Bucknell Men’s Soccer Falls 2-1 to Loyola in Season Finale

Saturday, April 10

Lewisburg, Pa.

7 p.m.

Bucknell University

1-4-1, 1-4-1PL

Loyola (Md.)

3-1-1, 3-1-1PL

Loyola

Bucknell

Photo by: Marc Hagemeier

Bucknell Men’s Soccer Falls 2-1 to Loyola in Season Finale

4/10/2021 10:00:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

eLEWISBURG, Pa. – Freshman Sebastian Paz scored his first career goal in the 68th minute and Bucknell was inches away from an equalizer on a couple of occasions in the second half, but Loyola's two first-half goals held up in a 2-1 verdict over the Bison on Saturday night at Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium.

Loyola clinched the Patriot League South Division title with the victory and improved to 3-1-1 on the season. Bucknell closed out the abbreviated spring campaign with a 1-4-1 record.

The Bison entered the day with a chance to qualify for the Patriot League Tournament with a victory coupled with a Navy win over American. But the Midshipmen and Eagles finished in a 1-1 draw about 90 minutes prior to the Bucknell-Loyola kickoff. That result eliminated the Bison from postseason contention and left the door open for the Greyhounds to take the division outright with three points.

Despite that disappointment, Bucknell had the game's first good scoring chance just two minutes in when freshman Jordan Miller outmuscled a defender for a ball in the box and forced a tough save from Loyola goalkeeper Chase Vosvick.

The Greyhounds took the lead in the 14th minute on a flurry in front of Bison keeper Bennett Schwartz. Kelan Swales had his attempt blocked, Justin Ingram's follow-up attempt required a diving save from Schwartz, and then Loc San punched in the rebound at the left post.

In the 29th minute, Matt Thorsheim served a great ball for Eddie Perez-Pelaez, but his well-struck header was right at Vosvick. Nine minutes later Loyola doubled its lead when Jordan Wiley's curling shot toward the back post was touched over the line by a sliding David Gunter.

Schwartz made a terrific stop on Sam Brown about seven minutes into the second half, but then the Bison played some terrific soccer over a long stretch of the second half. They thought they had a goal in the 56th minute when Thorsheim played a neat lobbed pass over a defender to Miller, but the linesman's flag went up on a tight offsides call just as Miller smashed his shot into the back of the net.

Bucknell did get that goal in the 68th minute when Paz headed home a long service from fellow freshman Collin Murphy. It was the first career points for both rookies.

Not long after the Paz goal, Thorsheim went over the bar on a free kick from a dangerous spot, and then Thorsheim's blast from about 16 yards out took a slight touch from a Loyola defender, which was enough to send it squarely onto the crossbar.

In the 78th minute, Paz waltzed in from the left side of the area before his low shot was saved, and then two minutes later it was Thorsheim again beating the goalkeeper, but this time it was Evan Peters heading the ball off the line for Loyola.

The Greyhounds managed the last five minutes well, keeping the ball in the corners in Bucknell's end of the field.
"I was really proud of the guys who put on the Bison uniform tonight," said head coach Brendan Nash. "We found out before the game that we had nothing to play for and then we were down 2-0 at the half. The way we responded in the second half and made a game of it showed what kind of character these guys have. The seniors will be greatly missed, but as we saw tonight with some of the young faces out there, the future is very bright for Bucknell soccer."

Loyola had a slight 15-13 shot advantage and took all six of the game's corner kicks. Schwartz finished with seven saves, while Vosvick tallied six.

Prior to the match, the team paid tribute to its six seniors: Thorsheim, Stefan Gollisz, Trevor Wiggins, Eamon O'Connor, Kevin Gulizio and Cody Wax.