Bison Top Lafayette 1-0 on Pavick's First Career Goal

Saturday, September 22

Lewisburg, Pa.

3 p.m.

Bucknell University

3-3-2

Lafayette

4-3-1

Lafayette

Bucknell

Photo by: Marc Hagemeier

Bison Top Lafayette 1-0 on Pavick's First Career Goal

9/22/2018 6:21:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

LEWISBURG, Pa. -- An opportunistic goal from Michael Pavick in his first career start for the Bison helped the Bucknell men's soccer team defeat Lafayette in its opening fixture of Patriot League play on a cloudy Saturday afternoon at Emmitt Field.

Eleven minutes into the game, a cross from Matt Thorsheim was kept alive at the back post by a header from Nick King. The ball bounced off of Pavick's hip before he swept his right leg at the ball and pushed the ball into the lower right corner. The goal was Pavick's first of his career for the Bison.

The shot by Pavick was the Bison's only shot on target for the day, but proved enough as the back line provided another clean sheet, the third of the season. Veteran center backs Tyler Peterson and Quinn Bredin, along with outside backs Dany Teran and Bernie Wright, helped prevent many quality scoring opportunities for the Leopards.

There were few clear cut chances for either team for the remainder of the first half, with neither team testing the opposition's goalkeeper aside from Pavick's goal.

The Bison looked for a second goal to start the second half, with Nick King and Cody Wax each having shots blocked within the first five minutes of the second period. The Bison defense held the Leopards largely in check for the next 35 minutes, allowing just two attempts from the Leopards until the final 90 seconds of the game.

Goalkeeper Ryan Ott, who had barely seen the ball all game, was forced to make two huge saves from close range to deny Lafayette's Will Echeverria and James Gibson an equalizing goal. A frantic goalmouth scramble saw two good chances from the Leopards both knocked away by Ott to preserve the Bison's 1-0 lead.

The Bison managed to keep the ball in Lafayette's half over the final minute to help close the game and give the Bison its first win over Lafayette since 2014. The win is also Bucknell's first win to open Patriot League competition since 2014.

"We have been talking about trying to be more opportunistic and finish our chances," said Brendan Nash afterward. "Matt Thorsheim hustled to keep the play alive on the end line, and it resulted in a big goal. The defense was terrific all day, and made sure Ryan Ott didn't have to work too hard, although Ryan came up big when we needed him in the final minute."

Lafayette outshot the Bison 9-8, with the two teams even at three corner kicks apiece. Ott finished with two saves on the day.

Bucknell will travel to Philadelphia for the second time in a week when they take on Penn on Tuesday on the road before traveling to Washington D.C. on Sept. 29 for a Patriot League clash at American.