Men's Soccer Falls to Lehigh, 4-1

Saturday, March 20

Bethlehem, Pa.

5 p.m.

Bucknell University

1-2, 1-2PL

Lehigh

1-1, 1-1PL

Bucknell

Lehigh

Photo by: Justin Lafleur

3/20/2021 8:39:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Bucknell halved a 2-0 deficit late in the second half on a goal by Trevor Wiggins, but the Mountain Hawks pulled away late, scoring two goals over a five-minute span to seal a 4-1 victory over the Bison in Bethlehem. The game was a rematch of last season's Patriot League semifinals.

Bucknell falls to 1-2 this season, while Lehigh improves to 1-1 on the young season.

Neither team managed a shot until the 26:04 mark of the first half, when Samir Nouri, who just came on as a substitution one minute prior, managed to force a block from the Lehigh defense and earn a corner.

The Bucknell backline of Trevor Wiggins, MJ Kuczura, Colin Eifert, and Jameson Railey limited the Mountain Hawks without a shot until the 34:54 mark in the first half, when a Lehigh attackerr was brought down in the box.

The Mountain Hawks' Jack Sarkos slotted home the ensuing penalty shot to give the Mountain Hawks the lead that it would eventually take into the halftime break.

Just two minutes into the second half, Lehigh doubled its lead when Josh Luchini was played through down the right wing before slotting his shot at the far post past an onrushing Bennett Schwartz. Schwartz did well just a few minutes later in cutting down the angle of Lehigh's Austen Carranza, who hit the crossbar at the 49:52 mark.

Trevor Wiggins, the reigning Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week, managed to get his head on a corner kick by Railey at the 54:47 mark, but a low save by Lehigh's Blake Koski denied Wiggins his second goal in as many games.

Wiggins had another decent look at the 56:49 mark as his header was sent high of the goal on a long throw in from Eifert, nearly scoring another goal as the two linked up for Bucknell's game-winning goal against American last weekend.

Wiggins finally found the back of the net on yet another header in the 72^nd minute to halve the Lehigh advantage. Kuczura showed some nifty work down the right flank before laying the ball off to Mo Tall, who won a dangerous free kick near the corner of the Lehigh penalty area.

Senior captain Matt Thorsheim, who provided an assist on Patrick O'Hara's opening goal last weekend, whipped in another quality delivery that found Wiggins rising at the back post. Wiggins' powerful header took a slight deflection off a Lehigh defender before finding its way in the back of the net.

However, Luchini scored twice more for Lehigh at the 72:32 mark and the 78:25 mark to give Lehigh a commanding advantage en route to a 4-1 win.

Wiggins managed both of Bucknell's shots on target, while the Bison mustered 14 shots overall. Lehigh only managed six shots, but managed to direct five of those on frame.

Bucknell returns to action next Saturday at Emmitt Field.