difference in Bucknell's 1-0 verdict in Bethlehem earlier this month. Bri Kropinack flicked on Carly Baggott's lead pass to Marek, who turned her defender in the box and fired a pretty shot just under the crossbar. Theresa Adu-Attobrah made four saves for the Bison en route to the shutout.
Last season at Emmitt Field, the Bison won 2-1 on Maddie Mulford's 85th-minute goal. Lehigh had just drawn even on Maggie Wadsworth's goal in the 81st minute, but the Bison quickly responded when Mulford finished a cross from Bri Kropinack.
Marek, Riley Coopersmith and Bailey Hurst are the active Bison with career goals against Lehigh.