Wednesday, October 30
Lewisburg, Pa.
7 p.m.
Bucknell University
3-9-5, 2-6-1
2
vs
0
Lehigh
11-4-2, 7-2-0
1
2
F
Lehigh
0
0
0
Bucknell
2
0
2
Photo by: Lianne Garrahan
Women’s Soccer Blanks Lehigh 2-0, Clinches Patriot League Regular-Season Title on Kelly Cook’s Record-Tying 94th Win
10/30/2024 10:20:00 PM | Women's Soccer
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell head coach Kelly Cook's school-record-tying 94th career win came on a title-clincher, as the Bison women's soccer team downed Lehigh 2-0 on Wednesday night to lock up the Patriot League regular-season championship and the No. 1 seed for next week's conference tournament.
Seniors Paige Temple and Kelley Francis provided the goals, Jess Benattar and the back line pitched the team's ninth shutout of the season, and the Bison will head into the postseason as the No. 1 seed for the first time since 2016.
On the final night of the regular season, a late goal from Boston University in a 1-0 win over Army meant that the Bison needed a full three points to finish at the top of the table. The goals from Temple and Francis in the opening half-hour of the match relieved some pressure, and the Bison (11-4-2, 7-2 PL) limited Lehigh (3-9-5, 2-6-1 PL) to only two shots on target, both coming in the second half.
Temple and Reese Evans both tested Lehigh keeper Maggie Ousouljoglou in the first 12 minutes, and the breakthrough came in the 15th minute via another sublime assist from Bucknell career leader Teresa Deda. Deda shielded off a defender to win a ball in the box, got it back from Katie Connell, and squared up a perfect pass across the 18 for a one-time rocket from Temple into the top right corner.
Here's the Paige Temple goal off another sublime setup from Teresa Deda, who extends her school record with career assist No. 37. Big early goal for the Bison! #rayBucknell
— Bucknell Women's Soccer (@Bucknell_WSOC) October 30, 2024
Watch: https://t.co/8GTJ03OUL0@ESPN | @PatriotLeagueHQ pic.twitter.com/EwoaEqu0u6
Temple's first of the season came off career assist No. 37 from Deda, extending her Bucknell record. It was Deda's eighth assist of the year to go along with her nine goals.
Bucknell made it 2-0 seemingly out of nothing in the 29th minute. Julia Palitti played a 40-yard ball over the top into open space, and Francis outran two Lehigh backs to get on the ball first. Francis took the ball toward the end line to the right of goal and slotted a sharp-angled shot behind Ousouljoglou, who was unable to rake it out before it crossed the line.
HUSTLE! Kelley Francis working hard to double our lead. #rayBucknell
— Bucknell Women's Soccer (@Bucknell_WSOC) October 31, 2024
Watch: https://t.co/8GTJ03OUL0@ESPN | @PatriotLeagueHQ pic.twitter.com/XHzzALhZDS
Bucknell outshot Lehigh 10-1 in the first half and 19-8 overall, with Deda piling up eight of those shots. The Mountain Hawks, who still had a mathematical chance to swipe a postseason bid entering the game, didn't get a shot on goal until the 57th minute, when Zoe Schutter tested Benattar from long distance. Center backs Laura Schmidt and Palitti both came up with key shot blocks late in the match as Lehigh pressed numbers forward.
Meanwhile, the Bison had a couple of dangerous counters, with Riley Hayes barely missing the right post after a nice layoff from Presley Sutter, and Kalli Wethern forcing a diving save from Ousouljoglou.
The Bison bench stormed the field as the full-time horn sounded, and Cook got an ice water soaking from the team to celebrate her milestone victory.
Bucknell's quest for a fourth straight Patriot League Tournament title will begin in the semifinal round next Thursday at Emmitt Field. The Bison and Boston University have first-round byes and will await the winners of the quarterfinal matches between No. 3 Army and No. 6 Navy, and No. 4 Loyola and No. 5 Colgate.
Team Stats
LEHIGH
BUCKNELL
Goals
0
2
Shots
8
19
Shots on Goal
2
9
Saves
7
2
Corners
2
2
Fouls
9
10
Scoring Plays
Temple, Paige (1)
Assisted By: Deda, Teresa , Connell, Katie
rocket from the 18 yd box into the top r
14:11
Francis, Kelley (2)
Assisted By: Palitti, Julia
long ball overtop, Francis outran defend
28:41
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
2
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
8
SOG
4
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Players Mentioned
GK
/ Women's SoccerF/M
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
F
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