Nov. 9, 2007
Lewisburg, Pa. - The 2007 Patriot League Women's Soccer Tournament kicked-off on Friday evening at the Bucknell University Varsity Soccer Complex. The field conditions for both games were rather slippery due to a steady downpour of rain that began earlier in the day. In the evening's first game the defending Patriot League Tournament Champions, the Navy Midshipmen, defeated the American Eagles by a score of 2-0. Navy will face Bucknell in Sunday's championship game, as the Bison defeated the Army Black Knights, by a score of 2-1 in OT.
The usual suspects played a role for the Mids in their 2-0 victory over the second-seeded Eagles. Senior forward Brigitte Fox, who was named to the First-Team All-Patriot League earlier in the week, scored two goals to lead the way for Navy. The two goals were the 14th and 15th of the season for Fox, and her eighth and ninth in the last four games. Fox's goal with 21:21 remaining in the first half was the first Patriot League Tournament goal of her outstanding career. The Navy defense played their usual role in the outcome of the game, as they held American scoreless. Junior goalkeeper Lizzie Barnes kept the scoreboard clean for the Mids, marking the third-consecutive Patriot League Tournament game that she has posted a shutout. Navy is now 5-0 in their last three trips to the postseason.
American had their chances to put some points on the scoreboard in the loss. In the game's first minute, the Eagles had a shot at point blank range that could not find the net. Later in the first, Navy's Barnes was drawn out of the box on a ball that the Eagles had a chance to put away, but again they were unable to score. Annette Scott and Olivia Heditsian played well on defense for American, while forwards Kelsey Brasher and Krystn Hodge had several chances to even the score throughout the course of the game.
The second game needed an overtime period to decide the outcome, as the top-seeded Bison of Bucknell downed fourth-seeded Army 2-1 in OT. Bucknell's Molly Linhart scored on a header off of a free kick to put the Bison into Sunday's championship game.
The regulation portion of the game was a tale of two halves. The Bison got things started when Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year Jennifer Dervarics scored her 12th goal of the season in the 23rd minute. Bucknell consistently had the ball deep in the Army side of the field. In the second half, however, the Black Knights turned things around and applied pressure on the Bucknell defense. The Black Knights knotted the score at one apiece when Second-Team All-Patriot League honoree Pia White pressured the Bison goalkeeper. White's initial attack bounced around in the box, when teammate Jenna Roberts swooped in to push the ball into the back of the net. Each team's goalkeeper played outstanding, with Army's Alex Lostetter and Bucknell's Kathryn Sutton combined for a number of game-saving saves. The Bison advance to their second Patriot League Tournament championship game in the last three years.
The matchup is set for Sunday afternoon's championship game. The No. 1 Bucknell Bison will square off against the No. 3 Midshipmen of Navy in a 1 p.m. start. The game can be seen live on the Patriot League website as a part of the Patriot League All-Access Package. Once again, Bucknell radio analyst Doug Birdsong will provide viewers with coverage of the game.
