Men's Soccer Plays at Home Twice this Week

Wednesday, September 12

Lewisburg, Pa.

7 p.m.

Bucknell University

Robert Morris

Photo by: Marc Hagemeier

9/11/2018 11:14:00 AM | Men's Soccer

Setting the Scene, Part 1
Who: Robert Morris (0-4-1) at Bucknell (1-2-1)
When: Wednesday, Sept. 12, 7 p.m.
Where: Emmitt Field, Lewisburg, Pa.
Live Stats: BucknellBison.com

Setting the Scene, Part 2
Who: Saint Peter's (1-4-0) at Bucknell (1-2-1)
When: Saturday, Sept. 15, 5 p.m.
Where: Emmitt Field, Lewisburg, Pa.
Live Stats: BucknellBison.com

About the Bison

Bucknell has the back half of a four-game homestand this week, as Robert Morris comes to Emmitt Field on Wednesday night, followed by Saint Peter's on Saturday at 5 p.m. The Saint Peter's game will be the second part of a soccer doubleheader at Emmitt Field, as the Bison women take on Lafayette at 1 p.m.
The Bison played 216 minutes of soccer in a span of less than 48 hours this past weekend. After battling preseason Metro Atlantic Athletic Association favorite Canisius to a scoreless draw on Friday night, Bucknell fell 1-0 in double overtime to defending Atlantic Sun regular-season champion Stetson. Despite seeing just one shot hit the back of the net, both games were fairly wide open, with a combined 77 shots taken. The Bison attempted 37 of those shots, but they are still struggling to get on the finishing end. This is the first time the team has suffered three straight shutouts since 2006. The good news: that 2006 team bounced back and not only won the Patriot League championship, but it advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Bison rank second in the Patriot League and 34th nationally with a 0.68 team goals-against average. Bucknell has allowed only three goals in four games and has produced two shutouts thus far. Goalkeeper Ryan Ott leads the league in save percentage at .857.
Last time out, the Bison dropped a tough 1-0 decision to Stetson in the rain on Sunday afternoon. The lone goal game on a shot from the top of the penalty area that took a deflection on the way in and left Ott wrong-footed.
The Bison went 5-3-1 in Patriot League play (7-8-4 overall) last season. Bucknell tied for third place with Lehigh and was the No. 3 seed in the Patriot League Tournament, where the Bison fell 1-0 at home to Colgate in the quarterfinals. The Raiders not only went on to win the tournament, but they advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament.
Bucknell graduated only three players from last year's team. All of them were starters in outside back Dan Bank, defensive midfielder Jack Zollicoffer, and forward Ben Derleth. This season, the Bison return eight starters, 19 lettermen, and 15 of their 17 goals from last year.
All three of the team's 2017 All-Patriot League selections are back. Senior center back Tyler Peterson, junior midfielder Nick King, and sophomore Matt Thorsheim were all Third Team All-Patriot League picks. Thorsheim was a Preseason All-Patriot League selection this season after leading the team in scoring (5-4-14) a year ago).
In the Patriot League preseason poll, the Bison were picked sixth with 88 points, one behind fifth-place Army West Point. Loyola was tabbed as the preseason favorite, picking up the maximum 18 first-place votes and 162 points. Boston University garnered the remaining two first-place nods and was picked second with 129 points, just ahead of Colgate and Lehigh with 124 each. Holy Cross (71), American (55), Navy (30) and Lafayette (28) rounded out the poll.

About Robert Morris/Series History

The Colonials come to Lewisburg in search of their first win of the season after an 0-4-1 start. Robert Morris tied St. Bonaventure 0-0, and has losses to Canisius (3-0), Detroit (1-0), Northern Kentucky (3-2) and Longwood 3-2.
Zach Sherman has scored three of the team's four goals this season, including a brace in the Northern Kentucky game, and assisted on the other. Owen Pearce joined Sherman in the scoring column against Longwood.
Robert Morris was picked to finish sixth in the Northeast Conference preseason poll. The Colonials were 3-3-1 in the NEC last season and fell to top-seeded St. Francis Brooklyn 3-0 in the NEC Tournament semifinals..
Bucknell is 4-1-1 all-time against Robert Morris, with the lone tie coming last season by a 1-1 count in Moon Township. That was the first time the two teams had met since 2002, when Bucknell won 3-2 in overtime.
In last year's game, Nick King scored in the 85th minute to help the Bison salvage a 1-1 draw. Bucknell had a 21-15 shot advantage, but goalkeeper Winter Fondi made nine saves for Robert Morris. Ryan Ott had six stops for the Bison.

About Saint Peter's/Series History

The Peacocks are off to a 1-4 start this season, and they will play Sacred Heart on Wednesday prior to coming to Bucknell.
Saint Peter's notched its first victory of the season, 2-1 over Central Connecticut State, on Friday at Vermont's Peter Baldwin Classic. The Peacocks then fell to Fairleigh Dickinson, 2-1, in the second game of the tournament. Saint Peter's other losses have come against Cal Baptist (3-0), Saint Joseph's (3-1) and Massachusetts (2-1).
Jordan Jowers and Dominic Laws have scored two goals apiece for the Peacocks, who have been outscored 11-5 on the season. Wilber Nunez also has a goal.
Bucknell is 10-2-2 all-time against Saint Peter's, including a 1-1 draw last season in Jersey City. The last time these two teams met in Lewisburg, the Bison won 5-1 in 2009 behind two goals each from Brendan Burgdorf and Connor O'Brien.
A year ago, the Bison trailed 1-0 at the half before equalizing on a Tyler Peterson goal right on the hour mark.

Up Next

Following the two home games this week, Bucknell travels to Drexel on Tuesday, Sept. 18 before hosting Lafayette in the Patriot League opener the following Saturday.