Women's Soccer Hosts Wright State, Visits 2018 College Cup Semifinalist Georgetown this Week

Thursday, August 29

Lewisburg, Pa.

5 p.m.

Bucknell University

Wright State

Women's Soccer Hosts Wright State, Visits 2018 College Cup Semifinalist Georgetown this Week

8/27/2019 2:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Setting the Scene, Part I
Who: Wright State (2-0) at Bucknell (1-1)
When: Thursday, Aug. 29, 5 p.m.
Where: Emmitt Field, Lewisburg, Pa.
Live Webstream: Patriot League Network | Tips on watching games on the PLN
Live Stats: BucknellBison.com

Setting the Scene, Part II
Who: Bucknell (1-1) at No. 13 Georgetown (1-1)
When: Sunday, Sept. 1, 1 p.m.
Where: Shaw Field, Washington, D.C.
Live Webstream: HoyaVision
Live Stats: GUHoyas.com

About the Bison

It's another two-game week for the Bucknell women's soccer team. The Bison conclude their season-opening, three-game homestand on Thursday, when Wright State makes it's very first appearance at Emmitt Field. The Bison will then hit the road for the first time in 2019, making the first of two trips to Washington, D.C., to face reigning College Cup semifinalist Georgetown on Sunday afternoon.
The Bison opened the season with two strong performances at home last week. Bucknell outshot Robert Morris 21-4 in the season opener and pulled out a 2-1 win on an overtime goal from senior Gabby Bair. Freshman Petie Nassetta opened her collegiate account with a first-half goal that came just 90 seconds after the Colonials had taken the lead.
On Sunday, Bucknell battled hard for 101 minutes against Pittsburgh, but the Panthers scored in double overtime to take all three points. The star of the day for the Bison was freshman goalkeeper Kaylee Donnelly, who made 12 saves, including a couple of highlight-reel stops late in regulation and in overtime to keep the game going. Donnelly was later rewarded with Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week honors.
This is the first time in team history that the Bison have opened a season with three straight home games.
Donnelly is one of three freshmen who have started games for Bucknell thus far. Left back Leanne Engemann has played all 196 minutes, and midfielder Abby Gearhart started against Robert Morris before missing the Pitt contest with an injury. Off the bench, Nassetta, forward Rylee Donaldson, and midfielder Annabelle Heisel have seen action.
A pair of juniors made their first career starts on opening day: defender Chloe Christakos and midfielder Sarah Hazard. In addition, sophomore Alana Carlucci has gone the distance in both games at right back after debuting as a midfielder last season. Sophomore Holly Burns is also a part of the back four this season after playing primarily as a midfielder a year ago.
Head coach Kelly Cook is back for her fifth season in Lewisburg. Cook has a 47-29-6 overall record and a 26-8-2 mark against Patriot League competition. Cook's .610 winning percentage is the highest in team history, and she needs five more wins to catch Toby Lovecchio for third-most in program history.
Senior Ali Russo is in her second year as a team captain. Bucknell's most experienced player has 62 career games under her belt, including 60 starts. Bair and junior Bri Kropinak are also co-captains.
This year's team features 11 newcomers, comprised of 10 freshmen along with sophomore Molly Mishler.
Bucknell has finished .500 or better in Patriot League play in each of the last six seasons. The Bison have also qualified for the Patriot League Tournament in each of those six seasons and 21 times overall. The 21 PL postseason appearances is tied with Navy for second-most in league history, trailing only Colgate with 26. Bucknell has advanced to the championship game six times and is 4-2 in those appearances, with the league titles coming in 2001, 2005, 2016 and 2017.
Bucknell was picked tied for fifth (with Army West Point) in the Patriot League Preseason Poll. Boston University was selected as the preseason favorite, followed by Colgate, Navy and Lehigh.

About Wright State/Series History

Wright State head coach Pat Ferguson is in his 25th season as a head coach and 15th with the Raiders. His squad went 6-9-2 overall but 5-3-1 in the Horizon League last season. This year's team must replace 2018 Horizon League Player of the Year Aaliyah Patten.
Wright State was picked to finish fifth in the Horizon League Preseason Poll.
The Raiders are off to a great start in 2019. They won all three of their exhibition games, and then started the regular season with a 2-0 win over Marian and a 1-0 blanking of Miami (Ohio). Destiny Johnson and Brittney Petrosky provided the goals in the Marian game, and Michelle Rings converted a free kick in the 43rd minute to beat Miami. Goalkeeper Maddie Jewell made five saves in both clean sheets.
This is the second all-time meeting between Bucknell and Wright State, and the first in Lewisburg. In 2016, Bucknell traveled to Dayton, Ohio and came away with a 2-0 victory. Current senior Bailey Hurst, then a freshman, scored her first collegiate goal in that game. Maddie Mulford also scored for the Bison, who went on to finish that season 16-2-2.

About Georgetown/Series History

Georgetown is ranked 13th in this week's United Soccer Coaches national poll. The Hoyas, who play at No. 10 Duke on Wednesday before hosting Bucknell, are off to a 1-1 start in 2019. Georgetown opened with a 2-1 win at James Madison, then lost at home to No. 21 North Carolina State, 3-1.
Julia Leas and Amanda Carolan scored for Georgetown in the win over James Madison. Carolan added her second of the year and 25th of her career to open the scoring against N.C. State, but the Hoyas conceded a penalty kick just 43 seconds later, which led to a run of three straight goals for the Wolfpack.
Georgetown was picked first in the Big East and seventh nationally in the preseason polls. Reigning Big East Defensive Player of the Year Meaghan Nally along with Paula Germine-Watnick and Kelly Ann Livingstone, were Preseason All-Big East selections. Nally and Germino-Watnick, who are members of the United States U-23 Women's National Team, are also on the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List.
Georgetown has won each of the last three Big East titles, and in two of those seasons the Hoyas advanced to the College Cup semifinals. Last year's squad finished a best-ever 21-1-3. Including wins over Central Connecticut State, Washington State, Duke and Baylor in the NCAA Tournament. Georgetown then fell to No. 1 North Carolina 1-0 in double overtime in the national semifinals.
Bucknell and Georgetown have squared off four times previously, with each team winning twice. The Bison wins came in 1994 (4-0 at home) and 1995 (2-0 away). The Hoyas came back and won 4-1 in 2002 and 3-1 in 2005, with both of those games played in D.C.

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