• Bucknell halted a three-game skid last Sunday with a 2-1 win against FDU after being outscored by a combined 5-8 against La Salle, Delaware and Monmouth.
• Henna Andican leads the Bison offense with five points through the first four games, scoring two goals and adding an assist with three of her nine shot attempts landing on frame. As a unit, Bucknell is third in the Patriot League for scoring offense (1.75)
• Senior keeper Jess Benattar started the season in net for the Bison, collecting an 0-3 showing with eight goals allowed and 13 saves. Her 4.67 saves per game are a conference-best, placing her at 71st in the nation. Sophomore Reese Dolan had the starting nod in the win over FDU, allowing one goal but not being called on for a save.
• The Bison had a strong 2024 campaign that saw it go 12-4-3 overall and win the Patriot League regular-season title with a 7-2 record. They locked up the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament which they had won for three straight years. That run of titles ended in the tournament final, falling in a 10-round penalty kick shootout with Boston.
• Head coach Kelly Cook, the Patriot League’s 2024 Coach of the Year, leads a Bucknell side that brings back three of its six All-Conference selections from a year ago: Benattar (2nd Team), sophomore forward Katie Connell (3rd Team), senior defender Meghan White (3rd Team)

• This is the eighth meeting between the Wildcats and Bison since 1991 and just the third to happen on Bucknell’s home field. Neither side has seen a result other than a draw when the Bison are hosting.
• The last visit to Lewisburg ended in a 1-1 draw exactly two years ago on August 31, 2023. Makayla Stadler put the ‘Cats ahead in the 46th minute before Henna Andican knotted it up in the 56th.
• Villanova holds a 4-1-2 advantage in the series, dropping its first loss against Bucknell 1-0 inside the Higgins Soccer Complex last season. Teresa Deda gave the Bison the lead in the 35th minute. Gabby Koluch had a chance to level the match in the 68th minute with a penalty kick but it was saved by Jess Benattar. Even with that loss, Villanova still holds a sizable 18-4 scoring advantage in the series. In that time, the ‘Cats have had four wins that saw it score at least two goals.
• The Wildcats are looking for their first road win since a 3-0 victory at Marquette on Oct. 17, 2024. Since then, they are 0-2-1 away from the Main Line.
• Villanova has pieced together back-to-back shutout wins over Columbia and George Mason. A win on Sunday would give the ‘Cats their second three-match streak of clean sheet wins under Samar Azem, both in back-to-back seasons

Against the Patriot League: Against Patriot League sides, Villanova is 32-13-6 all-time. Its last meeting with the league snapped a four-game unbeaten streak as Bucknell left the Main Line with a 1-0 win. The trip to Bucknell kicks off back-to-back matchups against the league as Villanova comes back to Higgins on Sept. 7 to host Lehigh.

On the Open Road: Villanova is on the road nine times in 2025, falling in its first road game of the year on Thursday at Wake Forest. The team was 3-2-3 away from the Main Line last season, winning those contests by an 11-8 margin. With head coach Samar Azem at the helm, Villanova has gone 7-13-7 away from the Main Line. 

Not Throwing Away Our Shot: The 2-0 win over George Mason on August 28 came with 25 shot attempts from the Blue and White. Those attempts marked the most for the program since 2018 when the ‘Cats attempted 27 against Siena. The 25 attempts are also the highest among BIG EAST teams this season as of August 29.

Clean Sheet Commentary: With back-to-back shutout wins over Columbia and George Mason, Villanova now owns 17 clean sheets under Samar Azem. Since 2022, the Wildcats are 13-0-4 when not conceding a goal. Senior goalkeeper Hannah Dickinson is up to eight solo shutouts as a Wildcat.

Villanova 2, George Mason 0 | August 28, 2025 - Villanova, Pa. - Higgins Soccer Complex

Villanova used a balanced effort to grab a second consecutive shutout win. The Wildcats posted a 25-2 shot differential, 9-2 for shots on frame. Those shots marked a single-game high among BIG EAST teams this season and was a program-best since the 2018 team attempted 27 shots against Siena. Kotch broke the scoreless contest in the 67th minutes thanks to a timely pass from Alex Little.  The junior raced into open space near the right of the 18-yard box where she sent a cross inside to a darting Kotch. The sophomore needed just one touch near the right post to launch the ball into the back left of the net for a 1-0 lead. A trio of deflections in the 85th minute led to Villanova’s final goal. George Mason turned over the ball deep in Villanova’s end of the field, leading to Little getting the ball and sending a sharp look that was blocked by a defender. Another deflection brought an open ball that Nelsen ran to, launching it past a diving Davy and into the net for the 2-0 dagger and the first goal of her career. Villanova outshot George Mason 15-0 in the second half. Ariana Reyes and Molly Starner accounted for both Patriot chances, landing both on goal during the contest.

Read the full recap here.