Sunday, August 22
Lewisburg, Pa.
1 p.m.
Bucknell University
1-0-1
1
vs
1
Towson
1-0-1
1
2
3
4
F
Towson
0
1
0
0
1
Bucknell
0
1
0
0
1
Photo by: Phil Inglis
Bucknell Salvages 1-1 Draw with Towson after Mensi’s 90th-Minute Equalizer
8/22/2021 4:39:00 PM | Women's Soccer
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Claire Mensi scored a dramatic game-tying goal with 38 seconds left in regulation, Jenna Hall followed with a couple of highlight-reel saves in overtime, and the Bucknell women's soccer team pulled out a 1-1 draw with Towson on Sunday afternoon at rain-soaked Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium.
Both teams are now 1-0-1 on the season after posting season-opening victories on Thursday. The Bison controlled play for large stretches of the opening 90 minutes but found themselves down 1-0 after Phoebe Canoles converted a penalty kick in the 52nd minute.
The Bison outshot the Tigers 18-10 in regulation and 23-14 overall after a wide-open 20 minutes of overtime.
Bucknell appeared to be in good position to tie the game with 20 minutes to go when Abby Gearhart got in behind the Towson back line, but the offside flag went up. In the final 15 minutes Ashley Groeber and Rylee Donaldson had decent looks from distance that were saved by Riley Melendez.
The Bison were pinned in their own end for several minutes late in regulation but finally got forward and earned a corner kick with a minute to go. Teresa Deda's delivery was headed away, but Kenar Gelman was the first to pounce on the loose ball just outside the 18. Gelman spun and served a ball back into the center of the box right onto the foot of Mensi. The Bison center popped a high shot toward goal, and with Paige Temple bearing down on Melendez, the ball slipped through the hands of the keeper and across the goal line.
Any momentum that Bucknell brought into overtime nearly went up in smoke just 55 seconds in when Nia Christopher got in on a clean breakaway, but Hall charged off her line to smother the shot. The Bison then earned a free kick from a dangerous spot just outside the box, but Mensi's attempt skipped wide of the right post. Just over a minute later, Hall came to the rescue again with a diving save to her right to rob Chiara Menegatti.
Bucknell nearly ended it in the 99th minute on a beautiful cross from Kalli Wethern to the head of Deda just outside the 6-yard box, but Deda's header barely skimmed over the crossbar.
Both goalkeepers made two saves in the second overtime period, the last coming from Hall with just over a minute to play after Mensi did well to push the dangerous Christopher out into a wider shooting position.
"I was excited to see the urgency at the end of regulation, and we showed good composure to get the corner kick off with about a minute to go," said head coach Kelly Cook. "I thought we executed that situation very well. We created some good opportunities in the final third throughout the game, but we need to continue to work on being more efficient and finishing those chances."
Bucknell had a number of good chances in the first half, including dangerous looks from Gearhart and Wethern on corner kicks. The Bison generated three shots in the first five minutes of the second half, but the game swung in Towson's favor when Jenna Blank was taken down in the box to earn the penalty.
Hall finished with nine saves, including four in overtime, while Melendez made two of her seven saves in extra time. The Bison finished with a 12-4 edge in corner kicks.
"Jenna Hall had a great game today," Cook said of her sophomore goalkeeper. "She flat out saved the game with some big stops in overtime, and I was impressed with her overall performance throughout the game."
Next up for Bucknell is a home game against 12th-ranked West Virginia next Friday at 7 p.m. The game will air live on ESPN+.
Both teams are now 1-0-1 on the season after posting season-opening victories on Thursday. The Bison controlled play for large stretches of the opening 90 minutes but found themselves down 1-0 after Phoebe Canoles converted a penalty kick in the 52nd minute.
The Bison outshot the Tigers 18-10 in regulation and 23-14 overall after a wide-open 20 minutes of overtime.
Bucknell appeared to be in good position to tie the game with 20 minutes to go when Abby Gearhart got in behind the Towson back line, but the offside flag went up. In the final 15 minutes Ashley Groeber and Rylee Donaldson had decent looks from distance that were saved by Riley Melendez.
The Bison were pinned in their own end for several minutes late in regulation but finally got forward and earned a corner kick with a minute to go. Teresa Deda's delivery was headed away, but Kenar Gelman was the first to pounce on the loose ball just outside the 18. Gelman spun and served a ball back into the center of the box right onto the foot of Mensi. The Bison center popped a high shot toward goal, and with Paige Temple bearing down on Melendez, the ball slipped through the hands of the keeper and across the goal line.
Here's a look at Claire Mensi's game-tying goal with 0:38 left in regulation. Great job to get organized on a last-minute corner kick, and kudos to Kenar Gelman for serving the ball back onto Mensi's foot after the initial clearance. #rayBucknell pic.twitter.com/VvEZApe8yb
— Bucknell WSoccer (@Bucknell_WSOC) August 22, 2021
Any momentum that Bucknell brought into overtime nearly went up in smoke just 55 seconds in when Nia Christopher got in on a clean breakaway, but Hall charged off her line to smother the shot. The Bison then earned a free kick from a dangerous spot just outside the box, but Mensi's attempt skipped wide of the right post. Just over a minute later, Hall came to the rescue again with a diving save to her right to rob Chiara Menegatti.
Bucknell nearly ended it in the 99th minute on a beautiful cross from Kalli Wethern to the head of Deda just outside the 6-yard box, but Deda's header barely skimmed over the crossbar.
Both goalkeepers made two saves in the second overtime period, the last coming from Hall with just over a minute to play after Mensi did well to push the dangerous Christopher out into a wider shooting position.
"I was excited to see the urgency at the end of regulation, and we showed good composure to get the corner kick off with about a minute to go," said head coach Kelly Cook. "I thought we executed that situation very well. We created some good opportunities in the final third throughout the game, but we need to continue to work on being more efficient and finishing those chances."
Bucknell had a number of good chances in the first half, including dangerous looks from Gearhart and Wethern on corner kicks. The Bison generated three shots in the first five minutes of the second half, but the game swung in Towson's favor when Jenna Blank was taken down in the box to earn the penalty.
Hall finished with nine saves, including four in overtime, while Melendez made two of her seven saves in extra time. The Bison finished with a 12-4 edge in corner kicks.
"Jenna Hall had a great game today," Cook said of her sophomore goalkeeper. "She flat out saved the game with some big stops in overtime, and I was impressed with her overall performance throughout the game."
Next up for Bucknell is a home game against 12th-ranked West Virginia next Friday at 7 p.m. The game will air live on ESPN+.
Team Stats
TOWSON
BUCKNELL
Goals
1
1
Shots
14
23
Shots on Goal
10
8
Saves
7
9
Corners
4
12
Fouls
6
11
Scoring Plays
Canoles, Phoebe
TOWSON Canoles, Phoebe PENALTY KICK GOAL.
51:02
Mensi, Claire (1)
Assisted By: Gelman, Kenar
13 recycles corner kick, 7 flicks shot t
89:22
Game Leaders
Shots
3
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
3
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
7
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
3
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
M
/ Women's SoccerF
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's SoccerM
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's SoccerD
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
F
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