jkrun80
Postdoc
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07-27-17 08:01 PM - Post#231358
While we wait for basketball season to start, I'm looking forward to the women's soccer. They lost a few key players, but return the core of their team that went 16-2-2 last year (including the loss to Penn State in the NCAAs). If you think the MBB schedule is tough, check this out.
8/18 Syracuse (H)
8/20 St. Joe's (H)
8/25 Duke (A)
8/27 W & M (A)
9/03 Rider (A)
9/07 Tennesee (H)
9/09 Penn (A)
9/20 St Francis (H)
10/3 Princeton (H)
Surprisingly, only 3 of these teams ended last season with a higher RPI than Bucknell (49) - Duke (12), Princeton (33), & St. Joe's (40).
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Bison137
Professor
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07-27-17 10:05 PM - Post#231360
In response to jkrun80
Yes, that's a challenging schedule - but one they can handle. They beat Syracuse on the road last year, and Tennessee is definitely beatable. The Duke game otoh will be very tough to stay close in. As for league play, Boston U will be very good again - and we could see a similar championship game. Colgate last year had one of the best freshman classes in PL history and should also be strong. It helps to have the max number of scholarships. Navy also returns most of their starters from a very good team. The PL continues to get stronger each year.
As you say, a few key players are gone - but barring injuries there should be solid replacements. All-PL Goalie Jessica Ratner is gone, but she presumably is replaced by Dani Kaufman, who originally committed to Maryland. All-PL Defender Kelsey Witt graduated, but they get back Maddie Dano, who started last year until an injury ended her season. They lose midfielder Cora Climo, but get back Riley Coopersmith, who was a key player in 2015 before missing last year due to injury. And they graduate All-PL Forward Alexis Gannon, but soph Gabby Bair looked very good off the bench last year at that position. Plus there are a few frosh who should see playing time.
I will be interested to see what Kelly Cook's first real recruiting class looks like. One player to watch is MF Alexandra Catanzarite, who was the New York state POY and a HS All American. Also 3-time All Region and 3-time All-State. Scored 35 goals this year against fairly good opposition. She is supposed to have great technical ability - but she only stands 4-11. That may well be what kept her away from a power conference program.
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Bison137
Professor
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Reg: 01-23-06
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08-16-17 05:30 PM - Post#232096
In response to Bison137
PL preseason poll:
1. Boston University, 156 points (12 first-place votes)
2. Bucknell, 152 (8)
3. Navy, 121
4. Colgate, 119
5. Lehigh, 102
6. Loyola, 69
7. Army, 66
8. Lafayette, 53
9. Holy Cross, 43
10. American, 19
Patriot League Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Kendall Ham, Bucknell (Sr., F)
Patriot League Preseason Midfielder of the Year: Julianna Chen, Boston University (Jr., M)
Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Rachel Bloznalis, Boston University (Gr., D)
Boston got 12 votes for 1st and 8 votes for 2nd. Bucknell got 8 votes for 1st and 12 for 2nd. In addition to Ham, the Bison had two others on the 11-person preseason team: forward Maddie Mulford and defender Karli Cirovski.
http://patriotleague.org/news/2017/8/16/boston -uni...
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jkrun80
Postdoc
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Age: 65
Reg: 05-07-12
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09-30-17 06:58 PM - Post#233380
In response to Bison137
This year's team is starting to look more like the defending league champs. They've now won 6 in a row, all shutouts, and scored 14 goals in their last four games. We'll see if that carries over to this week's game against Princeton, who is ranked 14th in the coaches poll and 7th in RPI. The toughest part of the PL schedule is also yet to come, with the last four games against Colgate, Lehigh, Boston, & Navy. The last two will likely decide the top seed in the tournament.
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Bison137
Professor
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Reg: 01-23-06
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Women's Soccer 2017 10-01-17 12:28 PM - Post#233399
In response to jkrun80
Video of the three goals:
https://twitter.com/Bucknell_WSOC/status/ 914466045...
Alexandra Canzarite, the Bison 4-11 midfielder who was NY POY last year, notched her first career goal on a very nice left-footed20 yarder. She also had an assist. Canzarite is one of two freshman starters.
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Bison137
Professor
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10-01-17 12:35 PM - Post#233400
In response to Bison137
Article on Kendall Ham:
http://www.unionleader.com/article/20171001/SPOR TS...
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jkrun80
Postdoc
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Age: 65
Reg: 05-07-12
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10-02-17 07:47 PM - Post#233458
In response to Bison137
Catanzarite wins a well deserved PL Rookie of the Week award. She has been fun to watch. She has great ball control and is a pesky defender. Jackie Ham win DPOY.
http://www.bucknellbison.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_O...
