Men's Soccer Begins Important Stretch at Holy Cross, Northeastern

LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell University men's soccer team will make the trip to Massachusetts for two games beginning with a Patriot League clash against Holy Cross on Sunday before taking on Northeastern on Tuesday.

Setting the Scene: Part I
What: Bucknell (2-5-3, 0-2-2 PL) at Holy Cross (1-9, 1-2 PL)
When: Sunday, Oct. 13, 1 p.m.
Where: Linda Johnson Smith Soccer Stadium, Worcester, Mass.
Watch: Patriot League Network
Live Stats: GoHolyCross.com

Setting the Scene: Part II
What: Bucknell (2-5-3, 0-2-2 PL) at Northeastern (5-3-3, 2-1-2 CAA)
When: Tuesday, Oct. 15, 4 p.m.
Where: Parsons Field, Brookline, Mass.
Watch: NUHuskies.com
Live Stats: NUHuskies.com

About the Bison

Bucknell will look to rebound after being held scoreless in back-to-back games for the first time since a 0-0 draw against Canisius and a 1-0 loss to Stetson on Sept. 7 and Sept. 9 of last season.
Bucknell will have just one day of rest between games for the second time this season. Bucknell played Fairleigh Dickinson to open the season on Friday, Aug. 30 before taking a 4-1 win over Canisius the following Sunday.
Bucknell has managed to earn a result in each of its last three instances where it played two games in three days. Bucknell earned a win over Saint Francis (Pa.) in the latter fixture in 2017, a draw against Canisius in 2018, and the win over Canisius this season.
This will be the first time Bucknell has had two Friday-Sunday fixtures in the same year since the 2015 season, in which the Bison started the season with three consecutive Friday-Sunday matches to open the season. Bucknell will also have one more Sunday-Tuesday matchup on Oct. 20 against Boston University before hosting Binghamton on Oct. 22.
Bucknell's two defeats were to No. 21 Navy, and Loyola Maryland, both of which rank in the top four of the Patriot League Standings. Bucknell's four matchups so far this season in the Patriot League are all against teams that currently occupy a playoff spot.
The game against Holy Cross begins a vital stretch for the Bison in terms of Patriot League positioning. Bucknell is currently ninth in the standings on two points, but a win could potentially vault the Bison all the way up to the fifth spot.
Holy Cross has three points through three games, while Bucknell's next two Patriot League opponents, Boston University (3 points) and Army West Point (1), are also within one point of the Bison, and currently on the outside looking in.
Navy currently leads the league on 12 points with a perfect 4-0 record, with Lehigh (10), Lafayette (9), Loyola Maryland (9), Colgate (4) and American (4) occupying the top six spots.
Bucknell's 2-0 defeat to Navy was the first loss for the Orange and Blue on the road this season, and the first since a 2-1 defeat to Boston University on Oct. 28, 2018.
The current three-game road trip for Bucknell is the longest this season. Bucknell will return home for three straight home games in a week in the regular season from Oct. 20 to Oct. 26 before another three-game road trip at Cornell, Lafayette, and Lehigh closes the regular season.
Bucknell last started a Patriot League campaign with two points through four games in 2015.
However, that team did manage to qualify for the Patriot League Tournament after winning three and drawing one of its last five games to earn a Patriot League bid, including a rousing 4-0 win over Army in a must-win game to close the regular season.
Matt Thorsheim continues to lead the team in points on four goals and three assists, and will look to score against the Crusaders in back-to-back games after a dramatic late winner in Lewisburg last year.
Bucknell has found the back of the net 13 times this season, with ten different players recording a point.
Matt Thorsheim, Stefan Gollisz, Patrick Mahoney, and Quinn Bredin are the only Bison players who have started all ten games for the Bison this season, with Bredin the only Bison who has played every minute so far.

About Holy Cross/Series History

Bucknell took a dramatic 1-0 win in double overtime against the Crusaders in Lewisburg last season, after some persistent work from Alex Clarke down the wing helped Thorsheim score the game-winner.
Clarke, who has returned from an injury to start the past three games this season, recorded his first career assist on the play.
Bucknell is 13-10-6 all-time against the Crusaders, with the two teams first meeting in 1990.
Bernie Wright scored in Bucknell's last trip to Worcester, a 2-1 defeat on Oct. 7, 2017.
Holy Cross is 1-9 this season, picking up a 1-0 win at Boston University before dropping a 1-0 decision to American in its last fixture on Sunday, Oct. 6 in Worcester.

About Northeastern/Series History

Northeastern is 5-3-3 this season, with a 2-1-2 start in Colonial Athletic Association play.
The meeting will be the first matchup between the two schools in history.
The Huskies have played one common opponent to the Bison, defeating Drexel 2-1 in Philadelphia on Sept. 7. Northeastern also defeated Patriot League foes Holy Cross in Worcester, 2-0, on Sept. 17, and Boston University at home on Sept. 24, 1-0 in double overtime.

Up Next

Bucknell will return home to Emmitt Field for the final three games of the regular season, hosting Boston University on Sunday, Oct. 20, before a home game against Binghamton on Tuesday, Oct. 22. The Bison will then host Army on Saturday, Oct. 26 for Senior Day.

Men's Soccer Begins Important Stretch at Holy Cross, Northeastern

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Quinn Bredin

Alex Clarke

Stefan Gollisz

Patrick Mahoney

Matt Thorsheim

Bernie Wright

Men's Soccer Begins Important Stretch at Holy Cross, Northeastern

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Quinn Bredin

Alex Clarke

Stefan Gollisz

Patrick Mahoney

Matt Thorsheim

Bernie Wright

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