Friday, September 3
Villanova, Pa.
6 p.m.
Bucknell University
at
Villanova
Photo by: Lianne Garrahan
Field Hockey to Play Road Contests at Villanova and Temple This Weekend
9/1/2021 3:27:00 PM | Field Hockey
Bucknell (1-1, 0-0 PL) at Villanova (1-1, 0-0 Big East)
When:Â Friday, Sept. 3, 6 p.m.Â
Where:Â Conshohocken, Pa.
Streaming: FloSports
Live Stats:Â Villanova.com
Bucknell (1-1, 0-0 PL) at Temple (2-0, 0-0 Big East)
When:Â Sunday, Sept. 5, 1 p.m.Â
Where:Â Philadelphia, Pa.
Streaming:Â ESPN+
Live Stats:Â OwlSports.com
About Bucknell
- Bucknell will face a pair of Big East opponents during the second weekend of action. It's also the first two road contests of the season for Bucknell, which went 4-3 away from Graham field last season. The Bison will take on Villanova on Friday, Sept. 3 before facing Temple on Sunday, Sept. 5.
- The Bison are 1-1 following a 3-0 loss to No. 24 ranked James Madison on Friday and a 2-1 overtime win against LIU on Sunday. Bucknell scored goals in the 60th and 61st minute of Sundays game against the Sharks to win their first game of the season. It's the fourth game out of Bucknell's last six, dating back to last season, that has gone past regulation.
- Senior Mary Kate Stefanowicz and rookie Lily Neilson are Bucknell's two goal scorers this season. Neilson scored with eight seconds left in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game on a penalty corner to even things up with LIU at 1-1. Stefanowicz, who scored both goals in Bucknell's first-round win over VCU in the NCAA tournament last spring, converted again in the extra period on Sunday to hand the Bison the win. Two of Stefanowicz' three career goals have been overtime game winners. Meanwhile, Neilson saw a number of scoring opportunities during her first weekend of collegiate field hockey, attempting three shots.
- Noor Kaur, Mackenzie Kile, Kayla Kisthardt and Erin Zielinski were all credited with assists in Sunday's victory.
- Through two games, goalkeeper Clara McCormick possesses a 0.667 save percentage and a 1.98 goals against average.
- Bucknell leads 24-18 in the shot category through two games. After being outshot 14-7 in the season opener, the Bison put up 17 against the Sharks and directed 10 on goal. The team also leads 13-6 in penalty corners against its opponents, seeing more chances in both of its first two games.
- For the first time in program history, Bucknell entered the 2021 field hockey season as reigning champions after collecting a Patriot League title in the spring and posting a first-round win over VCU in the NCAA tournament. Bucknell finished the 2020-21 season with a 6-4 overall record and a 3-3 mark in Patriot League play.
- After dropping their first three games of the spring season by a combined score of 10-1, the Bison turned things around and won six in a row to reach the NCAA quarterfinals. Bucknell limited opponents to 1.0 goals per game during the winning streak, and four of the victories went past regulation.
- Head coach Jeremy Cook is in his 14th season with the program. With a 121-117 career record, Cook is seven victories shy of matching the program's all-time wins record. Cook has guided the Bison to the Patriot League Tournament every season and has posted a .500 record or better in each of the last five.
Scouting Villanova
- The Wildcats are 1-1 to begin the 2021 season, having already faced two Patriot League teams. The Wildcats opened the year with a 4-3 win over Lehigh on Friday before falling to Lafayette on the road on Sunday. Lehigh jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the season opener before Villanova scored three of the next four, including a goal in the 55th minute to seal the victory. The Leopards scored the first three goals of Sunday's game, and the Wildcats avoided the shutout with one in the 39th minute.
- The Wildcats were picked to finish sixth in the Big East preseason poll. Villanova went 4-10 during the spring season. The team returned 15 players from last season's squad.
- Villanova has had four different goal scorers this season, led by junior Caitlin Van Goeverden. The team has also had four different Wildcats contribute with assists.
- Senior Jordan McGinley has started both contests this season and allowed two goals against Lehigh and three more against Lafayette. First-year Emma Leppert took over in the Lehigh matchup and gave up one goal. McGinley played the entirety of the Lafayette game, allowing three goals with two saves.
- Villanova Head coach Joanie Milhous is in her 27th season with the Wildcats. She owns a 228-262 record as head of the Wildcats and a 250-302-4 overall mark. Milhous is a two-time Big East Coach of the Year.
Series History with Villanova
- Bucknell is 3-8 in all-time meetings with the Wildcats. Bucknell last defeated Villanova in 2011.
- Bucknell also collected a 2-0 victory at home in 2006 and a 3-1 triumph at home in 1981.
- The Wildcats won the last meeting, a 3-2 overtime game on the road in 2019. Emily Doyle scored the first goal just 2:27 into the contest. Villanova tied things right before halftime, and Doyle converted again in the 44th minute. AÂ Wildcats goal in the 55th minute and an overtime score handed Bucknell the loss.
- The Bison won the first-ever meeting in the series in 1981, a 3-1 victory at home.
Scouting Temple
- Temple is 2-0 this fall, picking up a 2-0 win over Merrimack and a 3-2 win over Drexel during the opening weekend.
- Four different Owls have scored goals, including two from rookie midfielder Julianne Kopec. She scored both goals in the Temple win over Merrimack.
- The Owls are starting graduate-student Megan Ragusa in goal. She gave up a pair to Drexel and has seven saves on the season in total.
- Both Ragusa and Kopec were named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll this week.
- Senior Nienke Oerlemans was named to the Big East Preseason All-Conference Team, and the Owls were picked to finish fourth in the coaches poll. Oerlemans tied for the team lead in goals (4) last season.
- Michelle Vittese is currently serving as interim head coach of the Owls. She joined the team as an assistant in 2019 and was named associate head coach later that year.
- Temple went 8-10 last spring and fell to top-seeded UConn in the Big East Tournament.
Series History with Temple
- Bucknell is 3-5 all-time vs. Temple. The Bison have taken each of the last two meetings, winning 2-1 in overtime in 2015 and 3-1 in 2017.
- Bucknell's Kelsey Mucelli supplied a program-record three assists in the 2012 matchup, tying a program record.
- The two teams first met in 2009, and Bucknell won that meeting 2-1.
Up Next
Up next, Bucknell plays a single road game against Lock Haven next weekend on Sunday, Sept. 12.
Players Mentioned
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