Bucknell University
5-6-1, 2-1-0
Princeton
8-1-1, 1-0-0
Women’s Soccer Falls at Princeton in Final Non-League Match
9/28/2021 7:40:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Bucknell's final non-conference match of the regular season got off to a rocky start, as Lily Bryant scored through onrushing goalkeeper Jenna Hall just five minutes in. Gabi Suarez then scored twice in a span of 1:42. The first came when a Bison defending 1v1 in the box played a ball back toward her own goal, but Hall had come off her line to try to break up the play. Suarez touched it over the line at the last moment, and then she scored again moments later on a running header from a service in the far right corner.
Hall provided a bright spot in the 22nd minute when she denied Suarez her hat trick from the penalty spot. Madison Curry drew a foul in the box, but Hall made a diving save to her right on Suarez to keep it a 3-0 game.
Princeton did add a fourth just before halftime when Hall made what appeared to be a great sprawling save on Amy Paternoster, but the ball popped straight up in the air, came down on the back of her shoulder and then spun across the line.
Bucknell was much brighter in the early stages of the second half, and the Bison were rewarded with a goal in the 62nd minute when Alana Carlucci's cross from way out on the right touch line found Gearhart on the back post. Gearhart nudged the ball over the line before crashing into the woodwork.
Princeton quickly tacked on two more goals, however. Alexis Hiltunen got just enough of a deflection on a service to spin it past a diving Hall inside the left post, and then 46 seconds later a mis-hit clearance by a Bison defender fell to Paternoster, who collected and finished for her second goal of the night.
With the reserves on late in the game, Bucknell nearly found a second when Mary Santelli delivered a perfect service to Emilene Parham, but her close-range header and then a follow-up attempt were saved.
The Tigers, whose only loss is to current No. 11 Hofstra, have been ranked as high as 22nd nationally earlier this fall. They finished with a 17-9 shot advantage in this one. Hall made six saves for the Bison, while two Princeton goalkeepers combined for five.
It's nothing but Patriot League games the rest of the way for Bucknell, starting with a Sunday affair at Holy Cross. The 1 p.m. match will stream live on ESPN+.
Team Stats
Lily Bryant (4)
Assisted By: Marissa Hart , Gabi Juarez
GOAL by PRIN Bryant, Lily Assist by Hart, Marissa and Juarez, Gabi.
04:59
Gabi Juarez (5)
Assisted By: Marissa Hart , Aria Nagai
GOAL by PRIN Juarez, Gabi Assist by Hart, Marissa and Nagai, Aria.
10:14
Gabi Juarez (5)
Assisted By: Tatum Gee , Ryann Brown
GOAL by PRIN Juarez, Gabi Assist by Gee, Tatum and Brown, Ryann.
11:56
Amy Paternoster (3)
Assisted By: Kate Toomey , Kiley Hamou
GOAL by PRIN Paternoster, Amy Assist by Toomey, Kate and Hamou, Kiley.
42:04
Abby Gearhart (3)
Assisted By: Alana Carlucci , Paige Temple
GOAL by BUCK Gearhart, Abby Assist by Carlucci, Alana and Temple, Paige.
61:40
Alexis Hiltunen (3)
Assisted By: Ryann Brown , Amy Paternoster
GOAL by PRIN Hiltunen, Alexis Assist by Brown, Ryann and Paternoster, Amy.
64:37
Amy Paternoster (3)
Assisted By: Olivia Kane , Alexis Hiltunen
GOAL by PRIN Paternoster, Amy Assist by Kane, Olivia and Hiltunen, Alexis.
65:23
