Women’s Soccer Starts 2022 Season in Style with 4-1 Win over Saint Francis

Thursday, August 18

Lewisburg, Pa.

5 p.m.

Bucknell University

1-0

Saint Francis (Pa.)

0-1

Saint Francis (Pa.)

Bucknell

Photo by: Marc Hagemeier

Women’s Soccer Starts 2022 Season in Style with 4-1 Win over Saint Francis

8/18/2022 8:30:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Reigning Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year Rylee Donaldson scored twice, and Abby Gearhart and Hannah Stuck added a goal apiece to lead the Bucknell women's soccer team to a season-opening 4-1 victory over Saint Francis (Pa.) on Thursday evening at Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium.

It was a strong start for the Patriot League defending champs, who outshot the Red Flash 23-7 and got all 25 field players at least 10 minutes of action. It was Bucknell's highest-scoring output in a season opener in 20 years, since a 7-3 home win over Howard in 2002.

"This was a great way to start the season," said head coach Kelly Cook. "Right from the opening whistle we were ready to go, and we really showed some offensive quality in the first half. I was very pleased that we got to see our depth, because that could be a real strength of this team. We are developing chemistry early in the season, and I'm looking forward to watching this group build."

After scoring a league-high 10 goals last season, Donaldson bagged a brace on opening night, bookending a run of four straight goals for the Bison. She opened her 2022 account just 12:47 into the campaign, finishing through a defender at the back post after a lovely build-up. Gearhart held off a defender while carrying the ball down the center of the pitch. She played freshman Henna Andican wide along the left side of the area, and Andican squared a perfect cross along the 6-yard box for her first career assist.

Here's our first goal of the season courtesy of Rylee Donaldson! Brilliant work by Abby Gearhart to hold off a defender and play out wide to Henna Andican, who gets her first career point on the cross to Donaldson.

Watch Live: https://t.co/iBX8OKi3Et @ESPN | @PatriotLeagueTV pic.twitter.com/xOKkX2YrMg
— Bucknell Women's Soccer (@Bucknell_WSOC) August 18, 2022

In the 25th minute, it was Gearhart on the receiving end of a highlight-reel assist from center back Eva Frankovic. After Saint Francis goalkeeper Sarah McConnon punched away a corner kick in the center of the area, Frankovic used a bicycle kick to direct the ball back toward goal, and Gearhart flicked home a header to make it 2-0. It was the first Bucknell point for Frankovic, a junior transfer from Pittsburgh.

Goal No. 2 off a sensational overhead service from Eva Frankovic for her first Bucknell point. Neat header by Abby Gearhart to make it 2-0. #PLTop3

Watch Live: https://t.co/iBX8OKi3Et @ESPN | @PatriotLeagueTV pic.twitter.com/9CANcqlhzi
— Bucknell Women's Soccer (@Bucknell_WSOC) August 18, 2022

Not long after coming on as a substitute, Stuck scored on a back-post header off a cross from Teresa Deda. That made it 3-0 Bison after 27 minutes, and they took that lead into the intermission.

Donaldson made it 4-0 on the hour mark after Deda played a long ball in over the top. Donaldson took a touch around the goalkeeper and slotted it into the empty goal for her second career two-goal game.

Deda to Donaldson ... where have we heard that one before? It's a brace for Rylee to make it 4-0 Bison.

Watch LIve: https://t.co/iBX8OKi3Et @ESPN | @PatriotLeagueTV pic.twitter.com/VeLuxIBPdj
— Bucknell Women's Soccer (@Bucknell_WSOC) August 18, 2022

Deda posted a league-high 12 assists last year, which was the second-highest single-season total in team history. With two more helpers on Thursday, she moved into a tie for eighth on Bucknell's career list, just one game into her sophomore season.

Lauren Pyle pulled one back for the Red Flash in the 65th minute. After a foul just outside the box, Pyle scored on a well-placed free kick inside the top left corner.

Bucknell had a number of close calls in addition to the four goals. Gearhart and Andican both hit the crossbar, and Paige Temple was robbed by McConnon on a breakaway. Freshman Sydney Hess nearly tallied her first career goal, but her rising shot just missed over the bar with 10 minutes left in the first half.

Senior Kaylee Donnelly played all 90 minutes in goal after 2021 starter Jenna Hall was unable to go due to injury. Donnelly made four saves, while McConnon logged seven for Saint Francis.

Bucknell is home again on Sunday, taking on Mount St. Mary's at 1 p.m.