The Bucknell women’s soccer team clinched their second consecutive Patriot League Championship in a defensive battle versus Army, ultimately prevailing 3-1 in penalty kicks after a 0-0 tie.

Jenna Hall ’24 made key saves throughout 110 minutes of intense soccer and penalty kicks, anchoring the stout defense to another clutch performance.

Hall had six saves in her ninth shutout of the season (the team’s 11th). The performance lowered Hall’s season goals-against average to 0.62, which leads the Patriot League. This was the sixth shutout in their last seven games, largely due to Hall’s efforts.

The 11 shutouts on the season tie a school record, and proves to show that the defense of the squad is as good as ever. This was just one of many outstanding performances for Hall, as her efforts throughout the regular season earned her Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year honors.

The junior star did not stop her streak of dominant performances in the regular season, as Hall posted consecutive shutouts in the Bison’s two postseason games. 

When looking at their composure in this close battle, Hall attributed their previous games leading up to the championship for the way they were able to execute. 

“We knew how tired we were going to be when it got late in this game,” Hall said. “A lot of our games last year in our championship run last year as well as our semifinal game this year prepared us for that. Knowing how it felt to be in penalty kicks helped us a lot because it wasn’t new stress for us.”

Although winning the championship is nothing new for Hall and the Bison, being able to win the Patriot League tournament this year was still an exuberant feeling for the Orange and the Blue. 

“We were all so happy all the hard work we put in finally paid off,” she said. “It was a feeling we all took in because we knew it meant all the long nights and early mornings were worth it.” 

Hall and the Bison are slated to face six-seeded Ohio State in the first round of the NCAA tournament Friday Nov. 11 at 6 p.m. at Jesse Owens Memorial stadium. 

“We’re going to have the same mentality this game but try to put less stress on ourselves. We know that we are going to have to play our game and we know our strengths because of what we have gone through this year—so this game is going to be more about fun and enjoying the moment,” Hall said. 

This is the team’s sixth NCAA tournament appearance in school history, and they have already shown time and again that if anyone is going to defy the odds, it will be them.

If the Patriot League Champions can continue the momentum they have built throughout the past weeks, they prove to be a dangerous underdog throughout this tournament.