NORFOLK, Va. - Old Dominion men’s soccer defeated Bucknell on Sunday afternoon, 3-0 at the ODU Soccer Complex. ODU improves to 5-0 for the first time since 2012.
“We didn’t have the energy in the first half today, but we definitely did later in the game,” said ODU head coach Tennant McVea. “I’m so proud of this group, they keep answering the questions we ask of them. We need to keep moving forward and are looking forward to UMBC on Friday.”
After a scoreless first half, the moment that broke this game open occurred in the 72nd minute. ODU’s (5-0) third year defender Ludovico Vicini scored directly from a corner kick attempt from the right hand side. He lofted his cross towards the back post and with enough curve it curled into the far corner of the net to give ODU a 1-0 lead.
Bucknell’s (0-4) Kasper Piela was sent off five minutes later for a second yellow card. The Bison would need to play the remainder of the 12 minutes down to 10 men. ODU would capitalize on the immediate free kick after the sending off. Michael Dessalegn lofted a chipped through ball that fell to fifth year defender David Chapman in the box. Chapman then delivered a pass to a darting Lewis Rourke who collected the pass and slotted the ball into the left hand corner to take a 2-0 lead.
The Monarchs were not done looking for goals despite being up 2-0 late and were rewarded for their efforts in the 87th minute. Chapman attempted to clear the ball from behind the center circle towards Bucknell’s net. The ball took a friendly Monarch bounce and third year forward Micah Wayland raced onto the ball and dispatched it through Bucknell’s Thomas Yerbury’s legs to take a 3-0 lead.
Old Dominion held on for the final three minutes to earn goalkeeper Alexander Aguilar his second clean sheet of the season.
The Bisons opened the afternoon with their first chance from Preseason Patriot League Forward of the Year Drew Roskos. The Bison penetrated the box and lifted a cross towards the center of it. Roskos tried to take a shot on his first touch but it was blocked by another Bucknell player who caught up to the rebound and fired again. His shot hit off Aguilar and deflected onto the post. Bucknell recovered the rebound but ODU’s back line stymied any further danger.
ODU’s Fraser Page and Jason Purks almost opened the scoring late in the opening stanza. Purks was denied by Yerbury after his shot towards the bottom right side of the net was palmed away. Purks received the ball after a long throw-in by Jacopo Caprile reached the far post. Purks settled and tried to squeeze in a shot but it took a partial deflection and Yerbury fell on the shot to claim it.
ODU’s Caprile, Vicini, Chapman, and Maldonado all played 90 minutes in the outfield. Aguilar played the full game in net and recorded two saves. Rourke finished the evening with three shots and two shots on target. Otu Bisong had a strong outing and finished with two shots and one shot on target. Chapman dished out two assists and Vicini, Wayland, and Rourke all got on the scoresheet.
UP NEXT:
ODU has two games remaining in its five-game homestand and will take on UMBC on Friday, September 11 at the ODU Soccer Complex.