Men’s Soccer Suffocates Leopards in 0-0 Draw

Saturday, October 28

Easton, Pa.

1 p.m.

Bucknell University

1-10-4, 0-6-2

Lafayette

8-5-4, 4-2-2

Bucknell

Lafayette

Photo by: Lianne Garrahan

10/28/2023 4:20:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

EASTON, Pa. – The Bucknell men's soccer team turned in its best defensive performance of the season and earned a hard-fought 0-0 draw at Lafayette on Saturday afternoon at Oaks Stadium. The Bison held the Leopards to only four total shot attempts and none in the second half.

Lafayette (8-5-4, 4-2-2 PL) entered the day in third place in the Patriot League, just three points off the lead, while ranking fourth in the league in goals per game (1.2). Bucknell freshman goalkeeper Rex Alphen made his first career start, splitting the game with Freddie Lapworth, who returned after a five-game injury absence to play in the second half. The Leopards were limited to only two shots on frame, both from 10-goal scorer Hale Lombard, and Alphen was well-positioned to save both.

Approaching the half-hour mark Lawrence Aydlett fired a ball into traffic in the box and it fell for Lombard in the center of the area. The Patriot League's top scorer fired over the bar, however, it what would be the home team's best chance of the day.

Bucknell (1-10-4, 0-6-2) had two promising through balls in the first half. Charlie Holmes tried to send in Collin Murphy, and later Ryan Burritt split the defense with a ball through to Zane Domsohn, but in both instances Lafayette keeper Griffin Huff got off his line to intervene.

Huff made a good save on Kasper Piela's low drive with 10 minutes remaining in the match, his lone stop of the day.

"We have been an extremely tough game for everyone on our schedule and I was proud of the performance again today," said head coach Dave Brandt. "We are not remotely close performance-wise to our record, but that's the reality and we will continue to play with integrity and character. Lafayette is a big, strong team but we fought like crazy. We're struggling to score goals, which is the hardest thing to do in soccer, but this team is close."

The Bison have one more game remaining in the 2023 campaign, an away fixture at Lehigh on Wednesday.