Sept. 29, 2007
Box Score
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The Navy defense held Bucknell to just five total shots, but the Bison made the most of their opportunities in dealing the Mids a 2-0 setback in the Patriot League men's soccer opener for both teams. The loss drops Navy to 4-2-1 overall and 0-1-0 in the Patriot League, while Bucknell improves to 3-3-3 overall and 1-0-0 in league play.
"It was a typical, hard-fought Patriot League game that really could have gone either way," said Navy head coach Rich Miranda. "We had a defensive lapse in the first half that resulted in a goal. You have to credit Bucknell as well. They made the plays and we didn't. We fought hard right to the end and we threw everything we had at them in the last 15 minutes. We had our chances, but just didn't bury them."
Bucknell got on the board on just its second shot of the game. Justin Wolf made a nice individual effort, dribbling past a Navy defender and firing a shot that clanged off the right post into the goal for a 1-0 advantage in the 18th minute. Navy nearly tied the game up with just under a minute left to play in the first half, as Anthony Parker (Fredericksburg, Va.) got a head on a throw-in that hit the crossbar and bounced out. Mark Garcia (Tempe, Ariz.) was there for the rebound, but the ball bounced up into his body and he couldn't get a shot on the open net.
All three of Navy shots on goal and seven shots overall came in the last 20 minutes of the game, but Bucknell iced the game away with just 19 seconds left in the contest. With Navy pushing forward on the offensive end, Mark Schmiegel fired a shot on Evan Barnes (Dublin, Ohio) that rolled under Barnes as he dove and trickled into the back of the net for the clincher.
Navy has now lost four Patriot League openers in a row, dating back its last league-opening win in 2003.
Navy outshot Bucknell, 12-5, and drew five corner kicks to Bucknell's three. Navy was also only whistled for nine fouls, while Bucknell had 10. Barnes had one save in goal for the Mids. The game was played on a near-perfect evening in front of 892 fans, the seventh-largest men's soccer crowd ever at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility.
Navy will step back out of conference action on Tuesday, Oct. 2, as it hosts Philadelphia University at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility, beginning at 7:00 pm.
# GO NAVY #
