Women's Soccer Hosts Villanova Thursday, Visits La Salle Sunday

Villanova (2-0-1) at Bucknell (2-2)
When: Thursday, Aug. 31, 7 p.m.
Where: Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium, Lewisburg, Pa.
Streaming: ESPN+
Live Stats: BucknellBison.com

Bucknell (2-2) at La Salle (1-3)
When: Sunday, Sept. 3, 1 p.m.
Where: McCarthy Stadium, Philadelphia, Pa.
Streaming: ESPN+
Live Stats: GoExplorers.com

Bucknell at a Glance

After an outstanding opening week at home, the Bison ran into two tough top-25 opponents on the road last week and fell 1-0 at No. 20 Georgetown and 5-0 at No. 21 Pittsburgh.
Bucknell was four minutes away from a draw in D.C., but the Hoyas, an NCAA second-round team last season, scored late on a goal-mouth scramble to steal all three points. Pitt defeated Georgetown to advance to the Sweet Sixteen last November, and the Panthers scored three first-half goals on Sunday to pull away.
The Bison have been formidable at home in recent years. They are 12-2-6 at Emmitt Field dating back to the start of the 2021 season, with the only losses coming to top-20 caliber opponents West Virginia and Princeton. Bucknell brings a seven-match home unbeaten streak (3-0-4) into Thursday's affair with Villanova.
The Bison will welcome home an old friend on Thursday, as 2023 graduate Rylee Donaldson returns as a fifth-year graduate student at Villanova. Donaldson was the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year after a 10-goal season in 2021, and last year she was the PL Tournament MVP after converting the winning penalty kicks against Boston University and Army. After missing two games with an injury, Donaldson made her Wildcats debut with a 10-minute shift in a 3-0 win over Temple last Sunday.
The Bison enjoyed a terrific opening week, posting one-sided home wins over a pair of Atlantic 10 teams in Saint Joseph's (4-0) and George Washington (3-1).
Only twice previously had Bucknell scored three or more goals in each of its first two games of a season, and those came during the program's third and fourth varsity seasons all the way back in 1992 and 1993.
Henna Andican and Teresa Deda each recorded a goal and an assist in both games, and Paige Temple tallied a three-point game against Saint Joseph's. Reese Evans and Lea Tarzy also have goals, and Sydney Hess has two assists, both coming in the win over GW.
Andican, who scored the opening goal in the first half of both games, was named Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week on Aug. 21. Andican, a sophomore, scored two goals all of last season but has already matched that total.
The Bison claimed two other Patriot League honors after te opening week, with Deda named PL Midfielder of the Week and Jenna Hall selected as the PL Goalkeeper of the Week.
Deda, the 2022 Patriot League Midfielder of the Year and 2023 Preseason Midfielder of the Year, led the league in assists in each of her first two collegiate seasons. She handed out two more to give her 22 in her career, tied with Liz Woodrow for second-most in team history, and she also scored two big insurance goals. Her strike against George Washington was particularly impressive, a left-footed blast just under the bar from well outside the box.
A suffocating effort from Bucknell's veteran back line meant that Hall was only needed for three saves in each game, but she commanded her box throughout and conceded only once, that coming on a well-placed shot with four minutes left and Bucknell's substitutes on against George Washington. Hall recorded her 18th career solo shutout against Saint Joe's, bringing her within four of Jessica Ratner's all-time team record.
Bucknell is the two-time defending Patriot League champion. Last season, the second-seeded Bison won penalty-kick shootouts against Boston University and Army in the Patriot League Tournament, and then dropped a 1-0 overtime decision at Ohio State in the NCAA Tournament.
Seniors Jenna Hall, Hannah Stuck, and Brooke Tracey are this year's team captains.
Kelly Cook is in her ninth season as Bucknell's head coach, and she has led the Bison to four Patriot League championships in her first eight years. Cook owns a 73-57-19 (.560) overall record at Bucknell, including a 40-17-11 (.669) mark in Patriot League play. Cook knows the Patriot League very well, as she was a two-year captain and three-time Second Team All-Patriot League selection at Colgate, where she recorded 27 goals and 23 assists in her career. She ranked in the top 10 in program history in career points (77) and assists. As a junior in 2004, Cook (then Kelly Kuss) was named Patriot League Tournament MVP after leading the Raiders to the league title, and then her team knocked off Arizona in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, marking the first NCAA win in school and league history.
Cook has two new assistant coaches in 2023, as former Clarion head coach Alexa Ream and goalkeepers coach PJ Steiner have joined the program.

