Flashback Classic! Bravo GK legend Claire Pinciaro's explosive set looking like a near mirror image of Tim Howard's!
Bravo GK Earns Honors
Bucknell junior goalkeeper and longtime Bravo GK Jenna Hall has been named to the United Soccer Coaches All-North Region Third Team. Hall, the 2022 Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year who helped lead the Bison to a second straight conference championship, earned her first All-Region honor.
Defense was the key to Bucknell's success this fall, as Hall and the Bison conceded only two goals in their final 10 matches against conference opponents, including shutouts of Boston University and Army in the Patriot League Tournament semifinals and championship. Both of those postseason games went to penalty kicks, and Hall made a key save to set up Rylee Donaldson's clinching PK in the final at top-seeded Army.
Hall, who was named to the Patriot League All-Tournament Team for the second straight year, blanked Ohio State for the first 106 minutes in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, before the Buckeyes finally broke the scoreless deadlock deep into the second overtime period.
Hall finished the season as the Patriot League leader in goals-against average (0.64), save percentage (.872), and shutouts (9). Her 0.64 GAA obliterated the school record of 0.82 by Jessica Ratner in 2015. Hall's .872 save percentage ranks second in school history, just behind Becky Snover's .877 mark set in 1995.
Hall's nine shutouts were third-most in a season at Bucknell, and her 17 career shutouts now rank third all-time, just five behind Ratner's 22. Ratner, a Second Team selection in 2016, and Hall are the only two Bucknell goalkeepers to earn All-Region honors.As a team, Bucknell recorded one of its best defensive seasons in school history. The Bison tied the school record with 11 team shutouts and conceded only 15 goals in 20 games.The other goalkeepers on the All-North Region Team were Michigan State's Lauren Kozal (First Team) and Purdue Fort Wayne's Samantha Castaneda (Second Team).Bucknell finished 8-6-6 overall and 5-1-3 in the Patriot League this season. The Bison captured back-to-back Patriot League championships for the second time in team history and made their sixth NCAA Tournament appearance.
Bravo Legend and Georgetown GK Allie Augur has been named Big East GK of the Year for 2022 and to the Big East First Team.
Long time Bravo GK and 4-year Sacred Heart starter Elyssa Kipperman has been named NEC GK of the Year and NEC Defensive Player of the Year for 2022.
Juice!
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Marist senior and 10+ year Bravo GK Natalie Kelchner has always been very good with her feet. In this video she can be seen using textbook tactics on the backpass. She showed for the defender and opened up outside the goal to give a safer passing option, then squared up in the path and invited the oncoming pressure. A small pivot and touch toward the middle to bait the onrushing forward to bite, then a quick sweep square and wide to find her passing options and leave the pressing player on the ground!
Flashback!
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Coach Paul with Alyssa Naeher at u14
c. 2001 at ODP ID camp at URI
Advanced Defensive Tactics
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On free kicks just outside the top of the box, defending teams have started laying a player on the ground behind the wall with their back to the ball before the shot. This allows the wall to jump to make it more difficult for the shooter to get over the wall, without allowing the shooter to sneak it under the wall and on goal. Do you have enough control over your penalty area to accomplish this? Likely not without the coach's backing!
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
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Bravo keeper Alyssa Naeher has won the 2019 Women's World Cup! She was the hero against England in the semi final, making a top corner save in the first half, and saving a late penalty kick to preserve a 2-1 win! This makes her third World Cup Winners Medal, after being the backup in 2015, and she won the u20 World Cup receiving the Gold Glove award for best GK. This Seymour, CT native also wears the #1 jersey for the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL. She was a long term student of Coach Paul from 13 years old until she left for Penn State, completing 2300 hours of training together in that time.
