Women's Soccer Heads to Monmouth & Virginia to Face Pair of 2017 NCAA Teams

Friday, August 24

West Long Branch, N.J,

7 p.m.

Bucknell University

Monmouth

Photo by: Phil Inglis

Women's Soccer Heads to Monmouth & Virginia to Face Pair of 2017 NCAA Teams

8/23/2018 1:05:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Setting the Scene
Who: Bucknell (1-1) at Monmouth (1-1)
When: Friday, Aug. 24, 7 p.m.
Where: Hesse Field on the Great Lawn, West Long Branch, N.J.
Live Stats: MonmouthHawks.com

Setting the Scene
Who: Bucknell (1-1) at #7 Virginia (2-0)
When: Sunday, Aug. 26, 2 p.m.
Where: Klockner Stadium, Charlottesville, Va.
Live Webstream: ACC Network Extra/WatchESPN
Live Stats: VirginiaSports.com

About the Bison

After splitting a pair of home matches to start the 2018 season last weekend, the Bison women's soccer team is now set to hit the road for the first time. Bucknell has a pair of tough tasks in store this week, as it takes on two reigning NCAA Tournament teams in Monmouth and seventh-ranked Virginia. Sunday's match in Charlottesville can be seen online on the ACC Network Extra and via the WatchESPN app.
These are two of five 2017 NCAA Tournament sides on Bucknell's non-conference schedule this year. The Bison, who have made NCAA appearances in each of the last two seasons, have already taken on Hofstra, and later they will play Saint Francis (Pa.) and Princeton.
Bucknell opened the campaign last Friday with a 1-0 loss to Hofstra. The Bison defended well against the reigning undefeated CAA champion, but the Pride broke the deadlock in the 74th minute on a well-placed shot that hit the underside of the crossbar and down over the line by inches.
Less than 48 hours later, the Bison got into the win column with a convincing 4-1 victory over Niagara at Emmitt Field. Bucknell had four different goal-scorers in the game: sophomore Jenna Marek, junior Bailey Hurst, and freshmen Claire Mensi and Emilene Parham. Newcomers Kate Henesey and Holly Burns picked up assists, giving the first-year class two goals and two assists on the day. Sophomore Sarah Hazard also notched her first collegiate point with an assist.
Junior goalkeeper Theresa Adu-Attobrah started both games last week, allowing just the single goal in each game while tallying 10 saves for an .833 save percentage. She came within 2:54 of a shutout against Niagara before the Purple Eagles struck late in the game.
Marek's goal against Niagara came 10:12 into her first collegiate start. Senior Carly Baggott, juniors Lilly Courts and Gabby Bair, and freshmen Mensi and Burns also made their first career starts last week.
Every healthy field player got into the Niagara game.

About Monmouth/Series History

The Hawks are 1-1 on the season after opening up with a 1-0 home victory over NJIT, followed by a 1-0, double-overtime loss at No. 20 North Carolina State.
Dana Scheriff scored just 1:34 into Monmouth's season, and that would be all the Hawks needed to beat NJIT.
Goalkeeper Amanda Knaub has eight saves in two games, and the Monmouth defensive unit has conceded just the one goal thus far.
Monmouth has won five straight MAAC regular-season titles and two straight MAAC Tournament crowns. Last year the Hawks went 15-4-2 overall and 9-1-0 in MAAC play. They routed second-seeded Manhattan 5-1 in the MAAC championship game, then fell 4-0 at Princeton in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Junior forward Madie Gibson is the MAAC Preseason Player of the Year. She led the team in scoring (7-9-23) a year ago and was a second team all-region selection. Knaub, midfielder Lexie Palladino and back Anna Lazur were also preseason all-league selections.
Bucknell is 2-0 all-time against Monmouth. The Bison won 2-0 on the road in 2014 and 3-1 at home in the 2016 season opener. Maddie Dano scored the go-ahead goal 52nd minute in the game at Emmitt Field two seasons ago. The 2014 game was notable in that identical twins and future all-stars Kendall and Jackie Ham each had a goal in the 2-0 verdict.

About Virginia/Series History

Virginia, a Sweet Sixteen participant a year ago, is off to a 2-0 start and is ranked No. 7 in the United Soccer Coaches national poll. The Cavaliers opened with a 2-1 win over Colgate and followed with a 3-0 blanking of Cincinnati. The Colgate game was 1-1 at the half, but Ayan Adu scored the game-winner on a free kick in the 74th minute. Adu leads the team with two goals, while Taryn Torres, Betsy Brandon and Rebecca Jarrett have one each. In goal, Laurel Ivory posted the shutout against Cincinnati after Michaela Moran defeated Colgate.
Last season, Virginia finished 13-6-4 overall and 5-2-3 in the ACC. The Cavaliers fell to Duke, 1-0, in the ACC Tournament semifinals, but then topped Saint Francis (Pa.) and Pepperdine in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. They were knocked out after a 2-1 loss to eventual finalist UCLA in the round of 16. It was the 13th straight Sweet Sixteen appearance for Virginia.
This year Virginia has returned nine starters, including its leading scorer in Torres (8-1-17).
This will be the first meeting between Bucknell and Virginia.

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