Bucknell's Burgdorf, Kumah Earn Patriot League Honors - BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

Bucknell's Burgdorf, Kumah Earn Patriot League Honors

Freshman Duo Helps Bison Extend Winning Streak to Six

Brendan Burgdorf

Oct. 19, 2009

Video of Bucknell's Goals vs. Army video camera

Online Auction: Men's Soccer Official 1,000th Game Ball (ends Oct. 21)

LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell men's soccer team won twice more last week to extend its winning streak to six games, and freshmen Brendan Burgdorf (Westfield, N.J./The Pingry School) and CK Kumah (Accrah, Ghana/The Hotchkiss School) played starring roles. For their efforts, Burgdorf was named the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week on Monday, while Kumah earned Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors.

Last Tuesday the Bison went on the road and dealt Marquette a 2-1 double-overtime victory. In that win Burgdorf scored in the second half to give Bucknell a 1-0 lead, and after the Golden Eagles tied it late in regulation, Kumah scored the golden goal with two minutes left in the second overtime period.

Kumah's game-winner was a highlight-reel goal. He outran two Marquette players to the end line to the left of the goal, split the two defenders and from a sharp angle ricocheted a shot in off the far post. It was his third goal of the season and his second straight game-winner. One game earlier, he scored Bucknell's lone goal in a 1-0 win over Holy Cross.

In Saturday's 3-0 Patriot League road win over Army, Burgdorf assisted on Bucknell's first goal and scored the second for a three-point afternoon. In the 39th minute he threaded a pass between two defenders to Conor O'Brien, and the Bison captain buried his 10th goal of the season to make it a 1-0 game. Early in the second half, Burgdorf scored a similar goal to Kumah's against Marquette, but from the other side. He outworked two defenders and tiptoed along the end line before chipping a sharp-angled shot past the Black Knights' keeper.

Burgdorf now has four goals and an assist for nine points in his last four games. His 14 total points this season rank second in the Patriot League behind only his teammate O'Brien's 24, and his six goals are tied for the most among all Patriot League freshmen.

The six-match winning streak is Bucknell's longest since 1983, and it has upped the team's season record to 11-3. That is its best mark after 14 games since the 1974 team was 12-0-2. At 3-1 in the Patriot League, the Bison are in sole possession of second place, trailing only 4-0 American.

Bucknell has a big non-conference game at home on Wednesday against Penn State, then the Bison travel to Colgate on Saturday.