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jkrun80
Postdoc
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Age: 65
Reg: 05-07-12
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10-22-17 06:32 PM - Post#234342
In response to jkrun80
Women bounced back from a 3-2 loss on a late goal at Colgate last weekend with a late goal of their own to beat Lehigh 2-1 on Wednesday. Then they got a huge win, also 2-1, over Boston yesterday on senior day. The win clinched a top 2 finish and 1st round bye for the playoffs. The regular season title (and home field for the tournament) will be decided when they play at 1st place Navy on Saturday. The scheduling gods also arranged for #3 Colgate to play #4 Boston and #5 Lehigh vs. #6 Holy Cross in the last regular season game. Lafayette could still sneak into the playoffs with a win and a HC loss. Home field would be great, but they'll be tough no matter where they play.
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jkrun80
Postdoc
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Age: 65
Reg: 05-07-12
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10-23-17 08:32 PM - Post#234448
In response to jkrun80
Ham, Holtz, and Catanzarite all pick up weekly awards. On to Annapolis.
http://www.bucknellbison.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_O...
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jkrun80
Postdoc
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Age: 65
Reg: 05-07-12
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11-02-17 07:32 PM - Post#235383
In response to jkrun80
Great feature on Jackie and Kendall Ham.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgLZmW-BYi8
Bison play Boston in the PL semis Friday in Annapolis.
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jkrun80
Postdoc
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Age: 65
Reg: 05-07-12
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11-03-17 09:53 PM - Post#235447
In response to jkrun80
Amazing goal by Catanzarite with 3 minutes to play for the 1-0 win. Altobrah had a huge save at the end to preserve the win.
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Bison137
Professor
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11-03-17 10:00 PM - Post#235448
In response to jkrun80
Yes, great goal for the 4-11 freshman. Her technical skills are likely as good as any player the Bison have ever had. Beating Navy on their home field in the finals will be very difficult, especially with starting goalie Dani Kaufman out with an ankle injury suffered tonight.
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jkrun80
Postdoc
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Age: 65
Reg: 05-07-12
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11-04-17 12:12 PM - Post#235458
In response to Bison137
Clip of Catanzarite's winning goal. Unfortunately, they didn't show the start of the play where she popped the ball over the defender's head and recovered it to start this sequence.
https://twitter.com/PatriotLeagueTV/statu s/9266589...
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jkrun80
Postdoc
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Age: 65
Reg: 05-07-12
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11-05-17 02:07 PM - Post#235472
In response to jkrun80
Bison look like a totally different team from the one that Navy dominated last Saturday. hat trick from Kendall Ham has Bucknell up 3-1 at that half. Hopefully, the defense can hold.
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Bison54
PhD Student
Posts: 1800
Reg: 11-18-09
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11-05-17 03:37 PM - Post#235474
In response to jkrun80
And they did. Congratulations to the PL Women's Soccer Champs
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jkrun80
Postdoc
Posts: 3305
Age: 65
Reg: 05-07-12
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11-05-17 04:16 PM - Post#235475
In response to Bison54
Great job by Coach Cook and the team to repeat as PL champs! They had some ups and downs, but came through when it counted.
Field hockey also played in the championship game today, but lost 2-1 to Boston after leading 1-0 at the half. Still a great finish to the season.
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jkrun80
Postdoc
Posts: 3305
Age: 65
Reg: 05-07-12
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11-05-17 06:50 PM - Post#235480
In response to jkrun80
Recap here including video clips: http://www.bucknellbison.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_O...
The thing I love about Kendall Ham is that she is not only a great player, but a great competitor. She may have had some extra personal motivation playing against Ash Fairow who won the Offensive POY award that she had won last year. Great that she matched Fairow's hat trick from Friday with her own in the championship game. Going to miss her and this whole senior class.
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DoCtoR62
Masters Student
Posts: 463
Reg: 05-18-08
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11-06-17 09:37 AM - Post#235491
In response to Bison54
And they did. Congratulations to the PL Women's Soccer Champs
And, hold on they did. The Bison defense withstood a 20-minute Navy flurry after the Mids got within a goal in the second half, including a big-time kick out by one of the defenders with the goalie beaten.
On another note, what a great setting for a soccer complex, on the water with ships in the background.
Congrats to all ... they showed a lot of heart.
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KenZ
Postdoc
Posts: 2777
Reg: 01-23-06
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11-06-17 09:43 AM - Post#235492
In response to DoCtoR62
congrats to the team on a championship defense, always a difficult thing to do. a great senior class finishing on top.
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Bison137
Professor
Posts: 16147
Reg: 01-23-06
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Women's Soccer 2017 11-06-17 06:33 PM - Post#235552
In response to KenZ
Women will open in the NCAA tournament on Friday at #2 seed West Virginia, who went 15-3-2 this year against a tough schedule. Hoping Dani Kaufman is available at GK for this one.
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