Oct. 6, 2006

Box Score

EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - The Lafayette women's soccer team hung with the defending champion Bucknell Bison for all ninety minutes of their Patriot League match up Friday night. Unfortunately while the Leopards were unable to put any balls into the back of the net, the Bison notched two second half goals to defeat Lafayette 2-0 on Friday night at Mike Bourger '44 Field at Oaks Stadium.

Bucknell came out strong from the opening kick-off, recording three shots on goal in the opening minutes of the game.

However, in the 13th minute, the Leopards fought back and created their own scoring chances. A long shot from junior tri-captain Caroline Tuttle sailed just over the crossbar. The Lafayette momentum continued when sophomore midfielder Jacquelyn Marchese took a pass from senior midfielder Carolyn Fisher inside the 18-yard box. Marchese fought off a Bison defender and took a shot that traveled just to the right of the goal.

The Leopards continued to pressure the Bison defense three minutes later when Tuttle dribbled into the Bison defense where she found a streaking junior forward Brittany Downham. Downham fired a shot and forced Bucknell senior goalkeeper Katie Dry to make a leaping save.

Bucknell responded in the seesaw first half by creating a few chances of their own. With 11:20 left before intermission, Bison junior forward Krista Lee Gentile took a one-touched pass from teammate Jennifer Dervarics. Gentile blasted a shot near post, but Leopard junior goalkeeper Mary Kate Erdman dove to her right to make the save, and held onto the ball to negate any opportunity of a Bison rebound.

An evenly-played final 10 minutes of the first half appropriately sent the teams into halftime scoreless.

A physcial midfield battle started the second half, as both teams tried to set the tempo in their favor.

Then, in the 55th minute, the Bison broke the scoreless tie. Dervarics dribbled into the Leopard defense and found Gentile streaking on the right side of the box. The Bison forward took the shot and found the upper right corner of the goal to give Bucknell a 1-0 lead.

Credit the Leopards for not giving up after the Bison goal. Scoring chances in the next minutes from senior forward Kelli McMahon and Downham nearly gave Lafayette the equalizer.

Bucknell dashed any hopes of a Leopard comeback in the 79th minute when three crisp passes led to a drive down the right side of the field into the Leopard defensive territory. Dervarics dribbled into the box where she was tackled from behind, giving the Bison a penalty kick. After the first kick was taken away due to Bison encroachment, Dervarics fired a shot to beat Erdman and give the Bison a 2-0 lead.

Erdman finished the game with four saves for the Leopards, while Dry tallied two saves for the shutout victory.

Lafayette falls to 0-2 in the Patriot League, while the Bison improve to 2-0.

Although the Leopards will have to battle back from another discouraging loss, head coach Mick Statham knows there is still plenty of time left in the Patriot League season.

"There are still five games left in this season," Statham said. "Anything can happen and we will fight for our chance to make the Patriot League tournament until the last ball is kicked. We have no choice but to bounce back on Sunday against Colgate."

The Leopards will have little time to regroup, as Colgate comes to Mike Bourger '44 Field on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.