Bucknell Women’s Soccer Plays Lafayette to Scoreless Draw in Season Opener

Sunday, March 7

Downingtown, Pa. (United Sports)

5:30 p.m.

Bucknell University

0-0-1

Lafayette

0-0-1

Bucknell

Lafayette

Photo by: Marc Hagemeier

Bucknell Women’s Soccer Plays Lafayette to Scoreless Draw in Season Opener

3/7/2021 10:29:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

DOWNINGTOWN, Pa. – Behind a strong effort from the back line and some outstanding goalkeeping from the young tandem of sophomore Kaylee Donnelly and freshman Jenna Hall, the Bucknell women's soccer team finished in a 0-0 deadlock with Lafayette on Sunday evening at the United Sports complex. It was the season openers for both teams, some 16 months after they had last competed in a match.

Lafayette has a dangerous attacking unit, led by reigning Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year Krista Kissell and all-conference midfielder Sophie Saldivar. Even though that duo combined for 12 shot attempts, the Bison kept them off the scoresheet.

Donnelly got the start in goal and finished with three saves. Hall, a freshman from Southington, Conn., came on after the interval and made 10 saves in 65 minutes in her collegiate debut. None were better than her stop on Kissell late in the first overtime period. The Leopards got in on a breakaway and a pass was slid over to Kissell, but Hall rushed out to make a point blank save that kept the Bison alive.

Bucknell had some quality chances on corner kicks in the first half, and their best opportunity from the run of play came early in the second half. Abby Gearhart was sent in behind the Lafayette defense, but keeper Natalie Neumann made the save. Jenna Marek pounced on the rebound, a scramble ensued, and then Alex Catanzarite's follow-up attempt was saved off the line by a Lafayette field player.

After the game, head coach Kelly Cook credited her back four – center backs Chloe Christakos and Holly Burns along with outside backs Alana Carlucci and freshman Lea Tarzy – as well as the two goalkeepers for an outstanding performance.

"I thought that group was just really solid defensively," said Cook. "Lafayette's attack is a lot to handle, especially for our first game in quite a while, but they were up to the task. We had some good play in the midfield as well, and up top we need to continue to build chemistry as we get more games in."

The Bison return to action next Saturday at Loyola at 7 p.m. The contest can be seen on ESPN+.