Women’s Soccer Drops 3-2 Verdict to Colgate - Bucknell University Athletics

Saturday, October 31

Lewisburg, Pa.

2 p.m.

Bucknell University

6-8-3, 3-3-2

Colgate

3-11-3, 2-5-1

Team	1	2	Final F
Colgate	2	1	3
Bucknell	0	2	2

Photo by: Phil Inglis

10/31/2026 5:09:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Presley Sutter and Julia Palitti scored goals, but the Bucknell women's soccer team was fighting from behind for most of the day and fell one short in a 3-2 defeat to Colgate on Saturday at Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium. The loss dropped the Bison to 3-3-2 in Patriot League play, and while they missed a chance to clinch a postseason berth, they can still do so with a win at American in the regular-season finale on Wednesday.

Colgate improved to 2-5-1 in league play but was eliminated from Patriot League Tournament contention. The Raiders entered Saturday's game with only 10 goals scored all season but turned in their best offensive performance of the year against a Bucknell side that has been stout defensively.

The Raiders stunned the Bison with two goals in a span of four minutes just past the half-hour mark, both coming on corner kick sequences. In the 31st minute, Bucknell goalkeeper Sarah McFarland punched out a recycled ball, but only as far as Jade Vieira, who fired a shot just through McFarland's outstretched fingertips. Moments later Bianca Howitt played a short corner kick to Fiorella Perone, who passed back to Howitt for a service that was headed in by Jess Urena.

Down 2-0, the Bison turned up the heat in the second half, outshooting Colgate 18-6 in the final 45 minutes. Bucknell halved its deficit in the 61st minute. Ingrid Murphy drew a foul near midfield and quickly played a long ball over the top for Sutter, who finished on the breakaway for her third goal of the season.

Murphy nearly tied it moments later when she walked the end line but ultimately had her shot smothered by Ella Poppinga at the near post. That saved proved to be big moments later when Ava McCloskey laid a ball off for Josie Tunney in plenty of space at the top of the 18, and Tunney's shot again went off a diving McFarland's fingertips and then off the left post and in.

Despite going down two again, Bucknell continued to throw waves of pressure at Colgate's back line. Dani Howard did well to clear space for her left foot from the top of the 18, but her hard shot was right at Poppinga. Gaby Parker put a low shot on goal in the midst of a corner kick scrum with seven minutes to go, and then the Bison did get one back with 6:30 remaining.

Palitti, a three-year starting center back who was one of seven seniors honored prior to the game, stole the ball of the foot of a Colgate player at the top of the 18 and cracked a left-footed shot past a diving Poppinga for her first career goal.

Parker had two more good looks from the right flank in the closing minutes. She had one sharp-angled shot saved, and then after Colgate was called for offsides in the dying seconds, her shot from the right edge of the area sailed just inches over the bar.

Bucknell finished with a 24-15 shot advantage, led by six shots from Sutter and five from Parker. Poppinga made seven of her eight saves in the second half, while McFarland tallied two saves for the Bison.

Bucknell finishes the regular season at American on Wednesday at 1 p.m. The Bison and Holy Cross are tied for fifth place with 11 points, but the Crusaders still have two more to play, at home against American on Sunday and at first-place Army on Wednesday. Bucknell can still finish as high as third place, but could also be caught from behind by seventh-place Lafayette, which has 10 points and finishes up at last-place Lehigh on Wednesday.