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Username Post: Women's Soccer 2017
jkrun80
Postdoc
Posts 3305
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).

Bison137
Professor
Posts 16147
Bison137
07-27-17 10:05 PM - Post#231360    

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.



Bison137
Professor
Posts 16147
Bison137
08-16-17 05:30 PM - Post#232096    

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...



jkrun80
Postdoc
Posts 3305
09-30-17 06:58 PM - Post#233380    

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.
Bison137
Professor
Posts 16147
Bison137
10-01-17 12:28 PM - Post#233399    

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.



Bison137
Professor
Posts 16147
Bison137
10-01-17 12:35 PM - Post#233400    

Article on Kendall Ham:

http://www.unionleader.com/article/20171001/SPOR TS...



jkrun80
Postdoc
Posts 3305
10-02-17 07:47 PM - Post#233458    

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...
jkrun80
Postdoc
Posts 3305
10-22-17 06:32 PM - Post#234342    

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.
jkrun80
Postdoc
Posts 3305
10-23-17 08:32 PM - Post#234448    

Ham, Holtz, and Catanzarite all pick up weekly awards. On to Annapolis.

http://www.bucknellbison.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_O...
jkrun80
Postdoc
Posts 3305
11-02-17 07:32 PM - Post#235383    

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.
jkrun80
Postdoc
Posts 3305
11-03-17 09:53 PM - Post#235447    

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.
Bison137
Professor
Posts 16147
Bison137
11-03-17 10:00 PM - Post#235448    

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.



jkrun80
Postdoc
Posts 3305
11-04-17 12:12 PM - Post#235458    

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...
jkrun80
Postdoc
Posts 3305
11-05-17 02:07 PM - Post#235472    

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.
Bison54
PhD Student
Posts 1800
Bison54
11-05-17 03:37 PM - Post#235474    

And they did. Congratulations to the PL Women's Soccer Champs

jkrun80
Postdoc
Posts 3305
11-05-17 04:16 PM - Post#235475    

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.
jkrun80
Postdoc
Posts 3305
11-05-17 06:50 PM - Post#235480    

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.
DoCtoR62
Masters Student
Posts 463
11-06-17 09:37 AM - Post#235491    

  • Bison54 Said:
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.
KenZ
Postdoc
Posts 2777
KenZ
11-06-17 09:43 AM - Post#235492    

congrats to the team on a championship defense, always a difficult thing to do. a great senior class finishing on top.
Bison137
Professor
Posts 16147
Bison137
11-06-17 06:33 PM - Post#235552    

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.



jkrun80
Postdoc
Posts 3305
11-06-17 09:44 PM - Post#235562    

  • Bison137 Said:
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.


Adu-Attobrah played well this weekend. But I'm not sure it will matter who's in goal against a team like WVU. The back line will need to tighten things up to avoid a blowout.
Bison137
Professor
Posts 16147
Bison137
11-06-17 09:57 PM - Post#235563    

  • jkrun80 Said:
  • Bison137 Said:
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.


Adu-Attobrah played well this weekend. But I'm not sure it will matter who's in goal against a team like WVU. The back line will need to tighten things up to avoid a blowout.





She played reasonably well, but certainly not at the same level as Kaufman. Puts a lot more pressure on the defense.



Bison137
Professor
Posts 16147
Bison137
11-07-17 05:36 PM - Post#235627    

Video of the championship game highlights etc. Some great goals by Ham:

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipN5d8TX-Tn YTv...



jkrun80
Postdoc
Posts 3305
11-09-17 07:42 PM - Post#235775    

Bucknell student-athletes never cease to amaze me.

http://www.bucknellbison.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_O...
jkrun80
Postdoc
Posts 3305
11-11-17 03:05 PM - Post#235922    

Held West Virginia to 1 goal in the first half despite 15 corners and nearly that many shots. Have not been able to generate any offense though.



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