LEWISBURG, Pa. — Occidental College faced a challenging weekend at the Bucknell Invitational, experiencing three tough losses against Villanova, Siena College, and La Salle.

In the first match on Saturday, Occidental fell to Villanova 25-8. Villanova took control early, scoring 10 goals in the first quarter, with Ella Mattocks netting twice within the first two minutes. Riley Hull added two more goals, and the Wildcats ended the first quarter leading 10-0. 

Occidental finally got on the board in the second quarter when Talia Thomas scored, but Villanova's offense remained dominant, highlighted by a penalty goal from Mattocks. 

In the third quarter, Occidental showed some resilience, netting four goals, including one from Victoria Duncan, to make it 21-6 by the end of the period. Villanova maintained its dominance in the final quarter, with Tessa Pettit scoring, securing a decisive 25-8 victory. 

Hannah Lee and Thomas each scored twice, leading the offensive efforts for the Tigers. Estella Gray and Mia Colabianchi both added a goal on their only shot attempt. Rachel Khavinson and Duncan also contributed with a goal apiece, rounding out the scoring for the team.

Later that same day, Occidental fell to Siena with a final score of 18-6. The Tigers managed three power-play goals and two penalty shots but struggled to keep pace with Siena's offensive output. Siena started strong as Catherine Williamson scored in the first quarter. 

Ruby Vogel from Occidental briefly leveled the score before Siena went on a four-goal run, including a penalty shot by Quincy Frommelt and two additional goals by Williamson, ending the first quarter 5-1. The New Yorkers maintained their momentum in the second quarter, extending the lead to 7-1. Occidental managed to find the back of the net three times in the second quarter, narrowing the gap to 8-4 by halftime. 

In the third quarter, Siena pulled further ahead with goals from Currie and Williamson, making it 12-5. Siena dominated the fourth quarter, scoring six more times and securing an 18-6 victory over the Tigers. 

Isabella Wilde led the Occidental offense by converting both of her shot attempts into goals. Vogel contributed a goal while taking three shots in the contest. Estella Gray added to the scoring efforts with a goal on two attempts, and Lucy Worden also found the back of the net, scoring once on her two shots.

On Sunday, Occidental faced La Salle, falling 8-4. La Salle began strongly, with Paige Mitchell scoring the opening goal in the first quarter and extending the lead to 2-0 early in the second quarter. Occidental responded with a goal from Lucy Worden, cutting the lead to 2-1. Andi Moriarity's goal later in the second quarter restored La Salle's two-goal advantage, making it 3-1 at halftime. 

Occidental mounted a comeback in the third quarter with three consecutive goals, including a last-second score by Worden, to take a 4-3 lead. However, La Salle dominated the final quarter, scoring five unanswered goals, with Allie Hollo and Grace Smith each contributing to the scoring surge. 

La Salle secured an 8-4 victory, maintaining a perfect shooting percentage with eight goals on eight shots. Worden led the Tigers with two goals on two shots, demonstrating precision in her efforts. 

Mia Colabianchi contributed by winning two sprints, providing valuable possession opportunities. Isabella Wilde also found the back of the net, converting her only shot attempt into a goal. Hannah Lee added to the scoreboard, scoring on a single shot during the game. 

The Tigers are back in action on Saturday, February 21 to take on Caltech in Pasadena before the home opener against La Verne on February 25. Read Full Article