Big Week Ahead as Women's Soccer Hosts Pair of Patriot League Matches; Vs. Cancer Game Set for Saturday

Wednesday, September 26

Lewisburg, Pa.

7 p.m.

Bucknell University

Loyola

Photo by: Marc Hagemeier

Big Week Ahead as Women's Soccer Hosts Pair of Patriot League Matches; Vs. Cancer Game Set for Saturday

9/25/2018 10:32:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Setting the Scene, Part 1
Who: Loyola (3-6-0, 0-2-0 PL) at Bucknell (3-6-1, 1-1-0 PL)
When: Wednesday, Sept. 26, 7 p.m.
Where: Emmitt Field, Lewisburg, Pa.
TV: Stadium TV (Channel Locator)
Live Webstream: Patriot League Network
Live Stats: BucknellBison.com

Setting the Scene, Part 2
Who: Holy Cross (3-6-0, 1-1-0 PL) at Bucknell (3-6-1, 1-1-0 PL)
When: Saturday, Sept. 29, 1 p.m.
Where: Emmitt Field, Lewisburg, Pa.
Live Webstream: Patriot League Network
Live Stats: BucknellBison.com

Happenings: Partnering with VS. Cancer, the Bucknell women's soccer team is raising money to cure pediatric cancer. The team will be collecting donations and giving away yellow ribbons to all donors. So far the team has raised nearly $6,000 to this great cause. The Bison will be wearing Vs. Cancer t-shirts during warmups and will visit Geisinger in early October to spend time with children at the Janet Weis Children's Hospital. In addition to donating on site at Emmitt Field on Saturday, online donations can be made at any time at the team's website: https://team.curethekids.org/team/178823

About the Bison

After dropping its Patriot League opener a week earlier, Bucknell bounced back with a come-from-behind 2-1 win at American on Saturday to level its PL mark at 1-1. Now six more big points are up for grabs this week as Loyola and Holy Cross visit Emmitt Field.
The Patriot League already features a crowded table, as Navy is the only one of the 10 teams with a full six points through two rounds of conference play. Army, Boston University and Colgate are all 1-0-1 for four points, and then Bucknell is in the next grouping with Holy Cross and Lafayette on three points.
The Bison fell behind just 1:50 into Saturday's contest at American, but they quickly rallied with goals in the 20th and 26th minutes. Jenna Marek's team-leading third goal of the season was the equalizer, coming off a pretty through ball from Kate Henesey. The build-up actually begin with a diving save from Theresa Adu-Attobrah, and then off her punt, Carly Baggott and Tia Zajec both won 50-50 balls in the center of the field to connect with Henesey.
Center back Maddie Dano notched the game winner when she scored directly off a corner kick. It was her second career "Olimpico", and she later earned Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week honors for the second time in her career.
Adu-Attobrah made eight saves in the win at American, and she was also helped out by her defense, which saved three shots off the line. Adu-Attobrah ranks second in the Patriot League in saves per game (6.33) and fourth in save percentage (.851).
Marek is now tied for seventh in the league with her three goals.
Bucknell has allowed 15 goals in 10 games this season, but 10 of those came during the recently ended three-game losing streak.
The Bison went 2-5-1 against a very difficult non-league schedule, with the wins coming against Niagara (4-1) and Towson (1-0) at home. Bucknell also drew Saint Francis (Pa.) on the road. Four of those non-conference affairs came against teams that played in the NCAA Tournament last season (Hofstra, Monmouth, Virginia, Saint Francis).

About Loyola/Series History

The Greyhounds started Patriot League play with home losses to Colgate (3-0) and Navy (2-1) and now stand 3-6 overall. Loyola's wins have come against Saint Francis (Pa.) (1-0), UMBC (2-1) and Mount St. Mary's (1-0).
Loyola has been outscored 13-7 on the season. Hanna Hoefs and Jourdan Ziff have two goals apiece, while Sarah Bayer, Mia Sardella and Kaleigh Gallagher have one apiece. Hoefs scored both of her goals in the UMBC game, while Ziff notched a brace in a 3-2 loss to Towson.
Sumer Rahe has started all nine games in goal and has 21 saves with 13 goals allowed for a .618 save percentage.
Bucknell is 5-3-1 all-time against Loyola, but each of the Bison's five wins have come since the Greyhounds joined the Patriot League in 2013. During that five-game stretch, Bucknell has recorded multiple goals in every game and outscored Loyola 12-2, including three straight shutouts. Loyola's series wins came in 1992 (1-0), 1993 (1-0) and 2007 (2-1), and the team tied 2-2 in 2008.
Bucknell won 3-0 last season in Baltimore thanks to goals from Kendall Ham (38'), Jackie Ham (73') and Gabby Bair ('78). There were only 10 total shots taken in the game, six from the Bison.
Bucknell and Loyola are meeting in Lewisburg for the first time since 2015 after playing twice in a row in Baltimore. The Bison prevailed 2-0 in the most recent clash at Emmitt Field.

About Holy Cross/Series History

Holy Cross bounced back from a tough 1-0 road loss to Navy with a 2-0 away win over Lafayette on Saturday. Now 1-1 in Patriot League play and 3-6 overall, the Crusaders will host in-state rival Boston University on Wednesday night before heading to Bucknell.
Four of Holy Cross' six losses are by one goal, including two in overtime against Brown and New Hampshire. The Crusaders posted non-league wins over Fordham (1-0) and St. Peter's (5-1).
The Crusaders have been outscored 12-11 on the season. Carly Flahive has a team-high four goals, including one on Saturday at Lafayette. Stephanie Lund has a pair of scores, and Ang Seslija, Sydney Fisher, Lexi Ansaldi and Olivia Ferrara have one apiece. Seslija also has a team-high three assists.
Goalkeeper Sophia Lettieri has a .765 save percentage with 39 saves and 12 goals against.
Bucknell has had good success against Holy Cross through the years. The Bison own a 20-5-2 lead in the series dating back to 1991, including 13 straight victories. The Crusaders' last win over Bucknell was a 3-0 verdict in 2004.
In the current 13-game series winning streak, Bucknell has outscored Holy Cross 35-6 with eight shutouts.
The last two meetings have both been played in Worcester, and both resulted in 3-0 Bucknell victories. The Bison won 2-0 in the last meeting at Emmitt Field in 2015.
Defender Ali Russo (2016) is the only active Bison with a goal against Holy Cross. She scored against the Crusaders in 2016, and that remains her lone career goal.

Up Next

Bucknell has another two-game week next week. The Bison travel to Princeton for their final non-conference game of the regular season on Tuesday, Oct. 2, before heading to Army West Point the following Saturday.

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