Sunday, August 31
Lewisburg, Pa.
1 p.m.
Bucknell University
vs
Villanova
Photo by: Steven Schoenfelder
Women's Soccer Entertains Villanova Sunday at Emmitt Field
8/27/2025 1:25:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Villanova (2-2) at Bucknell (1-3)
When:Â Sunday, Aug. 31, 1 p.m.
Where:Â Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium, Lewisburg, Pa.
Streaming:Â ESPN+
Live Stats:Â BucknellBison.com
Bucknell at a Glance
When:Â Sunday, Aug. 31, 1 p.m.
Where:Â Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium, Lewisburg, Pa.
Streaming:Â ESPN+
Live Stats:Â BucknellBison.com
Bucknell at a Glance
- The Bison got back on the winning side with a 2-1 home result against FDU last Sunday, and now the team has a full week off before hosting Villanova this coming Sunday at Emmitt Field.
- Bucknell suffered three agonizing one-goal losses against good competition to start the season before beating the Knights on freshman Emma Gavin's second-half goal. Likewise, Villanova started the year with close losses to Michigan (2-1) and No. 10 Wake Forest (2-0) before blanking Columbia 1-0 on Sunday and George Mason 2-0 on Thursday.
- Henna Andican stunned FDU with a goal just 46 seconds into the match, when she picked the pocket of a fullback, turned and fired from 25 yards out. The Knights pulled even on a Dominique Liberto penalty kick in the 23rd minute, but Gavin's first collegiate goal held up as the game-winner in the 62nd minute. After the FDU goalkeeper punched away Riley Hayes' corner kick, Gavin one-timed the rebound inside the left post.
- Earlier in the week against Monmouth, another freshman, Dani Howard, scored a dramatic equalizing goal in the 88th minute. But the Hawks won it 3-2 on a 40-yard strike from Ashley Lovich with 22 seconds remaining. Previously, the Bison fell 2-1 at Delaware on a goal in the 86th minute and 3-2 at La Salle on a goal in the 58th.
- Bucknell has scored seven goals from six different players through four games. Andican leads the way with two goals and an assist, and Gavin, Howard, Katie Connell, Louisa Thomsen, and Reilly Traynor have also found the back of the net. Hayes has a team-high two assists.
- On the heels of the most successful four-year run in program history, the Bison have a new look in 2025. Eleven Bison have made their first career starts this season. The latest starting debuts came from goalkeeper Reese Dolan and outside backs Klio Kokolis and Lily Moraller against FDU. The only goal Dolan conceded in her first collegiate appearance came on the PK, and she went on to earn her first career win.  Â
- Bucknell is 26-5-10 at Emmitt Field over the last five seasons, including 7-2-2 last year.
- Forwards Henna Andican and Katie Connell both earned Preseason All-Patriot League honors, and both are on the scoresheet early this season. Andican, who is back after missing most of last season with an injury, notched the team's first goal of the season at La Salle, while Connell scored a 78th-minute equalizer at Delaware.
- Head coach Kelly Cook is in her 11th season at Bucknell, and she has led the Bison to five league titles in her first 10 years. Cook owns a career record of 96-66-27 (.579) and a Patriot League mark of 52-20-14 (.722). She holds the program records for most coaching wins and highest winning percentage.
- 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.  Â
- The Wildcats leveled their record at 2-2 with a dominant 2-0 home win over George Mason on Thursday. Villanova outshot the Patriots 25-2 and received second-half goals from Morgan Kotch and Avrie Nelsen.
- Hannah Curtin's goal late in the first half and six saves from Hannah Dickinson paved the way for Villanova's 1-0 home shutout of Columbia on Sunday.Â
- The Wildcats led Michigan 1-0 on Amalia Cardo's 70th-minute penalty kick, but the Wolverines scored twice in the final 13 minutes to steal the win on opening night.
- Villanova finished 5-7-6 overall and 2-3-5 in the Big East last season. The Wildcats had a chance to make the Big East Tournament with a win at Butler on the final day of the regular season, but the Bulldogs came from behind to win 2-1 with a pair of goals in the last 18 minutes.
- Villanova was picked to finish eighth in this year's Big East preseason poll. The Wildcats returned 19 players from a year ago, including one all-conference selection in Dickinson. Dickinson was a starter at nationally ranked USC before transferring to Villanova last year. Five freshmen and four transfers joined this year's squad. Curtin, a graduate student who was an All-Ivy and All-Region selection at Dartmouth, heads the list of transfers.
- Bucknell freshmen Dani Howard and Gaby Parker and Villanova junior Gabby Koluch were teammates at soccer power Freehold Township High School in New Jersey.Â
- Bucknell is 1-4-2 all-time against Villanova, with the win coming last season in Philadelphia.
- The first three series clashes came from 1991-93 when the Bison program was still in its infancy.
- These two teams met for the first time in 19 years two seasons ago in Lewisburg, and the match finished in a 1-1 draw. Both goals came within a 10-minute span early in the second half. Makayla Stadler scored off an assist from former Bison Rylee Donaldson just 52 seconds into the second half, but Henna Andican equalized 10 minutes later on a corner kick scrum.
- Bucknell picked up a dramatic 1-0 win at Higgins Soccer Complex last season. Teresa Deda gave the Bison the lead in the 35th minute, and Jess Benattar saved a Gabby Koluch penalty kick in the 68th minute.Â
- After the Villanova game, Bucknell plays its next two on the road. The Bison travel to Saint Francis on Thursday, Sept. 4, followed by a trip to Pittsburgh on Sunday, Sept. 7. The Panthers are 4-0 and have outscored their opponents 9-1 (Xavier 2-0, Monmouth 3-1, Ohio 1-0, Dayton 3-0).
- No. 16 Georgetown visits Emmitt Field on Thursday, Sept. 11. The Hoyas are off to a 2-0-1 start with wins over No. 15 Virginia Tech (2-1) and James Madison (4-0) along with a 2-2 draw with Old Dominion.
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