Wednesday, October 27
Bethlehem, Pa.
6 p.m.
Bucknell University
at
Lehigh
Photo by: Marc Hagemeier
Tournament Seeds at Stake as Women's Soccer Concludes Regular Season Wednesday at Lehigh
10/26/2021 3:04:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Bucknell (7-7-3, 4-2-2 PL) at Lehigh (6-8-1, 4-3-1 PL)
When: Wednesday, Oct. 27, 6 p.m.
Where: Ulrich Sports Complex, Bethlehem, Pa.
Streaming: ESPN+
Live Stats: LehighSports.com
Bucknell at a Glance
When: Wednesday, Oct. 27, 6 p.m.
Where: Ulrich Sports Complex, Bethlehem, Pa.
Streaming: ESPN+
Live Stats: LehighSports.com
Bucknell at a Glance
- The 2021 regular season is down to a single fixture, and the Bison head to Lehigh on Wednesday night with significant Patriot League Tournament seeding implications on the line.
- Bucknell has clinched one of the six Patriot League Tournament berths, but heading into the final round of league play on Wednesday, the Bison could end up seeded anywhere from first through sixth.
- Bucknell currently sits in fourth place on 14 points, trailing Boston University (17), Navy (16) and Loyola (15). Fifth-place Lehigh (13) has also clinched a postseason spot, while sixth-place Army (11) still has work to do to avoid being caught by Lafayette (9) or American (8). Colgate and Holy Cross are the only two sides eliminated from tournament contention.
- There are benefits to being a top-two seed (quarterfinal bye and semifinal host) or a third/fourth seed (quarterfinal host). The Bison can lock up a top-four seed with at least a draw at Lehigh.
- Bucknell's path to the No. 1 or 2 seed is a bit more complicated. The Bison would need a victory at Lehigh, a Boston University loss to Army, a Navy loss or tie to Lafayette, and a Loyola loss or tie to American. That would create a head-to-head deadlock with Boston University, and both teams would have the exact same results against the rest of the league (and a draw with each other). The goal differential tiebreaker would be triggered, and the Bison would have ground to make up, as they currently have a +4 Patriot League differential compared to the Terriers' +8.
- Tournament seeding aside, the Bison would simply like to take some momentum into the postseason. Only once in the first 14 games of the season had Bucknell scored the first goal in a match failed to get all three points, and that came against nationally ranked West Virginia. But that has now happened three games in a row, as the Bison settled for draws against Loyola (1-1) and Boston University (2-2) before seeing Army rally for a 2-1 win at West Point on Friday.
- Freshman Paige Temple scored her fourth goal of the season in the first half of the Army game, but the Black Knights scored in the 72nd and 88th minutes.
- Teresa Deda picked up yet another assist on Friday, giving her a league-leading 11 on the season. Deda ranks sixth nationally in assists, and she has now had the assist on each of Bucknell's four goals over the last three games.
- The 11 assists are second-most in a season in Bucknell history, and they are the most by any Patriot League player since Navy's Julie Schumacher had 11 in 2014. The last PL player with more than 11 was Navy's Meggie Curran with 15 all the way back in 2006.
- Allentown native Rylee Donaldson continues to lead the Patriot League with her nine goals. Navy's Alexa Riddle is now one behind with eight, followed by Colgate's Ally Giovino with seven. Donaldson's first career goal came at Lehigh in 2019.
- Bucknell continues to be one of the Patriot League's highest-scoring teams. The Bison rank second to Navy (31) with 25 goals, and they lead the league in shots (16.0) and corner kicks (6.9) per game. The Bison rank 23rd nationally in corner kicks per game.
- The Bison are averaging 1.47 goals per game, after producing only 32 goals in 42 games (0.8) over the previous three seasons.
- The play of the midfield has been a major reason for the scoring resurgence. Deda, Kenar Gelman (6), Abby Gearhart (4) and Petie Nassetta (1) have combined for 22 assists on the team's 25 goals. Nassetta has been a beast in the holding defensive center midfield position, sitting behind the three attacking midfielders.
- Deda has two Patriot League Midfielder of the Week citations and one PL Rookie of the Week honor this fall.
- Bucknell was picked ninth in the Patriot League preseason poll, ahead of American and behind Navy, Boston University, Colgate, Army, Loyola, Lehigh, Lafayette and Holy Cross.
- Kelly Cook is in her seventh season on the Bison sideline. Cook owns a 59-48-13 (.546) overall record at Bucknell, including a 34-16-8 (.655) mark in Patriot League play. Cook knows the Patriot League very well, as she was a two-year captain and three-time Second Team All-Patriot League selection at Colgate, where she recorded 27 goals and 23 assists in her career. She ranked in the top 10 in program history in career points (77) and assists. As a junior in 2004, Cook (then Kelly Kuss) was named Patriot League Tournament MVP after leading the Raiders to the league title, and then her team knocked off Arizona in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, marking the first NCAA win in school and league history.
- Lehigh can be seeded anywhere from third through sixth in the Patriot League Tournament. The Mountain Hawks can move into the No. 3 or 4 seed and host a quarterfinal game with a win over Bucknell on Wednesday.
- Lehigh is coming off a 2-1 road win over American on Saturday, courtesy of goals from Courtney Supp and Rebecca Van Siclen.
- Supp and Ava Schaller lead the team with four goals apiece, while Corrine Lyght and Julianna Bonner have three each. Hope Flanegin has a team-high four assists.
- Lehigh has been outscored 22-19 in 15 games this season.
- Sophomore Violette Bonvallet and freshman Abby Trainor have both seen extensive time in goal this season, with Trainor getting the call in six of the eight Patriot League contests. The two netminders have nearly identical save percentages, and Trainor holds claim to the team's lone shutout, coming against Wagner on Sept. 9.
- Bucknell is 16-13-4 all-time against Lehigh, although the Mountain Hawks have claimed two wins and a draw in the last three matchups.
- The two teams met during the abbreviated 2021 spring season, playing to a scoreless tie at Emmitt Field. The goalkeeper duo of Kaylee Donnelly and Jenna Hall combined for seven saves.
- Bucknell's last series win came in 2018 in Bethlehem. Jenna Marek's goal 57 seconds into the second half was the difference.
- Lehigh got revenge two weeks later, however, beating the Bison 2-1 in overtime in a Patriot League Tournament quarterfinal match at Emmitt Field.
- The Bison and Mountain Hawks have met three times in postseason play. In addition to the 2018 Lehigh victory, the Mountain Hawks won 1-0 in a Patriot League semifinal game at West Point in 2010, and Bucknell prevailed in penalty kicks in the 2005 semis in Bethlehem. The Bison defeated Army in the final two days later to win the league title.
- If Bucknell ends up as a 3-6 seed, it will play a Patriot League Tournament game on Sunday afternoon. If the Bison are the higher seed and host the contest, it will be a 1 p.m. start at Emmitt Field with coverage on ESPN+.
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