Anna Cunningham found the back of the net in the 74th minute to break a 2-2 tie, Courtney Bosse registered two goals and an assist, and St. Bonaventure (1-0) went on to a 3-2 season-opening win over visiting Bucknell (0-1), Saturday at McGraw-Jennings Field.

Cunningham and Bosse connected for the second time in the game in the 74th minute when Bosse found Cunningham at the top of the box. With a defender on her back, Cunningham turned and fired high and just inside the right post for the game-winner. She also assisted on the game’s first goal to pick up her 20th helper and move into a third-place tie on St. Bonaventure’s all-time assists ledger with Keri Guminey ‘00.

The win marked the Bonnies’ the third time in five seasons and second year in a row with a 1-0 start under head coach Manoj Khettry.

“I was really impressed with the heart that we showed overall,” said Khettry of his team’s come-from-behind surge. After a 1-1 first half, the Bison took a one-goal lead on Kayla Yee’s putback with 24 minutes left in the game. Just three minutes later, however, St. Bonaventure junior Alyssa Lapp fed a pass to Bosse, who turned to score with a defender behind to knot the score at two.

The Bonnies controlled the pace of play for much of the game, helped at the back by a solid outing from freshman keeper Kathryn Kerkman. Kerkman faced 15 shots and made six saves, including several from close-range to snuff out scoring chances for Bucknell.

Cunningham and Bosse put together a run on St. Bonaventure’s first tally of the game in the seventh minute. Cunningham’s sliding through-ball to Bosse at the far post staked the home side to a 1-0 lead.

Bucknell evened the score in the 24th minute behind an evasive goal from Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year Christa Matlack. In the second half Matlack put a ball on net from 30 yards out that Yee collected and sent home to give the Bison a 2-1 cushion.

St. Bonaventure, who improves to 12-5 at McGraw-Jennings Field in the last two seasons, hits the road to take on DePaul in another non-conference matchup August 23.

Notes
The Bonnies led a group of approximately 30 Special Olympians in a clinic prior to the game… Director of Compliance Brian Stavisky served as the game administrator … Director of Marketing and Promotions Lance Brennan drew duties as public address announcer … Faculty Athletics Representative Dr. Denny Wilkins and head Strength & Conditioning coach Darryn Fiske were also in attendance … Khettry substituted freely during the game … “We have some quality and some depth” he said on his use of alternates throughout the game. “We were able to sub in a lot of players who played quality minutes. All of the subs who came in and played really did a good job and gave us a spark” … On season-openers, Khettry added, “No matter how much you practice or train the pressure of a first game always takes its toll on you.”