Wednesday, October 26
Lewisburg, Pa.
7 p.m.
Bucknell University
8-5-4, 5-1-3PL
1
vs
1
Lehigh
7-6-3, 5-2-2PL
1
2
F
Lehigh
1
0
1
Bucknell
1
0
1
Photo by: Ben Popko
Women’s Soccer Ties Lehigh, Earns No. 2 Seed in Patriot League Tournament
10/26/2022 9:53:00 PM | Women's Soccer
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Freshman defender Meghan White's first collegiate goal tied the game in the final minute of the first half, and the Bucknell women's soccer team finished in a 1-1 draw with Lehigh in the regular-season finale on Wednesday night at Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium. The point was enough for the Bison to secure the No. 2 seed for the Patriot League Tournament and a bye into the semifinal round.
Bucknell concluded the regular season with an 8-5-4 overall record and a 5-1-3 record in the Patriot League. The Bison went unbeaten in their final eight Patriot League games after dropping their first conference match of the season at Navy back on Sept. 16.
Army scored in the 90th minute to beat Boston University 3-2 and claim the outright regular-season title with 20 points. Bucknell and Boston University tied for second on 18 points, and the Bison get the tiebreaker based on their 1-0 win in Boston on Oct. 15. The Terriers slide to the No. 3 seed, and Lehigh gets the No. 4 seed with 17 points. Navy moved up to the No. 5 spot after beating Lafayette on Wednesday, jumping No. 6 Loyola, which lost its finale to American.
"The tie was not necessarily the result we wanted tonight, but I'm happy that we played more like how we want to play," said head coach Kelly Cook. "Our movement was much better and we were able to get quality shots and crosses. We still need to execute better in the final third, but the teams we faced at the end of the season are all tough defensive teams. I feel good about where we are as a group heading into the postseason."
Bucknell saw its shutout streak end at 402:46 after Lehigh got on the board in the 13th minute. Corinne Lyght played a ball across the face of goal that was broken up by defender Katie Schiano. But the clearance ricocheted off the body of another Bison and fell right to Ava Schaller, who touched it in for her third goal of the season.
Bucknell drew level with 48 seconds left in the first half. A Lehigh clearance only got as far as White about 50 yards from goal. White sent a drive on goal with Kalli Wethern streaking in front of goalkeeper Maggie Ousouljglou, and the ball took a high hop past the keeper and into the back of the net. White, who has captured the last two Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors, earned her first career goal.
The game opened up in the second half, with good scoring chances for both teams. Just over two minutes after the resumption of play, Wendie Fisher got in on a clean breakaway but pulled her shot off the left post. The carom came back through Hall and was cleared away. Hall made a leaping save on Lyght a few minutes later.
Bucknell had a number of glorious chances as well. Paige Temple's redirect of a Rylee Donaldson service went over the bar, and Teresa Deda and Abby Gearhart just missed high with curling shots from the edge of the box.
Gearhart had a close-range shot blocked by Erin Keefe in the 73rd minute after a beautiful passing combo from Deda and Hannah Stuck. Ousouljglou came to Lehigh's rescue in the 82nd minute with a sliding save to deny Gearhart on a breakaway.
Bucknell finished with a 21-12 shot advantage and a 4-2 edge in corner kicks. Ousouljglou made five saves for Lehigh, while Hall was called upon for three for the Bison.
Bucknell will begin its Patriot League title defense on Thursday, Nov. 3 against the higher-seeded of the two quarterfinal winners. Those matches will be played this Sunday at the site of the higher seed.
Bucknell concluded the regular season with an 8-5-4 overall record and a 5-1-3 record in the Patriot League. The Bison went unbeaten in their final eight Patriot League games after dropping their first conference match of the season at Navy back on Sept. 16.
Army scored in the 90th minute to beat Boston University 3-2 and claim the outright regular-season title with 20 points. Bucknell and Boston University tied for second on 18 points, and the Bison get the tiebreaker based on their 1-0 win in Boston on Oct. 15. The Terriers slide to the No. 3 seed, and Lehigh gets the No. 4 seed with 17 points. Navy moved up to the No. 5 spot after beating Lafayette on Wednesday, jumping No. 6 Loyola, which lost its finale to American.
"The tie was not necessarily the result we wanted tonight, but I'm happy that we played more like how we want to play," said head coach Kelly Cook. "Our movement was much better and we were able to get quality shots and crosses. We still need to execute better in the final third, but the teams we faced at the end of the season are all tough defensive teams. I feel good about where we are as a group heading into the postseason."
Bucknell saw its shutout streak end at 402:46 after Lehigh got on the board in the 13th minute. Corinne Lyght played a ball across the face of goal that was broken up by defender Katie Schiano. But the clearance ricocheted off the body of another Bison and fell right to Ava Schaller, who touched it in for her third goal of the season.
Bucknell drew level with 48 seconds left in the first half. A Lehigh clearance only got as far as White about 50 yards from goal. White sent a drive on goal with Kalli Wethern streaking in front of goalkeeper Maggie Ousouljglou, and the ball took a high hop past the keeper and into the back of the net. White, who has captured the last two Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors, earned her first career goal.
Meghan White! What a time for your first collegiate goal. Bucknell and Lehigh are all even at the half. #rayBucknell
— Bucknell Women's Soccer (@Bucknell_WSOC) October 27, 2022
Watch on ESPN+: https://t.co/MjajDQF9uU@PatriotLeagueTV | @ESPN pic.twitter.com/VpJKGS0GsP
The game opened up in the second half, with good scoring chances for both teams. Just over two minutes after the resumption of play, Wendie Fisher got in on a clean breakaway but pulled her shot off the left post. The carom came back through Hall and was cleared away. Hall made a leaping save on Lyght a few minutes later.
Bucknell had a number of glorious chances as well. Paige Temple's redirect of a Rylee Donaldson service went over the bar, and Teresa Deda and Abby Gearhart just missed high with curling shots from the edge of the box.
Gearhart had a close-range shot blocked by Erin Keefe in the 73rd minute after a beautiful passing combo from Deda and Hannah Stuck. Ousouljglou came to Lehigh's rescue in the 82nd minute with a sliding save to deny Gearhart on a breakaway.
Bucknell finished with a 21-12 shot advantage and a 4-2 edge in corner kicks. Ousouljglou made five saves for Lehigh, while Hall was called upon for three for the Bison.
Bucknell will begin its Patriot League title defense on Thursday, Nov. 3 against the higher-seeded of the two quarterfinal winners. Those matches will be played this Sunday at the site of the higher seed.
Team Stats
LEHIGH
BUCKNELL
Goals
1
1
Shots
12
21
Shots on Goal
4
6
Saves
5
3
Corners
2
4
Fouls
9
10
Scoring Plays
Schaller, Ava (3)
Bucknell can't clear in front of goal, 1
12:15
White, Meghan (1)
Shot from long distance through GK with
44:12
Game Leaders
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
5
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
3
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
3
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
M
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's SoccerM
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