Women’s Soccer Stays Hot, Blanks La Salle 4-0

Sunday, August 23

Lewisburg, Pa.

1 p.m.

Bucknell University

3-1-0, 0-0-0

La Salle

1-2-0, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
La Salle	0	0	0
Bucknell	2	2	4

Photo by: Phil Inglis

8/23/2026 3:59:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Freshman Ingrid Murphy scored two more goals, classmate Tennessee Murphy added her second in as many games, and preseason All-Patriot Leaguer Katie Connell notched her first of the season as the Bucknell women's soccer team's goal-scoring binge continued Sunday in a 4-0 win over La Salle at Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium. Now 3-1 on the season, the Bison have scored 12 goals in the last two games, their largest two-game output in 10 years.

Connell and Ingrid Murphy staked the Bison to a 2-0 lead after only 13 minutes, and then the back line stood tall when La Salle tried to make a push. The Explorers, who opened the season with a win over Patriot League foe American, put seven shots on target but first-year goalkeeper Sarah McFarland stopped them all. Bucknell has conceded only two goals in four games to start the season, and one of them came with a 7-0 lead against Mount St. Mary's last time out.

It was a big day for the freshman class. In addition to the three goals from the Murphys, McFarland notched her second career shutout, and outside back Clare Nemsick played all 90 minutes in a stout back four.

"Once again I was very happy with the execution in the final third," said head coach Kelly Cook, who was honored before the game after collecting her 100th win at Bucknell on Thursday. "Coming off the road trip we saw signs of being able to score goals, and it was great to break out on our home field. It was just as big to keep the shutout today against a La Salle team that has some very talented players up top. The back line did a great job limiting their chances, and Sarah was outstanding in goal."

The game got out to a fast start with a flurry of good scoring opportunities at both ends. Connell nearly got the Bison on the board just 30 seconds in, but Samantha Widnick dove to her right to make the save. Only a minute later, McFarland made her best save of the night, diving to rob Halah Lebsack's rising shot from the left flank.

Gaby Parker, who had two assists on the day, had a couple of shots saved, and then the Bison broke through in the eighth minute. Parker got a half-step behind the La Salle back line, held up play as the defense recovered, and then slipped a pass to Connell at the top of the box. Connell rolled a low shot inside the right post for the 1-0 lead.

Just over five minutes later the Bison doubled their advantage on a scramble in the box. Dani Howard's cross from the right side was headed by Presley Sutter and then flicked forward off a defender. Ingrid Murphy was first to it, and she slammed a left-footed shot into the back of the next.

Murphy had a good chance for a second with a free kick just outside the area, but her drive went into the wall. Bella Connell cracked a header off the post with six minutes left in the half, and then McFarland made another nice save on a curling attempt from distance by Kameron Rase.

The Bison were under pressure in the early moments of the second half, but they found their footing and added a third tally in the 54th minute. La Salle couldn't get the ball cleared out of their own box, and Howard jumped on a spinning ball in the right side of the area. She chipped a pass to the back post, were Ingrid Murphy volleyed it home from a sharp angle near the end line. The reigning Patriot League Rookie of the Week now has three goals and an assist in four games to start her career.

Tennessee Murphy missed the two away fixtures on the opening weekend due to injury, but she has made an immediate impact off the bench ever since. She scored in her debut against Mount St. Mary's on Thursday, and she added another in the 67th minute against the Explorers. On a corner kick scrum, the ball ricocheted out to the back side, where Leah Bolson was first on it. She slotted a pass to Murphy, who fired it home with a turning left-footed shot from about 16 yards out.

Bucknell outshot La Salle 18-15 and led 8-2 in corner kicks. McFarland's seven saves were a season high, while Widnick made six saves for the Explorers.

The Bison have won three of their first four games for the first time since 2022, and now they head west to No. 23 Penn State on Thursday. The 7:30 p.m. contest can be seen on Big Ten Network Plus.