Feb. 26, 2011
Final Stats
LEWISBURG, Pa. - A late three-goal run to tie the score at 8-all in the fourth quarter gave No. 20 Villanova (1-1, 0-0 BIG EAST) a fighting chance for the win, but the Wildcats couldn't secure the victory as they fell to Bucknell (2-0, 0-0 Patriot League) 10-8 in Lewisberg, Pa. on Saturday afternoon.
Junior Kevin Cunningham (Garden City, N.Y./Kellenberg) led the offensive effort with a hat trick and an assist for the day, while senior Brian Karalunas (Dewitt, N.Y./Jamesville Dewitt) contributed five caused turnovers and four ground balls on the defensive end.
Bucknell opened the game on a strong note, scoring four straight goals in nine minutes to bridge the first and second quarters after junior Matt Bell (Severna Park, Md./St. Mary's) gave VU the first goal of the game from a Will Casertano assist (Millbrook, N.Y./Salisbury).
The Wildcats responded with 9:12 remaining in the half when juniors CJ Burke (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) and Cunningham notched goals from Casertano and Jack Rice (Baltimore, Md./Boys' Latin) assists, starting a Villanova run and closing the gap to 4-3.
Bucknell responded with a score from Charlie Streep with 4:45 remaining to put BU up, 5-3, followed by Chase Bailey making the most of a long pass from keeper Kyle Feeney with five seconds left on the clock. At half, the score stood in favor of the Bison at 6-3.
The Wildcats opened the third quarter with sophomore Nick Doherty (Bernardsville, N.J./Delbarton) finding Bell for the opening goal at the 12:17 mark, while Cunningham followed suit just over three minutes later off a Burke assist to get the Wildcats to within one of the Bison, 6-5.
BU's Billy Eisenreich and Ryan Klipsten followed with unassisted goals to up the score to 8-5 with 3:23 remaining in the quarter.
The late game VU surge began with redshirt junior Chris Aitken (Haverford, Pa./Haverford) finding the net for his first goal of the season with 1:09 remaining in the third quarter, while Casertano capitalized on a Cunningham assist at the 14:17 mark to begin the fourth stanza.
Cunningham made the most of a man-down opportunity with 10:52 remaining on the clock to tie the game at 8-all for the first time since the first quarter, finding the net off a nifty Doherty pass to take advantage of the down situation. Just two minutes later Bucknell received the game-changing insurance goals from Klipstien at the 8:32 and 1:32 marks, solidifying the BU win at 10-8.
Villanova dominated nearly every category for the game, holding the advantage in ground balls, 31-23, and shots, 35-23.
Defensively, VU's Billy Hurley (Morristown, N.J./Delbarton) made seven saves in the defeat while BU's Feeney tallied 13 for the victory.
The Wildcats will look to rebound on short rest when they make the cross-town trip to Philadelphia on Tuesday to face No. 19 Drexel at 4 p.m.
