Courtesy of Bucknell Athletics
PROVIDENCE, R.I. –Zane Domsohn's late first-half goal gave the Bison life heading into the second half, but No. 25 Providence prevailed 2-1 with early goals by Aidan Davock and Israel Neto in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at rain-soaked Chapey Field on Thursday Night.
The Friars stunned an energetic Bison early with two brilliant goals in the first 32 minutes of play before Domsohn got one back just before the break. Cade Whitmire gave the Friars a scare in the final seconds but could not get enough of his foot to the ball to trouble the keeper. Bucknell's incredible turnaround season comes to an end with a 7-7-6 overall record and a Patriot League championship after finishing last season at the bottom of the table. The Bison were back in the Patriot League Tournament for the first time since 2019, they won their first league title since 2014. The only other team to finish this season with a conference title after finishing in last place in 2023 was North Florida in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
It was a cold, rainy night in Providence. Both sides looked to find their footing on the wet surface, but it was sloppy play to begin. The Friars played balls over Bucknell's back line early to get in behind, and it was Davock who produced a special moment for the home team in the 12th minute. Kavin Costaneda sent Davock down the wing with a long ball, and Davock cut onto his right foot before curling a beautiful effort past a diving Freddie Lapworth.
The Friars then doubled their advantage with another great goal 32 minutes in. Neto received a pass in space on the attack and tried his luck from 25 yards out. His strike ripped into the top left corner to give Providence a 2-0 lead.
Providence held the majority of possession, but a relentless press gave the Bison opportunities on the ball in the attacking third. Several times, the Bison strung passes together nicely, but could not make the final connection.
The big moment for the Bison to get back in the game came in the 43rd minute. Mason Lillis, a fresh substitution, dispossessed Providence and quickly found Domsohn darting towards the box. Domsohn couldn't quite control the ball with his initial touch, but he gathered himself nicely for a precise finish to the bottom corner to make it 2-1 with his eighth career goal.
It was all Providence in the second half as the Bison tried for an equalizer. The Friars had several great chances to put the game away, but could not get past Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year Freddie Lapworth for a third time. Davock, a Colgate transfer, caused the Bison problems all night, nearly netting his second goal of the match with a powerful header that shook the crossbar just seven minutes into the half. The forward again got in behind the back line 10 minutes later, but Lapworth came out and got big to make a great stop on the breakaway. Lapworth finished with six saves, making more big stops in the 68th and 73rd minutes.
The Bison nearly found its equalizer in the 69th minute through Drew Roskos. The freshman found a pocket of space outside the box and fired a shot at goalkeeper Lukas Burns. The slick ball slipped out of Burns' hands and hit the post before bouncing back into his grasp.
Whitmire almost produced the biggest moment of the season, tracking down a cross in the final seconds of the match. The ball skipped past a sliding Whitmire, who could only manage a touch on the ball before safely heading into the goalkeeper's arms.
The Bison stayed close with one of the top-ranked teams in the nation. The Friars, who lost to Georgetown in the Big East title match last week, outshot the Bison 12-11 and 8-6 on target. Providence advances to the second round where it will meet defending national champion Clemson on Sunday evening.
This was the final match for Waldemar Kattrup, Aidan Lawlor, Nick Prime, and Jack Roberto, a celebrated senior class who