Field Hockey Ends 2026 Season on High Note in Golden Goal Victory Over Lock Haven

Tuesday, October 27

Lewisburg, Pa.

6 p.m.

Bucknell University

(8-7)

Lock Haven

(5-11)

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Lock Haven	1	0	0	1	0	2
Bucknell	1	0	0	1	1	3

Photo by: Cindy Zanelli

10/27/2026 8:59:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

LEWISBURG, Pa.- Tuesday's night game between Bucknell (8-7) and Lock Haven (5-11) served as a microcosm of the Bison's 2026 season. The contest featured thrilling goals, an opponent's tally in the final minute, and eventually overtime heroics as Bucknell pulled out a 3-2 victory over local rival Lock Haven in the 44th edition of the Susquehanna Showdown. Bucknell ran its win streak to nine straight victories over the Bald Eagles.

Bucknell paired together two four-game winning streaks at the start and end of the 2026 campaign. The Orange & Blue's 8-7 record, combined with last year's 10-7 finish, marked the first back-to-back winning seasons in program history since 2008 & 2009 and will serve as a springboard into the 2027 campaign.

"I really wanted to do it for our seniors," Gracie Kothari, who scored the game-winning goal, said. "I felt like they deserve to end their career with a win because they've worked so hard these last four years."

The Bison received contributions from across the classes. A freshman, sophomore, and senior scored the three goals. A senior and junior combined for six saves in the cage.

Senior Julia Corropolese credited the win to the team's close bond. "It's really special building that close bond and just working together through everything,
either on defense, on corners, just everywhere, just making sure we're all connected and just playing together."

Lock Haven scored a late goal off a penalty corner in the final minute to send the game to overtime. With that thunderbolt, the momentum seemed tilted to the visiting Bald Eagles. The Bison were determined not to let another game escape their grasp and the team quickly maintained possession. The pressure paid off in three penalty corners and the third time, as the saying goes, was the charm.

Sally Hunter inserted the ball to Elodie Nevitt. The British forward slid the sphere to Corropolese. The Bison senior fired the shot and Kothari, positioned perfectly, elevated her stick to send the speeding missile past the Haven goalkeeper. The resulting score sent the Graham Field crowd and Bison bench into hysteria.

Kothari succinctly described her process, "Reverse stick, ramp up."

Alexis Schulz, the spectacular rookie, started the scoring in the first quarter on a sensational open-field goal. The speedy freshman received a pass from Bella Notaro, weaved her through the Lock Haven defense like a spider, found herself one-on-one with the outmatched keeper, and fired home the game's first goal.

"At the beginning of this game, we really talked about confidence, and I think I was really trying to put that into action," Schulz said. "I just took it and ran with it, and it went in, so I couldn't be happier."

Schulz finished the season with three goals, third-highest on the team. "It was a great season," Schulz said. "The group of girls were the best. We had the best time. So glad we ended with a winning record."

Lock Haven equalized later in the first quarter via a penalty corner attempt. Madison Friend lurked near the goal on a penalty corner attempt and caught the rebound attempt. Corropolese deflected her first shoveling try. Goalkeeper Sarah Althouse's stick joined the fray but somehow Friend managed to nudge the ball across the white line.

Neither team scored again until the fourth quarter. The Bison's inability to score was not for a lack of trying. Bucknell finished the game with 21 shots and a season-high 21 penalty corners while holding Lock Haven to 11 shots and five penalty corners.

Corropolese provided the 2-1 lead off a penalty corner. Notaro inserted the ball to Hunter. Corropolese cleverly shuffled to the side and created space for a shot. Hunter passed the ball to her teammate and the senior defender pounded home her fifth goal of the season.

Lock Haven tied the game with 45 seconds remaining. The 2026 Bison's bugaboo were late dramatic goals and, once again, the Achilles' heel stepped up. The Eagles drew a penalty corner and fired a shot into the mass of humanity. The ball bounced around and, as so often happens in field hockey, the chaos favored the offense. Haley Kvacky poked home the tying tally.

The Haven had one excellent chance to win in overtime. Clara Espenshade passed the ball back to Corropolese to reset the offense. The senior's touch was too heavy and the ball hopped away. Haven's Melanie Beall collected the errant sphere and raced for the Bison goal. Abby Zanelli, inserted at halftime, did not wait for fate. Instead, she fearlessly dove for the ball in a perfect rendition of a preventive save. The junior goalkeeper's attempt scooted the ball away and spilled Beall. Lock Haven hollered and pleaded for a penalty stroke call. None was forthcoming.

"That's my bread and butter," Zanelli said. "I love a save like that. I was fully confident in my decision, and I'm just happy that I was able to come out confident and make that save for our team. I feel like that led a spark and was able to get us going in the game."

Head Coach Kelsey Usefara acknowledged the back-to-back winning seasons but remains focused on constant growth.

"You know, I'm not even thinking about it that way. It's just a year-by-year basis with me. It's just about developing the group. It's an awesome accomplishment. But we're always just taking it game-by-game, year-by-year. I would love to keep that tradition going of winning seasons. It's a great challenge for the group."

The accomplishment was even remarkable considering the amount of talent lost by graduation and transfers. The four-game winning streak to conclude the 2026 season settled a firm foundation for the 2027 campaign.

"We will reflect on the areas that made us really strong and the areas that we need to improve on," Usefara said. "Maybe not giving up goals at the end of games. We have to improve on that. I think just playing to our strengths. I think we can be stronger inside the circle. Get more goals. That's the stuff we want to work on. Looking at what really makes us a great Bucknell field hockey team."

Kothari agreed with her coach's assessment.

"I think definitely working forward, we're going to work on finishing in the circle. I think that's been our biggest struggle this year, and we can only improve for next year and so many people return next year. I think it means we're only going to grow from here. Since we have so much talent returning, the only way is up."

Bucknell returns a plethora of skilled players for the 2027 season and the upcoming recruiting class promises to stock the shelves with even more top-flight talent.