LEWISBURG, Pa. - In a matchup of teams looking to move up the Patriot League conference standings, the host Bucknell Bison (7-3-3, 2-1-2 PL) held home field advantage and defeated the Navy women's soccer team (6-5-3, 1-4 PL) by a score of 2-0 on Friday night. Fighting through rainy and soggy conditions at Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium, the Bison registered two first half goals and withstood a plethora of Midshipmen scoring chances in the second half.

"Soccer is a tough game as the result can be decided by just a few key moments," remarked head coach Carin Gabarra. "Tonight, we had opportunities, but didn't finish and we gave up two goals on miscues. The team that made the most of their chances in key moments won this game. 

"I've got to give credit our forwards, who were active and created a lot of high percentage looks, though to call it a complete effort those looks have to end up turning into goals; we just didn't do that tonight."

Navy's hunt for its first goal started almost immediately as less than four minutes into the game Alexa Riddle (Jr., Tomball, Texas) found herself with a clear path to the goal and ripped a low shot towards the far side of the goal only to see Bucknell's goalkeeper Jenna Hall dive low to her right to deny the attempt.

After that initial shot on goal, the host Bison set their sights on making a move on the scoreboard as they took three of the game's next four shots. Unfortunately for the Mids, the Bison's third shot, a Hannah Stuck shot on goal, found the back of the net at 14:48.

The action toggled between the attacking third of both sides as Rylee Rives (Jr., Arlington, Texas) unleashed a shot in the 24th minute that rang off the post before Bucknell came down less than three minutes later and had Paige Temple test Mattie Gallagher (Sr., Gilbertsville, Pa.) from distance with a low line drive shot that forced Gallagher to dive into action. Soon after, Riddle was aggressive on the other end of the pitch and ripped a deep shot on goal in the 30th minute that was saved by Hall for her second save of the game.

A Kelley Francis goal at 41:14 sent the hosts into the locker room up 2-0.

Trailing by a pair of goals, Jordan Townsend (So., Marriottsville, Md.) nearly cut Navy's deficit in half in the 54th minute when she came in control of the bouncing ball off of Mori Sokoloff's (So., Arnold, Md.) corner kick and snapped off a one-timer on goal right into Hall's chest.

The Mids continued to battle as Gallagher turned aside a Teresa Deda shot in the 59th minute before the trio of Riddle, Marlee Heaven (So., Rockville, Md.) and Amanda Graziano (Jr., Middlebury, Conn.) set up Graziano with a high percentage look in the 64th. Initially, Riddle raced up the right wing and slotted a square ball to Heaven, who quickly laid off a pass to the on-coming Graziano, but her shot was denied by a determined Hall, the reigning Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year.

Gallagher kept her squad in the game as she soared up and pushed a Hannah Stock shot away from the goal and into the cross bar in the 74th minute.

Still trailing by two, Navy continued showing a good nose for the goal as in the 77th minute, Riddle drew two defenders and placed a square pass into the six-yard box to Katie Herrmann (Charlotte, N.C.), but the senior's attempt was pushed just wide of the goal mouth.

The Mids' final three shots over the last 11 minutes of regulation were unable to find the back of the net and the game went final at 2-0 in favor of the Bison.

For the game, Bucknell out-shot Navy, 20-16, although both teams recorded six shots on goal. The Mids had a slight 5-3 edge in corner kicks.

"We've given up seven goals in our last three Patriot League games, that's too many in an extremely competitive league," said Gabarra in closing.

Navy will begin the second half of its Patriot League season on Wednesday with an afternoon road matchup at American. Kickoff between the Mids and Eagles is set for 3 p.m. in Washington, D.C.