Women’s Soccer off to 2-0 Start after 3-1 Win over George Washington

Sunday, August 20

Lewisburg, Pa.

1 p.m.

Bucknell University

2-0

George Washington

1-1

Team	1	2	Final F
George Washington	0	1	1
Bucknell	1	2	3

Photo by: Lianne Garrahan

Women’s Soccer off to 2-0 Start after 3-1 Win over George Washington

8/20/2023 4:09:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Henna Andican scored an early opening goal for the second straight game, and Reese Evans and Teresa Deda followed with second-half insurance tallies to lift the Bucknell women's soccer team to a well-deserved 3-1 win over George Washington on Sunday afternoon at sun-splashed Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium.

On the heels of Thursday's season-opening 4-0 rout of Saint Joseph's, the Bison have now beaten a pair of Atlantic 10 sides to start the campaign and are off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2016. Bucknell has outscored its first two opponents 7-1 and outshot them 45-12, and the Bison now turn their attention to a challenging week ahead with two away fixtures against nationally ranked squads Georgetown and Pittsburgh.

Bucknell controlled the action right from the start against the Revolutionaries, who came in flying high after a 7-0 drubbing of Delaware State in their opener. Andican had two great looks in the first five minutes of the match, the first coming on a free kick from the side of the box after a George Washington hand ball. Moments later, Deda played the sophomore striker in behind, but defender Rose Vigran made a sliding block at the last second.

Andican did cash in off a corner kick in the 10th minute. Sydney Hess, who collected two assists in the game, saw her header cleared off the line near the right post by a GW defender, but Andican was first to the loose ball and slammed it home for a 1-0 lead. Andican scored two goals as a freshman last season, and she has already matched that total in 2023, with both tallies giving Bucknell 1-0 leads.

Much like the Saint Joe's affair on Thursday, Bucknell maintained that 1-0 margin until just past the hour mark, and then broke it open with multiple insurance markers. George Washington's first corner kick of the afternoon resulted in a Bison counterattack in the 61st minute. With the GW defense scrambling in its own box, Andican carried the ball across the 18 and found Deda, whose chip over the head of the goalkeeper was touched in by Evans.

The Bison made it 3-0 in the 80th minute on a wonderful left-footed strike just under the bar from Deda. Hess set it up by winning a 50-50 ball in the attacking third, and Deda took a touch a fired home a high shot past keeper Grace Crowe.

This any good from T? What a strike from the PL Midfielder of the Year to put a bow on another great performance. #rayBucknell #PLTop3 @PatriotLeagueTV | @ESPN pic.twitter.com/LafzpRu6MA
— Bucknell Women's Soccer (@Bucknell_WSOC) August 20, 2023

The Revolutionaries broke up the shutout with multiple subs on in the 86th minute. Kelly Poole took the ball to the end line and passed back to Caitlin Cunningham for a well-struck shot from the top corner of the box.

Bucknell outshot George Washington 22-6 and led 5-4 in corner kicks. Crowe was needed for 10 saves for the Revolutionaries, while Jenna Hall stopped three shots for the Bison.

Andican and Deda both recorded a goal and an assist for the second straight game. Deda now has 22 career assists, tying Liz Woodrow for second-most in team history.

This is just the third time in team history and the first time since 1993 that Bucknell has scored three or more goals in each of the first two games of a season.

Bucknell faces two stiff away tests next week with trips to No. 16 Georgetown on Thursday and No. 14 Pittsburgh on Sunday. Not only were both teams NCAA qualifiers last year, but they faced off in the second round in Tallahassee, Fla. The Panthers prevailed 2-1 before falling 3-0 to Florida State in the Sweet Sixteen two days later. The Bison earned their first-ever point against a ranked opponent last season with a 0-0 draw at No. 17 West Virginia.