Nov. 19, 2010
Lewisburg, Pa. -
After a late surge by the Rams forced overtime, Bucknell scored four times in overtime to lead the No. 17 Bison to a 12-9 overtime victory against Fordham in the fourth and final first round game of the 2010 CWPA Eastern Championship at Bucknell's Kinney Natatorium.
Trailing 8-6 with 2:55 left in the fourth period, Fordham climbed back into the game with a strike by Jakob Muller at the 1:09 mark to pull the Rams to within one. Following back-to-back turnovers by both teams, the Rams received one final chance to force overtime as the squad worked the ball around the perimeter before finding Mikey Edwards for a desperation blast that sailed into the cage with 34 seconds on the clock to tie the game at eight-to-eight.
However, the Rams' luck ran out in the two three minute extra frames as Bucknell held a 4-1 scoring advantage in extra-time to take the three-goal victory.
In the first overtime period, the Bison cashed in on a man-up chance with a shot by Richie Hyden at 1:57 before Mike Kimble connected a natural goal into the cage with two ticks on the clock to put the Bison in front 10-8.
The margin expanded to 11-8 with 1:57 left in the second overtime frame as Trevor Reitz connected on a rocket shot. Fordham closed the gap to 11-9 with 30 seconds left as Muller drilled a marker, but Spencer Richley caught the Rams off guard lobbing in an empty net tally with four seconds on the clock to cushion the final margin-of-victory to 12-9.
A key to the game was Bucknell's ability to draw exclusions and cash in on the opportunities as the Bison drew 10 ejections to Fordham's four, and converted at a greater percentage (1-for-4, 25% / 4-for-10, 40th %).
In cage, both teams received 10 blocks from their goalies with different results as Bucknell's Miles Gilhuly picked up the victory, while Fordham's Christian Flessner suffered the loss.
The game had all the hallmarks of a potential overtime thriller, with key saves, speed, deflected shots, back-and-forth play and tactical coaching decisions which saw neither team open up a lead larger than a pair of scores until the climatic fourth period.
Bucknell jumped out to the early advantage in the game with Beau Caillouette lining in the first goal of the goal at 5:22 mark of the first period to stake the Bison to a 1-0 lead.
Fordham responded before the period clock ran out as Daniel Muñoz uncorked a shot on a man-up opportunity with 2:10 on the clock to knot the game at a marker apiece.
The second period followed a similar pattern of the first as Edwards ripped in the go-ahead goal for the Rams at the 7:00 mark to push Fordham out to its first lead of the day. Howie Kalter responded for Bucknell with a man-up goal at 6:33, but the Rams regained the lead prior to halftime via a catch-and-shoot bid by Martin de Jong at 3:42 to hand Fordham a 3-2 lead at the break.
Brian Barron returned the favor to open the second half as he howitzered home a blast at 7:15 to even the damage at three-all. Bucknell regained the lead two minutes later when Caillouette worked through traffic and jammed in man-up makrer at 5:06, but Fordham counterpunched with 41 seconds left courtesy a quick shot by Edwards to set the scoreboard at 4-to-4 through 24 minutes of competition.
The three previous quarters' pattern was obliterated in the fourth as the two teams combined for eight goals, 18 shots, and two ejections to lay the groundwork for overtime.
Bucknell opened the final period of regulation with consecutive strikes by Caillouette (7:33) on a man-up bid and Kalter (6:44) at even strength to jump out to a 6-4 lead and gain the momentum.
Following a goal by Ryan Hultman at 6:28 to move Fordham within 6-5, the Bison appeared to put the game away with back-to-back scoring attacks by Hyden (6:13) and Sean Coghlan to construct an 8-6 lead and set-up Fordham's successful comeback in regulation.
The Bison advance to face No. 13 St. Francis College in a semifinal match-up at 6:00 p.m. tomorrow night, while the Rams fall into a consolation game against Johns Hopkins University at 3:00 p.m. for a berth in the fifth place game.
Scoring Recap
Bucknell Goals: Beau Caillouete (3), Howie Kalter (2), Richie Hyden (2), Mike Kimble, Trevor Reitz, Spencer Richley, Sean Coghlan, Brian Barron
Fordham Goals: Mikey Edwards (3), Jakob Muller (2), Daniel Muñoz (2), Ryan Hultman, Martin de Jong
Saves: Bucknell - Miles Gilhuly (10) ; Fordham - Christian Flessner (10)
