LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Kristina Kelley kicked off her senior season with a goal and junior Sydney Bruckner denied seven shots, but the Robert Morris University women's soccer team fell to Bucknell, 2-1 in overtime at Emmitt Field on Thursday afternoon.

Bison senior Gabby Blair scored the golden goal about five minutes into the first sudden-death session, darting into the right side of the Colonials' penalty area and ripping a shot inside the near post. Previous to that, RMU (0-1) had staunchly protected its goal throughout most of the program's 28th season opener.

"Defending, we did well," said 19th-year Colonials head coach John Kowalski. "We need to improve offensively."

The Colonials enjoyed a brief lead on a soggy day in central Pennsylvania, as team captain Kelley scored her 12th career NCAA goal by volleying a bouncing ball into the left side netting in the 32nd minute. With the strike, the native of nearby Halifax, Pa., moved into an eighth-place tie on the Colonials' all-time goal-scoring leaderboard. 

Less than two minutes later, however, Bucknell's Petie Nessetta lofted a long-range rebound over a boxed-in Bruckner to tie the score.

With conditions worsening as the rain continued to fall -- there was a 40-minute lightning delay midway through the first half -- it appeared a draw might be in the cards. Although Bucknell had advantages in shots (21-4) and corner kicks (14-1), RMU settled into a counterattacking style as the match wore along. 



Bruckner's performance was critical to the Colonials' ability to force overtime. Playing just an hour's drive from her hometown of Mechanicsburg, Pa., Bruckner showed off her vertical leap early in her 30th RMU start, punching two high drives away from the goal as Bucknell (1-0) started on the front foot. She also came up big on several Bison corners, frequently punching them clear to allow her teammates to regroup.

The Colonials nearly generated the go-ahead goal on a pair of occasions in the second half, but both times a through-ball found an attacker in an offside position. Playing through the whistle on the second of those chances, freshman forward Kayla Veloso-Lima hit the crossbar with her nullified shot.

Veloso-Lima was one of three freshman starters for RMU, along with defender Jordan Rosengrant and midfielder Sheridan Reid. Angela Van Damia, Colleen Sullivan, Gabriella Lecuona and Sofie Lien Fagereng also made their collegiate debuts, coming off the bench.

Robert Morris will open a three-game non-conference homestand Sunday when it hosts Purdue Fort Wayne. Kickoff against the Summit League's Mastodons is set for 1 p.m. at the North Athletic Complex.