Saturday, September 7
Richmond, Va.
3 p.m.
Bucknell University
(2-1)
2
at
1
VCU
(1-2)
1
2
3
4
F
BUCKNELL
1
0
0
1
2
VCU
0
0
0
1
1
Photo by: Marc Hagemeier
Willwerth Scores Twice as Field Hockey Holds off VCU, 2-1
9/7/2019 5:23:00 PM | Field Hockey
RICHMOND, Va. – Senior Brittany Willwerth continued to torment VCU, scoring both Bucknell goals in a 2-1 victory over the Rams on Saturday afternoon at Cary Street Field. Senior goaltender Olivia Harris also had a big day with eight saves, including a diving stop on a fourth-quarter penalty corner sequence to preserve the win and send the Bison to their second straight victory.
VCU finished 7-1 in the Atlantic 10 and reached the A-10 Tournament final a year ago, and the Rams were picked to finish second in the A-10 preseason poll this season. But Willwerth's goals in the first and fourth quarters were enough to lift the Bison over the Rams for the second straight year. Willwerth also had the go-ahead goal in a 3-2 Bucknell win last season at Graham Field.
Midway through the opening period the Bison cashed in on their first penalty corner of the day. Kaelyn Long saw her initial shot blocked, but Willwerth found the loose ball and scored on the second attempt from near the top of the circle.
VCU pressured the Bison late in the opening period, but Harris came up with a couple of saves, the latter coming with just 12 seconds remaining on the clock.
Harris was called upon for four more saves in the second stanza, and Allie Christopher tested VCU's Sasha Elliott in the final minute of the half, but both goalies were on point and it was a 1-0 game at the break.
Bucknell earned four corners while controlling the action for much of the third quarter, but Harris was needed for a big save on Janne Wetzel on a VCU corner with 1:39 left in the period. That proved big when the game got a bit crazy at the start of the fourth quarter.
Just 1:03 into the final period, Willwerth slotted home her second goal of the day, this one from a sharp angle to the left of the cage. But Bucknell's two-goal cushion lasted a mere 39 seconds, as the Rams came right back the other way with Litiana Field finishing a feed from Wetzel for her first goal of the season.
The Bison defense was sharp the rest of the way, conceding only one more shot, resulting in the big save from Harris with 5:35 remaining.
Leah Fogelsanger nearly gave the Bison some insurance with 2:35 to go, but her shot rang the crossbar.
VCU finished with narrow edges in shots (14-12) and penalty corners (9-7), but Harris finished with the eight saves to Elliott's three. Harris recorded her 100th career save in the first half.
Willwerth and Long paced the Bison with four shots apiece. Willwerth's goals were the 20th and 21st of her career. She needs four more to jump into the top 10 on Bucknell's all-time chart.
Bucknell will remain in town overnight before facing Richmond on Sunday at 3 p.m. The Bison will go up against an old friend in Richmond head coach Jamie Montgomery, who was an assistant to Jeremy Cook on the Bucknell staff from 2009-13. Bucknell defeated the Spiders 2-1 in double overtime last season.
VCU finished 7-1 in the Atlantic 10 and reached the A-10 Tournament final a year ago, and the Rams were picked to finish second in the A-10 preseason poll this season. But Willwerth's goals in the first and fourth quarters were enough to lift the Bison over the Rams for the second straight year. Willwerth also had the go-ahead goal in a 3-2 Bucknell win last season at Graham Field.
Midway through the opening period the Bison cashed in on their first penalty corner of the day. Kaelyn Long saw her initial shot blocked, but Willwerth found the loose ball and scored on the second attempt from near the top of the circle.
VCU pressured the Bison late in the opening period, but Harris came up with a couple of saves, the latter coming with just 12 seconds remaining on the clock.
Harris was called upon for four more saves in the second stanza, and Allie Christopher tested VCU's Sasha Elliott in the final minute of the half, but both goalies were on point and it was a 1-0 game at the break.
Bucknell earned four corners while controlling the action for much of the third quarter, but Harris was needed for a big save on Janne Wetzel on a VCU corner with 1:39 left in the period. That proved big when the game got a bit crazy at the start of the fourth quarter.
Just 1:03 into the final period, Willwerth slotted home her second goal of the day, this one from a sharp angle to the left of the cage. But Bucknell's two-goal cushion lasted a mere 39 seconds, as the Rams came right back the other way with Litiana Field finishing a feed from Wetzel for her first goal of the season.
The Bison defense was sharp the rest of the way, conceding only one more shot, resulting in the big save from Harris with 5:35 remaining.
Leah Fogelsanger nearly gave the Bison some insurance with 2:35 to go, but her shot rang the crossbar.
VCU finished with narrow edges in shots (14-12) and penalty corners (9-7), but Harris finished with the eight saves to Elliott's three. Harris recorded her 100th career save in the first half.
Willwerth and Long paced the Bison with four shots apiece. Willwerth's goals were the 20th and 21st of her career. She needs four more to jump into the top 10 on Bucknell's all-time chart.
Bucknell will remain in town overnight before facing Richmond on Sunday at 3 p.m. The Bison will go up against an old friend in Richmond head coach Jamie Montgomery, who was an assistant to Jeremy Cook on the Bucknell staff from 2009-13. Bucknell defeated the Spiders 2-1 in double overtime last season.
Team Stats
BUCKNELL
VCU
Goals
2
1
Shots
12
14
Shots on Goal
5
9
Saves
8
3
Corners
7
9
Offsides
0
0
Fouls
41
48
Scoring Plays
Willwerth, Brittany
Assisted By: Long, Kaelyn
6 shoots from top of arc following rebou
7:42
Willwerth, Brittany
6 fires low from tight angle left of goa
46:03
FIELD, Litiana (1)
Assisted By: WETZEL, Janne
11 passes to 15 in front of goal, she tu
46:42
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
4
SOG
3
Goals
2
Assists
0
Shots
4
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
M
/ Field Hockey
M/F
/ Field Hockey
GK
/ Field HockeyD
/ Field HockeyF
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