Bucknell University Athletics
Sunday, August 28
USAF Academy, Colo.
3 p.m. ET
Bucknell University
2-1-0, 0-0-0
1
at
0
Air Force
1-2-1, 0-0-0
1st half1
2nd half2
FinalF
Bucknell
0
1
1
Air Force
0
0
0
Photo by: Charlie Lengal III
Women’s Soccer Shows off Depth in 1-0 Win at Air Force
8/28/2022 7:57:00 PM | Women's Soccer
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – A brilliant free-kick strike from Paige Temple early in the second half was backed up by a full-team effort as the Bucknell women's soccer team used 22 players in a 1-0 road win over Air Force on Sunday afternoon at Cadet Soccer Stadium.
Playing the second leg of a Friday-Sunday road trip in the Colorado altitude, and with a near two-hour weather delay thrown in for good measure, the Bison never wavered with nearly a full team of substitutes on in key junctures of the game. It was a strong bounce-back for Bucknell (2-1) after letting a lead get away in a 2-1 loss to Colorado College on Friday. Air Force, which was coming off a 2-1 win over Army, fell to 1-2-1 on the season.
"I am extremely proud of the whole group," said head coach Kelly Cook after the win. "Our depth really showed as a strength. This is a difficult trip dealing with the travel and the altitude, but we had a lot of different players step up. It was an extraordinary team effort in a tough, physical game."
The game was only about 14 minutes old when the lightning alert came, and the game was halted for an hour and 55 minutes. When play resumed, neither team generated many chances over the remainder of the first half. Bucknell's brightest moment came when Rylee Donaldson launched her own personal counter-attack, marauding 50 yards with the ball before being brought down just outside the box. Teresa Deda's free kick from the top right corner went over the bar.
Caeli Sherman had a decent look for Air Force with 30 seconds left in the half, but her shot from the right side also sailed high.
Air Force's struggles to contend with the speed of Donaldson resulted in Bucknell's goal in the 49th minute. Donaldson collected a long ball over the top and was again shoved down from behind, and this time Temple smashed the free kick from the top of the D into the left side of the goal for her first of the season.
Cook sent on seven substitutes to provide fresh legs on the hour mark, and the reserves might have put two more goals on the board if not for a couple of sensational diving saves by Falcons goalkeeper Cammi Bych.
In the 70th minute, Colorado native Kelley Francis danced around two defenders deep in the area, but Bych made the save of the night diving to her left to rob Francis from close range. Six minutes later, Kalli Wethern and Reese Evans teamed up to strip an Air Force defender. Evans played in Wethern, but her left-footed shot was smothered by a lunging Bych.
Not to be outdone, Bucknell keeper Jenna Hall made two key saves at the other end in the final 10 minutes. She scurried across her goal to nab a deflected shot from Sherman, and then she was well-positioned to grab Grace Sublette's hard free kick from a dangerous spot.
The Bison defense held strong from there. Olivia DeConinck, who came off the bench to play a career-high 68 minutes, headed away a threatening cross in the closing minutes. Laura Schmidt, Leanne Engemann, and Sydney Hess also came on as defensive substitutes and played key minutes.
All 22 Bison who saw action played at least 20 minutes. Only Hall and center back Brooke Tracey played the full 90.
After missing the first two games of the season due to injury, Hall made her season debut and made four saves on the way to her ninth career solo clean sheet.
Bucknell outshot Air Force 12-9 and led 4-1 in corner kicks. The Bison are now 1-0-1 all-time against the Falcons. The two teams played to a scoreless tie in the only other meeting in 2006.
Bucknell will next host Binghamton on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium.
Playing the second leg of a Friday-Sunday road trip in the Colorado altitude, and with a near two-hour weather delay thrown in for good measure, the Bison never wavered with nearly a full team of substitutes on in key junctures of the game. It was a strong bounce-back for Bucknell (2-1) after letting a lead get away in a 2-1 loss to Colorado College on Friday. Air Force, which was coming off a 2-1 win over Army, fell to 1-2-1 on the season.
"I am extremely proud of the whole group," said head coach Kelly Cook after the win. "Our depth really showed as a strength. This is a difficult trip dealing with the travel and the altitude, but we had a lot of different players step up. It was an extraordinary team effort in a tough, physical game."
The game was only about 14 minutes old when the lightning alert came, and the game was halted for an hour and 55 minutes. When play resumed, neither team generated many chances over the remainder of the first half. Bucknell's brightest moment came when Rylee Donaldson launched her own personal counter-attack, marauding 50 yards with the ball before being brought down just outside the box. Teresa Deda's free kick from the top right corner went over the bar.
Caeli Sherman had a decent look for Air Force with 30 seconds left in the half, but her shot from the right side also sailed high.
Air Force's struggles to contend with the speed of Donaldson resulted in Bucknell's goal in the 49th minute. Donaldson collected a long ball over the top and was again shoved down from behind, and this time Temple smashed the free kick from the top of the D into the left side of the goal for her first of the season.
🎯 Paige Temple with a bit of perfection on this free kick in today's 1-0 win at Air Force! #rayBucknell
— Bucknell Women's Soccer (@Bucknell_WSOC) August 29, 2022
Video courtesy of @MountainWest Digital Network. @PatriotLeagueTV | @NCAASoccer pic.twitter.com/es0A5ccVqD
Cook sent on seven substitutes to provide fresh legs on the hour mark, and the reserves might have put two more goals on the board if not for a couple of sensational diving saves by Falcons goalkeeper Cammi Bych.
In the 70th minute, Colorado native Kelley Francis danced around two defenders deep in the area, but Bych made the save of the night diving to her left to rob Francis from close range. Six minutes later, Kalli Wethern and Reese Evans teamed up to strip an Air Force defender. Evans played in Wethern, but her left-footed shot was smothered by a lunging Bych.
Not to be outdone, Bucknell keeper Jenna Hall made two key saves at the other end in the final 10 minutes. She scurried across her goal to nab a deflected shot from Sherman, and then she was well-positioned to grab Grace Sublette's hard free kick from a dangerous spot.
The Bison defense held strong from there. Olivia DeConinck, who came off the bench to play a career-high 68 minutes, headed away a threatening cross in the closing minutes. Laura Schmidt, Leanne Engemann, and Sydney Hess also came on as defensive substitutes and played key minutes.
All 22 Bison who saw action played at least 20 minutes. Only Hall and center back Brooke Tracey played the full 90.
After missing the first two games of the season due to injury, Hall made her season debut and made four saves on the way to her ninth career solo clean sheet.
Bucknell outshot Air Force 12-9 and led 4-1 in corner kicks. The Bison are now 1-0-1 all-time against the Falcons. The two teams played to a scoreless tie in the only other meeting in 2006.
Bucknell will next host Binghamton on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium.
Team Stats
BUC
AFA
Goals
1
0
Shots
12
9
Shots on Goal
6
4
Saves
4
5
Corners
4
1
Fouls
17
11
Scoring Plays
Paige Temple (1)
GOAL by BUC Temple, Paige.
48:56
Game Leaders
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
4
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
D
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
F
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