Men’s Soccer Controls Play against St. Bonaventure but Settles for 0-0 Draw

Tuesday, October 17

Lewisburg, Pa.

6:30 p.m.

Bucknell University

1-9-3

St. Bonaventure

6-5-4

St. Bonaventure

Bucknell

Photo by: Ben Popko

Men’s Soccer Controls Play against St. Bonaventure but Settles for 0-0 Draw

10/17/2023 9:54:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell men's soccer team pressed St. Bonaventure for 90 minutes and controlled possession throughout, but the Bison could not find the finishing touch and settled for a 0-0 draw with St. Bonaventure in a non-conference game on Tuesday night at Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium.

The Bison outshot the Bonnies 17-5 and piled up a whopping 13-2 edge in corner kicks but St. Bonaventure goalkeeper Jules Dechert was up to the task with seven saves, including a couple of point-blank stops.

Bucknell keeper Jake Nicoll made one save, a good one on a hard, low shot Dean Mercer in the 15th minute, and Nicoll earned his first career shutout. St. Bonaventure (6-5-4) had a high-scoring side this season. The Bonnies had scored multiple goals in eight of its previous 14 games and had only been shut out twice all year.

Reserve winger Aidan Lawlor had Bucknell's two best chances of the night, but both were denied by kick saves from Dechert. The first came on a corner kick scrum in the 27th minute, and then in the 73rd, Nicoll sent a long free kick to the edge of the area and Zane Domsohn slipped a pass to Lawlor, but his close-range effort was just grazed enough by the keeper to skip wide of the right post.

Bucknell was especially tenacious in the first 15 minutes of the second half, as the ball rarely crossed the center line. Jack Lucas rifled a shot just over the crossbar in the 56th minute, and moments later Dechert had to make two straight tough saves on well-taken attempts from Ben Sheffield and Marco Valentic.

The Bison (1-9-3) outshot the Bonnies 8-1 in the second half and also did well to track back and prevent any serious challenges on the counter. All told, 11 different Bucknell players attempted at least one shot, with Lawlor and Holmes leading the way with three apiece.

Bucknell returns home on Saturday to face Boston University. The 1 p.m. match will be preceded by Senior Day ceremonies.