Bucknell University Athletics
Thursday, August 15
Lewisburg, Pa.
5 p.m.
Bucknell University
1-0
2
vs
1
La Salle
0-1
1
2
F
La Salle
0
1
1
Bucknell
2
0
2
Photo by: Lianne Garrahan
Women’s Soccer Downs La Salle 2-1 in 2024 Opener
8/15/2024 8:13:00 PM | Women's Soccer
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Henna Andican scored just 1:51 into the new season and Teresa Deda celebrated her inclusion on the Hermann Trophy Watch List with a goal and an assist as the Bucknell women's soccer team held off La Salle 2-1 in the 2024 opener on Thursday evening at Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium.
Jess Benattar earned the win in her first collegiate game in goal, and the Bison held on in a physical game against a La Salle side that went 8-1-1 in the Atlantic 10 and made it to the A-10 Tournament final a year ago. The early strike from Andican and Deda's penalty kick in the 26th minute gave the Bison a 2-0 lead at the break, but All-A-10 striker Haley Gschrey scored on the hour mark to make things interesting down the stretch.
"I was happy that we came out and got the goal right off the bat," said 10th-year head coach Kelly Cook. "We moved the ball well and were organized defensively for the most part in the first half, but credit to La Salle they came out hard in the second half and were the aggressors. The goal seemed to give them some belief, and we need to learn from that and be better for the full 90 minutes. It was our first game and we are still getting organized and building chemistry."
Andican, one of four returning All-Patriot Leaguers for the Bison, scored the opening goal before the match was even two minutes old. Deda switched fields with a long ball out to Katie Schiano on the right flank, and Schiano's cross was headed home by Andican from close range.
La Salle had two good chances to draw level in the next four minutes. Ricshya Walker got behind the defense, but Benattar did well to charge off her line and smother the shot for her first collegiate save. Just 40 seconds later, Elizabeth Estrada rocked the crossbar. It would not be the first time the woodwork came into play.
On the 10-minute mark, Andican nearly scored on another header, but this one firmly hit the crossbar as well and was cleared away. Ten minutes later, La Salle keeper Michela Aguadro made her best save of the night, diving to her left to rob Meghan White after the Bison left back made a beautiful turn in the box to shed her mark.
In the 26th minute, Paige Temple played a long ball over the top to Andican along the left edge of the area. Andican was taken down as she turned back, the penalty was given, and Deda converted from the spot to make it 2-0.
The Explorers were charged out of the locker room and nearly scored just 1:40 into the second half when Gschrey's rising shot from distance went bar down but did not cross the line. Benattar then slapped the ball out of harm's way. Gschrey, who led the team with eight goals last season, did open her 2024 account with another terrific strike with 30 minutes to go. Liv Vrcella connected with Gshcrey at the top of the 18, and she took a touch to her right and found the far side netting to halve the Bison lead.
Bucknell did have three good chances to restore the two-goal margin in the final 15 minutes. Auguadro made a leaping save in the 75th minute, tipping freshman Louisa Thomsen's attempt over the bar. Reese Evans' lefty curler just missed the top right corner in the 82nd, and with five minutes to go Andican pulled a shot wide after another nice ball through from Temple.
The Bison defended well in the last five minutes, conceding only a Vrcella shot that skipped well wide.
Bucknell outshot La Salle 18-11 and led 4-1 in corner kicks. Auguadro finished with five saves and Benattar two.
Benattar was the first Bison other than all-star Jenna Hall to play in goal in nearly two years, and the junior performed well in her debut. The Bison also introduced two new starting center backs in senior Laura Schmidt and sophomore Julia Palitti. Freshmen midfielders Thomsen and Katie Connell both made their collegiate debuts as reserves.
Next up for the Bison is a home test against Delaware on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Bison and Blue Hens will be meeting for the first time since 1991.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS & INTERVIEWS:
Jess Benattar earned the win in her first collegiate game in goal, and the Bison held on in a physical game against a La Salle side that went 8-1-1 in the Atlantic 10 and made it to the A-10 Tournament final a year ago. The early strike from Andican and Deda's penalty kick in the 26th minute gave the Bison a 2-0 lead at the break, but All-A-10 striker Haley Gschrey scored on the hour mark to make things interesting down the stretch.
"I was happy that we came out and got the goal right off the bat," said 10th-year head coach Kelly Cook. "We moved the ball well and were organized defensively for the most part in the first half, but credit to La Salle they came out hard in the second half and were the aggressors. The goal seemed to give them some belief, and we need to learn from that and be better for the full 90 minutes. It was our first game and we are still getting organized and building chemistry."
Andican, one of four returning All-Patriot Leaguers for the Bison, scored the opening goal before the match was even two minutes old. Deda switched fields with a long ball out to Katie Schiano on the right flank, and Schiano's cross was headed home by Andican from close range.
La Salle had two good chances to draw level in the next four minutes. Ricshya Walker got behind the defense, but Benattar did well to charge off her line and smother the shot for her first collegiate save. Just 40 seconds later, Elizabeth Estrada rocked the crossbar. It would not be the first time the woodwork came into play.
On the 10-minute mark, Andican nearly scored on another header, but this one firmly hit the crossbar as well and was cleared away. Ten minutes later, La Salle keeper Michela Aguadro made her best save of the night, diving to her left to rob Meghan White after the Bison left back made a beautiful turn in the box to shed her mark.
In the 26th minute, Paige Temple played a long ball over the top to Andican along the left edge of the area. Andican was taken down as she turned back, the penalty was given, and Deda converted from the spot to make it 2-0.
The Explorers were charged out of the locker room and nearly scored just 1:40 into the second half when Gschrey's rising shot from distance went bar down but did not cross the line. Benattar then slapped the ball out of harm's way. Gschrey, who led the team with eight goals last season, did open her 2024 account with another terrific strike with 30 minutes to go. Liv Vrcella connected with Gshcrey at the top of the 18, and she took a touch to her right and found the far side netting to halve the Bison lead.
Bucknell did have three good chances to restore the two-goal margin in the final 15 minutes. Auguadro made a leaping save in the 75th minute, tipping freshman Louisa Thomsen's attempt over the bar. Reese Evans' lefty curler just missed the top right corner in the 82nd, and with five minutes to go Andican pulled a shot wide after another nice ball through from Temple.
The Bison defended well in the last five minutes, conceding only a Vrcella shot that skipped well wide.
Bucknell outshot La Salle 18-11 and led 4-1 in corner kicks. Auguadro finished with five saves and Benattar two.
Benattar was the first Bison other than all-star Jenna Hall to play in goal in nearly two years, and the junior performed well in her debut. The Bison also introduced two new starting center backs in senior Laura Schmidt and sophomore Julia Palitti. Freshmen midfielders Thomsen and Katie Connell both made their collegiate debuts as reserves.
Next up for the Bison is a home test against Delaware on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Bison and Blue Hens will be meeting for the first time since 1991.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS & INTERVIEWS:
Team Stats
LASALLE
BUCKNELL
Goals
1
2
Shots
11
18
Shots on Goal
3
7
Saves
5
2
Corners
1
4
Fouls
12
14
Scoring Plays
Andican, Henna (1)
Assisted By: Schiano, Katie , Deda, Teresa
Close range header off cross from 10
1:51
Deda, Teresa (1)
BUCKNELL Deda, Teresa PENALTY KICK GOAL, goal number 1 for season.
25:20
Gschrey, Haley (1)
Assisted By: Vrcella, Liv
Shot from right side inside far post
59:59
Game Leaders
Shots
5
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
1
Shots
4
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
0
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
2
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
F/M
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
M/F
/ Women's Soccer
D
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