Friday, November 1
Lewisburg, Pa.
7 p.m.
Bucknell University
6-6-4, 4-1-3PL
1
vs
1
Lafayette
8-5-4, 3-3-2PL
1
2
F
Lafayette
1
0
1
Bucknell
0
1
1
Photo by: Lauren Medeiros
Lucas Scores Second-Half Equalizer to Give Men’s Soccer 1-1 Draw with Lafayette; Bison Secure Top-2 Seed for PL Tournament
11/1/2024 10:22:00 PM | Men's Soccer
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Cade McGrath's sensational feed across the 6-yard box was slammed home by Jack Lucas in the 65th minute, lifting the Bucknell men's soccer team to an important 1-1 draw with Lafayette on Friday night at Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium. It was a critical point with just one game remaining in the regular season, as it helped the Bison clinch a top-two seed for the Patriot League Tournament and a bye into the semifinals.
Boston University won 1-0 at Navy on Friday to draw level with Bucknell at the top of the Patriot League table. Both are 4-1-3 in league play for 15 points, and the Terriers hold the head-to-head tiebreaker by virtue of their win over the Bison. American (3-2-3) is third on 12 points, but even though the Eagles could match Bucknell and Boston University on the final match day of the season, they would fall short on tiebreakers.
Not much else was resolved on Friday, as there is now a four-way tie for fourth on 11 points, with two other teams lurking with 10 points. Only Army (4) has been eliminated from postseason contention with one game to go.
Bucknell (6-6-4, 4-1-3) was flying early in this one. The Bison earned four corner kicks within the span of a minute, and in the seventh minute Lafayette goalkeeper Griffin Huff had to make a sensational diving save to keep Waldemar Kattrup's sharp attempt off a half-volley out of the back of the net.
Lafayette stabilized and generated some good chances of its own later in the half. Andrey McIntyre found himself alone for a moment in the center of the area, but Ben Sheffield tracked back to make a critical sliding block.
With only seven minutes remaining in the half, the Leopards (8-5-4, 3-3-2 PL) found their breakthrough when Beaux Lizewski jumped on an under-hit back pass and scored on the breakaway.
That meant the Bison would have to do something they hadn't done in six years – score a goal against Lafayette. The last five meetings between the two sides had resulted in three 0-0 draws and two 1-0 Lafayette wins, but in the 65th minute, Bucknell turned in one of its prettiest goals of the season.
McGrath collected a ball in the wide area to the right of the box, faced up his defender, and beat his man to the end line. Meanwhile, Lucas made a hard diagonal run from his left wingback position, arriving at the top of the 6-yard box just in time to roof McGrath's slotted pass into the top of the net for his second goal of the season.
Here's a look at the Jack Lucas goal that has us level into the late stages of the match! #rayBucknell
— Bucknell Men's Soccer (@Bucknell_MSOC) November 2, 2024
Watch: https://t.co/urNi9qY0uZ@ESPN | @PatriotLeagueHQ pic.twitter.com/lKpfMb557s
Bucknell kept its foot on the gas pedal looking for the match-winner, but despite keeping the ball in the Lafayette end for most of the final 10 minutes the Bison could not find a second.
Bucknell outshot Lafayette 9-8 and finished with a 7-3 edge in corner kicks. Freddie Lapworth tallied three saves while Huff finished with two.
The Bison close out the regular season on Tuesday night at Loyola, which is one of those four teams mired in that logjam for fourth place with 11 points. Boston University finishes up at Holy Cross, and any scenario where Bucknell gains points on the Terriers would give the Bison the outright Patriot League regular-season title and No. 1 seed.
Team Stats
LAF
BUCKNELL
Goals
1
1
Shots
8
9
Shots on Goal
4
3
Saves
2
3
Corners
3
7
Fouls
10
6
Scoring Plays
Lizewski, Beaux (2)
4 takeaway and scores on breakaway
37:58
Lucas, Jack (2)
Assisted By: McGrath, Cade
2 takes it to end line, serves across 6
64:57
Game Leaders
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
3
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
M
/ Men's Soccer
GK
/ Men's SoccerM
/ Men's SoccerF
/ Men's Soccer
D
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