Sunday, November 5
West Point, N.Y.
12 p.m.
Bucknell University
12-3-5, 5-1-3
0
at
0
Army (PL Championship)
10-6-4, 6-2-1
1
2
3
4
5
F
Bucknell
0
0
0
0
0
0
Army West Point
0
0
0
0
0
0
Photo by: Mady Salvani
IT'S A THREE-PEAT! Women's Soccer Outlasts Army in PKs and Claims Third Straight Patriot League Title
11/5/2023 3:06:00 PM | Women's Soccer
WEST POINT, N.Y. -- THEY DID IT AGAIN! Patriot League Tournament MVP Jenna Hall made 13 saves in regulation and overtime, and then she stopped three more in the penalty-kick shootout to send the Bucknell women's soccer team to its third straight championship on Sunday at top-seeded Army West Point, cementing its legacy as one of the Patriot League's all-time greatest teams.
Bucknell's run of three consecutive titles is a rarity in league history. The most recent to do it was Boston University, which won championships in its first three seasons as a member of the league in 2013-15. Prior to that, it was Colgate winning six in a row from 1994-99 and three straight from 1990-92 during the league's infancy.
This was Bucknell's seventh all-time Patriot League championship, and the Bison will be headed back to the NCAA Tournament for the third year in a row, looking for a breakthrough after dropping a double-overtime heartbreaker at Ohio State last season. Bucknell will find out this year's NCAA destination on Monday at 4 p.m. The selection show will be streamed on NCAA.com.
"I couldn't be more proud of the group today, the effort from start to finish was incredible," said head coach Kelly Cook, who has now won five league titles in her nine seasons at Bucknell. "Give a ton of credit to Army, they played a great game. Our group never gave up, even after Army had some terrific chances. Jenna made some big saves, and defensively we withstood a lot of pressure but never gave in. I have to give a lot of credit to our five seniors who have been leading us all season long and continued to lead us today."
This year's final was eerily similar to last year's. It featured the same two teams with the same two seeds, and just like a season ago, the game required a shootout after 110 scoreless minutes. Hall was a big reason why the game reached penalties.
The two-time Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year stood on her head all day long, as the top-seeded Black Knights fired 30 shots in her direction. Hall saved all 13 that were on frame, including two great stops at the end of both regulation and extra time, on the way to her ninth shutout of the season.
Hall got a glove on Brigid Duffy's sharp-angled shot, enough to send it across the goal line and off the back post. Jasmine Talley collected the loose ball and sent another shot off the inside of the post, and then the ball walked back across the goal line and out the other side.
In the first overtime period, Hall made a close-range save on Kaelan Bradley, and then one of her best of the night came in the 103rd minute, when she palmed away a tricky deflection by Talley.
The Bison won both of their Patriot League Tournament games in penalty kicks last season, and even with some new shooters in the fray this time, they were able to get it done in dramatic fashion.
Teresa Deda was first up and calmly finished into the left side netting, and then Bucknell got the early advantage when Hall saved Bradley's attempt. Meghan White and Reese Evans followed with conversions, which were countered by Army's Cami Silvestro and Keira Vesy.
Paige Temple rocked the right post, but Hall dove to make a stop on Madison Niebish. Sage Strohman returned the favor with a good save on Kelley Francis' would-be winner, and then Talley extended the shootout into extra frames.
Kalli Wethern gave the Bison the edge back with a rocket into the back of the net, and Hall ended it with a leaping save on Kaitlin Palaian, setting up another bench-clearing celebration in the south goal.
"PKs are something we are comfortable with, it's something we work on a ton," said Cook. "I had a ton of confidence in our kickers going into it, and then Jenna came up with three big saves in the net."
Bucknell took 17 shots during the run of play, forcing Strohman into seven saves. It was as end-to-end as a scoreless draw can be, with the two teams combining for 47 shots, 20 on frame.
Bucknell had the game's first good chance about 10 minutes in thanks to some good work by Francis on the left wing. Her cross along the 6-yard box connected with Hannah Stuck, whose redirect was saved by a prone Strohman.
Hall ventured almost all the way out to the edge of the area to smother a Duffy attempt in the 20th minute, and the Bison keeper made a great diving save on a redirected ball off a set piece with a minute left in the half to keep it scoreless.
Bucknell had chances early in the second half. Stuck just missed on a running header, and then on the hour mark Deda laid off for Henna Andican, but Strohman did well coming out to take it off her foot.
The Bison withstood numerous flurries in their own box as Army ramped up the pressure late in regulation, but they survived the two heart-in-throat moments at the end of regulation and defended well in the extra periods.
"Three years in a row is a great feat," said Cook. "These women are a tough group. I told the team before the game that this team is built for championships, and I'm so glad we could walk away with another one today."
In addition to Hall claiming Tournament MVP honors, she joined Deda, Katie Schiano, and Brooke Tracey on the All-Tournament Team.
Now 12-3-5 on the season, the Bison will take a nine-game unbeaten streak (6-0-3) into the NCAA Tournament. The team's last loss came on this field at West Point back on Sept. 23.Gallery: (11-5-2023) Women's Soccer at Army (PL Championship)
Bucknell's run of three consecutive titles is a rarity in league history. The most recent to do it was Boston University, which won championships in its first three seasons as a member of the league in 2013-15. Prior to that, it was Colgate winning six in a row from 1994-99 and three straight from 1990-92 during the league's infancy.
