Nov. 13, 2009

Box Score

LEWISBURG, Pa. - Fans will unfortunately have to wait at least one more year to see a No. 4 seed upset a No. 1, although the Lafayette men's soccer squad came close. With less than five minutes remaining in overtime, Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year Conor O'Brien netted the game-winning goal for Bucknell to lift the Bison past Lafayette and into the Patriot League championship game.

At the 5:39 mark of overtime, O'Brien collected a long pass from Tommy McCabe and kicked it into the open net for his league-leading 11th goal of the fall and seventh game winner. The Bison will face the winner of Friday's second semifinal game between No. 2 seeded Lehigh and No. 3 American.

The game was as tightly contested as the first match between the teams on Oct. 30, which also saw Bucknell (15-5) come away with the 1-0 victory, also thanks to an O'Brien score. The Bison were more active on offense in this match, more than doubling the Leopards in shots (14-6) and forcing Lafayette goalie Philip Nelson into making six saves, his highest total in three matches.

Lafayette's Wayne Maminski recorded half of his squad's shot total, but only two players - Blake Fink and Sam Feldbaum - managed to get a shot on goal as Bucknell goalie Tommy Caso had a relatively quiet game, making just two saves.

In the opening half, the Bison certainly had their chances to score, taking seven shots to the Leopards' two. Nelson made three saves in those first 45 minutes, including one less than six minutes into the action. With 30 seconds left, Maminski had the half's final scoring opportunity but his shot went wide and it remained a 0-0 contest.

The second half was much of the same as Lafayette managed only three shots while the Bison had six, three of which were saved by Nelson. Maminski again had the final scoring chance of the half but again his shot went wide, sending the contest into overtime, where O'Brien eventually knocked in the game winner.

The Leopards finished the season with a 10-7-2 record, marking the sixth time in the last seven years the squad has finished with at least 10 victories. Lafayette was also making its league-record eighth straight tournament appearance as well as its 17th overall appearance, also a league record.