Villanova at a Glance

The Wildcats are off to a good start, with 3-0 wins over Marist and Temple sandwiched around a 1-1 draw with Lehigh.
Villanova finished 4-8-4 overall and 3-5-2 in the Big East last season. Despite the losing conference record, the Wildcats conceded only eight goals in their 10 Big East contests.
This year's squad was picked to finish ninth in the Big East preseason poll. Head coach Samar Azem returned 17 players from last season to go with 11 newcomers. Three of those new Wildcats are graduate transfers. In addition to former Bison Rylee Donaldson, Villanova brought in Alex Fava from TCU and Jackie Richards from Campbell.
Makayla Stadler scored two goals against Temple to grab the team scoring lead. Maddie Fried, Gabby Koluch, Richards, Alex Little, and Olivia Packer also have goals. Megan Donnelly and Brigid Molloy have two assists apiece. Richards has been the most active Wildcat with 14 shot attempts.
Payton Woodward has started all three games in goal and has nine saves with just one goal allowed.

The Bucknell-Villanova Series

Bucknell is 0-4-1 in five previous meetings with Villanova, but all five of those games were played on Villanova's home field in 2004 or earlier.
The Wildcats won the most recent meeting 3-0 in 2004.
Bucknell's lone point against Villanova was a 1-1 draw in 1992.

La Salle at a Glance

The Explorers are 1-3 to start the campaign, with the win coming on the road at Albany by a 1-0 scoreline. La Salle dropped 2-1 home games to Towson and Delaware, and then last Sunday fell 5-0 away to a strong Princeton side.
La Salle will host Seton Hall on Thursday night before Bucknell comes in on Sunday.
Haley Gschrey scored the winning goal in the 60th minute at Albany. She also scored in the Delaware game and leads the team with two goals on the season. Gschrey was the team's top scorer a year ago with 10 points from four goals and two assists.
Courtney Butlion tallied La Salle's goal against Towson.
Gabby Neal played all 90 minutes in goal and recorded the shutout at Albany. Michela Auguadro has started the other three games and has 13 saves with eight goals allowed.
La Salle finished 8-8-2 overall and 3-6-1 in the Atlantic 10 last season. This year's squad was picked to finish eighth in the A10 preseason poll. Saint Louis is the favorite.
Head coach Paul Royal is in his 21st season on the Explorers sideline. He recently picked up his 200th career win at Albany.

The Bucknell-La Salle Series

Even those these two Pennsylvania programs are located only about three hours apart, this will be the very first meeting between the Bison and Explorers.

The Road Ahead

After taking on the two Philadelphia foes this week, Bucknell will host Colorado College (Sept. 7) and Air Force (Sept. 10) before starting Patriot League play at Colgate on Sept. 16.
The Bison made the Colorado road trip last season, falling at Colorado College 2-1 before beating Air Force 1-0 two days later. This will be the first time the two Rocky Mountain sides have returned the trip to Lewisburg.

Women's Soccer Hosts Villanova Thursday, Visits La Salle Sunday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Henna Andican

Teresa Deda

Rylee Donaldson

Reese Evans

Jenna Hall

Sydney Hess

Hannah Stuck

Lea Tarzy

Paige Temple

Brooke Tracey

Women's Soccer Hosts Villanova Thursday, Visits La Salle Sunday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Henna Andican

Teresa Deda

Rylee Donaldson

Reese Evans

Jenna Hall

Sydney Hess

Hannah Stuck

Lea Tarzy

Paige Temple

Brooke Tracey

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