This was Bucknell's seventh all-time Patriot League championship, and the Bison will be headed back to the NCAA Tournament for the third year in a row, looking for a breakthrough after dropping a double-overtime heartbreaker at Ohio State last season. Bucknell will find out this year's NCAA destination on Monday at 4 p.m. The selection show will be streamed on NCAA.com.
"I couldn't be more proud of the group today, the effort from start to finish was incredible," said head coach Kelly Cook, who has now won five league titles in her nine seasons at Bucknell. "Give a ton of credit to Army, they played a great game. Our group never gave up, even after Army had some terrific chances. Jenna made some big saves, and defensively we withstood a lot of pressure but never gave in. I have to give a lot of credit to our five seniors who have been leading us all season long and continued to lead us today."
⚽️ @Bucknell_WSOC's Jenna Hall had a huge save to secure the victory for the Bison. @M_Trivelpiece caught up with her and Hannah Stuck after the two won their third straight @PatriotLeague championship. @Bucknell_Bison pic.twitter.com/3p5QKp4WGE
— Patriot League on ESPN (@PatriotLeagueTV) November 5, 2023
This year's final was eerily similar to last year's. It featured the same two teams with the same two seeds, and just like a season ago, the game required a shootout after 110 scoreless minutes. Hall was a big reason why the game reached penalties.
The two-time Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year stood on her head all day long, as the top-seeded Black Knights fired 30 shots in her direction. Hall saved all 13 that were on frame, including two great stops at the end of both regulation and extra time, on the way to her ninth shutout of the season.
Hall got a glove on Brigid Duffy's sharp-angled shot, enough to send it across the goal line and off the back post. Jasmine Talley collected the loose ball and sent another shot off the inside of the post, and then the ball walked back across the goal line and out the other side.
In the first overtime period, Hall made a close-range save on Kaelan Bradley, and then one of her best of the night came in the 103rd minute, when she palmed away a tricky deflection by Talley.
The Bison won both of their Patriot League Tournament games in penalty kicks last season, and even with some new shooters in the fray this time, they were able to get it done in dramatic fashion.
Teresa Deda was first up and calmly finished into the left side netting, and then Bucknell got the early advantage when Hall saved Bradley's attempt. Meghan White and Reese Evans followed with conversions, which were countered by Army's Cami Silvestro and Keira Vesy.
Paige Temple rocked the right post, but Hall dove to make a stop on Madison Niebish. Sage Strohman returned the favor with a good save on Kelley Francis' would-be winner, and then Talley extended the shootout into extra frames.
Kalli Wethern gave the Bison the edge back with a rocket into the back of the net, and Hall ended it with a leaping save on Kaitlin Palaian, setting up another bench-clearing celebration in the south goal.
"PKs are something we are comfortable with, it's something we work on a ton," said Cook. "I had a ton of confidence in our kickers going into it, and then Jenna came up with three big saves in the net."
WE DID IT AGAIN!!! The Bison win the @PatriotLeague championship for the third year in a row! #rayBucknell pic.twitter.com/4MTpZ5ybHa
— Bucknell Women's Soccer (@Bucknell_WSOC) November 5, 2023
Bucknell took 17 shots during the run of play, forcing Strohman into seven saves. It was as end-to-end as a scoreless draw can be, with the two teams combining for 47 shots, 20 on frame.
Bucknell had the game's first good chance about 10 minutes in thanks to some good work by Francis on the left wing. Her cross along the 6-yard box connected with Hannah Stuck, whose redirect was saved by a prone Strohman.
Hall ventured almost all the way out to the edge of the area to smother a Duffy attempt in the 20th minute, and the Bison keeper made a great diving save on a redirected ball off a set piece with a minute left in the half to keep it scoreless.
Bucknell had chances early in the second half. Stuck just missed on a running header, and then on the hour mark Deda laid off for Henna Andican, but Strohman did well coming out to take it off her foot.
The Bison withstood numerous flurries in their own box as Army ramped up the pressure late in regulation, but they survived the two heart-in-throat moments at the end of regulation and defended well in the extra periods.
"Three years in a row is a great feat," said Cook. "These women are a tough group. I told the team before the game that this team is built for championships, and I'm so glad we could walk away with another one today."
In addition to Hall claiming Tournament MVP honors, she joined Deda, Katie Schiano, and Brooke Tracey on the All-Tournament Team.
Now 12-3-5 on the season, the Bison will take a nine-game unbeaten streak (6-0-3) into the NCAA Tournament. The team's last loss came on this field at West Point back on Sept. 23.
The 2023 @PatriotLeague Women's Soccer Champions ⚽️🏆@Bucknell_WSOC @Bucknell_Bison pic.twitter.com/Q6FfktNrf2
— Patriot League on ESPN (@PatriotLeagueTV) November 5, 2023
Team Stats
BUCK
ARMY
Goals
0
0
Shots
17
30
Shots on Goal
7
13
Saves
13
7
Corners
3
7
Fouls
12
11
Game Leaders
Shots
7
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
5
SOG
3
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
3
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's SoccerM
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's SoccerM
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's SoccerIn The Herd: Lafayette Game Preview And Brandon Biagiarelli Feature
Tuesday, October 07
Mount St. Mary's Men's Water Polo Vs. Mercyhurst (10/11/25)
Tuesday, October 07
(Coaches Camera) Mount St. Mary's Men's Water Polo Vs. Mercyhurst (10/11/25)
Tuesday, October 07
(Coaches Camera) Bucknell Men's Water Polo Vs. Mount St. Mary's (10/11/25)
Tuesday, October 07