Tigers topple Bucknell

Sometimes change can be just the spark a team needs to succeed. This was the case for the men's soccer team, as it defeated Bucknell, 1-0, on Wednesday to snap a two-game losing streak.

Princeton (4-3-2 overall, 0-1 Ivy League) had lost its two previous games by only a single goal, and its game against Bucknell (7-2-2) was the last of six straight road games.

The Tiger lineup featured many young or new faces, including freshman striker Ben Harms — whose game-winning goal against the Bison was the first of his college career — and sophomore goalkeeper Joe Walter, who pitched a clean sheet in his first career collegiate start. Freshman forward Dion Bubar-Hall, in his first playing time at Princeton, recorded the assist on Harms' goal.

The deciding strike came in the 30th minute when Harms completed a give-and-go play with Bubar-Hall that originated from midfield. Struck with the right foot, the ball sailed into the lower left-hand corner past the outstretched gloves of the Bucknell goalkeeper, Joey Kuterbach.

Princeton was outshot for the game, 8-7, but was able to place three strikes on target to Bucknell's one. Senior stalwart Jame Wunsch and junior Matt Kontos anchored the Tiger defense, which deserves much praise for thwarting the Bison attack. Though the overall shot totals were nearly even, the majority of the game was played in Bucknell's half of the field.

While Princeton ended a losing streak, Bucknell had been 7-0-1 for the month of September, and had not been held scoreless since losing to West Virginia on Aug. 29. It was Bucknell's longest unbeaten streak since 1974.

The first scoring opportunity of the game came in the fifth minute, when a Bubar-Hall shot from outside challenged Kuterbach, who successfully made the save.

Bucknell's most dangerous sequence came in the 11th and 12th minutes. Striker Alex Russo headed a free kick from defender Matt Hittson off the crossbar, and Hittson placed a shot of his own over the goal following a Bucknell corner kick. But this early opportunity proved to be the best opportunity that the Bison would see during the game.

Princeton's next chance came in the 27th minute, as junior forward Kyle McHugh forced the Bucknell keeper to make the second of his two saves.

The second half saw good defense by both teams. Princeton managed only four shots — none on target — while Bucknell fired only three. Walter's only save of the evening came in the 49th minute.

Bucknell did not record a single shot after the 58th minute, while a blocked strike by freshman forward Max Hare in the 68th minute proved to be the final strike for the game for Princeton.

The last opportunity for either team came with a Bucknell corner kick in the 85th minute, but the Tiger defense prevented a shot attempt. For the match, Bucknell recorded three corner kicks to Princeton's two.