ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Coming off a win in its first road game of the season, the Navy men's soccer team (2-2-2) begins its Patriot League slate on Saturday, Sept. 17, heading to Lewisburg, Pennsylvania for a showdown with Bucknell (1-5-0). Kickoff between the Midshipmen and Bison is set for 6 p.m. from Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium.
Saturday's contest is the first of nine league games for the Mids this season, with Navy's next six matches all coming within Patriot League play. That same six-game stretch includes three road contests and the neutral-site Army-Navy Cup XI in Chester, Pa.
Last Time Out
A penalty-kick goal from junior
David Jackson was the lone tally by either side in Tuesday night's 1-0 Navy win at Longwood, as both teams generated chances throughout but could not capitalize on anything else … After the Mids and Lancers played to a scoreless first half, each team continued to generate offensive looks until the referees whistled for a Navy penalty kick at 55', where Jackson lined up a shot that he rifled to the left of the Longwood goalkeeper, Alexandre Durand … Sophomore
Connor Walcott nearly extended the lead at 58' when he put a header off the top of the crossbar, while fellow sophomore
Wasswa Robbins put a shot wide on an open net at 73' … Navy sophomore keeper
Pierce Holbrook preserved the win in the 76th minute when he made an outstretched diving save on Longwood's Jose Carlos … That save was Holbrook's fifth and final save of the night, earning himself his second shutout of the campaign.
Navy vs. Bucknell
The two longtime Patriot League foes will meet for the 49th time on Saturday, with Navy holding a 29-15-4 advantage all-time on Bucknell … Games played in Lewisburg have seen the Bison post a 7-5-2 record against the Mids when defending their home pitch … The Midshipmen are 4-1 in their last five meetings against the Bison, with the lone loss in that span being a 2-0 defeat in the league quarterfinals … Navy captured a 1-0 victory over Bucknell in Annapolis last season on Oct. 31, 2021, as
Jason Aoyama tallied the game-winning goal in the 54th minute off a
Jacob Williams pass … The last trip by Navy to Lewisburg came on Nov. 3, 2018, as the Mids notched a 4-1 win over the Bison in the season finale.
Scouting the Bison
Bucknell enters Patriot League action at 1-5 overall, including a 4-1 loss at home to Saint Francis (Pa.) on Wednesday … After dropping road contests to Loyola Chicago, DePaul and St. Bonaventure, the Bison responded in their home opener with a 2-1 win over Saint Peter's, as Mo Tall scored the game winner off an 84th-minute free kick … The Bison also suffered a 3-1 loss to Mount St. Mary's last week before playing SFU … Tall is one of four different goal scorers for Bucknell this season, including 2021 All-Patriot League Third Team selection Jordan Miller … Tall and MJ Kuczura pace the team with three points apiece, while Bennett Schwartz has started every game in goal for the Bison, making 10 saves in 495:00 of action … A familiar face is in his first season on the Bucknell sideline, as former Navy head coach Dave Brandt was hired to lead the Bison in December 2021 after four years at the helm of Division III Hope College and two years coaching the Pittsburgh Riverhounds of the USL.
Navy in PL Openers
The Mids are 12-17-3 all-time in Patriot League openers since joining the conference in 1991 ... Navy holds a 2-3-1 record under head coach
Tim O'Donohue in the first game of league action each season ... Since the addition of Boston and Loyola to the Patriot League in 2013 to form the current 10-member league, the Mids are 4-4-1 in PL openers ... The last time Navy opened the league slate at Bucknell was 2008, dropping a 2-1 contest to the Bison.
Up Next
Navy returns to Annapolis and the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility on Saturday, Sept. 24, for its Patriot League home opener against Colgate at 3 p.m.
