Bucknell University Athletics
Several Men's Lacrosse Players Rank Among Nations Leaders
3/29/2001 7:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
March 29, 2001
Lewisburg, Pa. - The Bucknell men's lacrosse team, which is currently ranked 13th in the nation, has several players making noise on the national level. In the first 2001 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse statistical report, released March 25, Bucknell has three individuals ranked as well as being ranked in several team categories.
Sophomore Dennis Geraghty (Kings Park, N.Y./St. Anthony's) has been on a goal-scoring tear the last five games with 21 tallies. Through seven games of the season, Geraghty is averaging 3.43 goals per game, which is the fifth best average in the nation. His most impressive outing thus far was a five goal, one assist effort in the Herd's 14-9 victory over Lafayette.
Dominating the face-off circle this season for the Orange and Blue has been junior Brian Loesch (Baldwin, N.Y./Kellenberg). Loesch is ranked as the 15th best face-off guy in the country with a 56.9% win percentage. In the Maryland contest, Loesch was solid for the Orange and Blue winning 11 out of 12 face-offs against multiple Terrapin players and scooping up 12 ground balls. Loesch is also amongst the nation's leaders in ground balls per game. Through the first seven contests Loesch is averaging 5.43 ground balls per game, which ranks him 18th in the nation.
Serving as the backbone of the Bucknell defense in 2001 has been sophomore goalkeeper Justin Sussman (Towson, Md./Friends School). Sussman is ranked with the nations best keepers in both save percentage and goals-against average. His 62.7% save percentage is 13th best in the country while is goals-against average of 7.29 is the ninth lowest average in Division I men's lacrosse.
As a team, the Bison are ranked in the top 20 in all seven major statistical categories. Bucknell is 15th in scoring offense with 11.43 goals per game and compliments that with the 11th ranked scoring defense at 7.57 goals per game. The Orange and Blue are 17th in face-off winning percentage with a 54.4% win percentage. In penalty situations the Herd as been splendid on both offense and defense. Bucknell's man-up offense is fifth in the country with a 39.4% success percentage (13/33). Man-down defense is tight this season, shutting down the opposing team 82.9% of the time, which is third best in nation. BU has one of the best winning percentages in the country and also has the ninth best scoring margin of +3.86 goals.
The Herd will continue the 2001 ledger with a conference match-up this Saturday, March 31, at 1:00 p.m. versus the Hobart Statesmen. Bucknell is 6-2 overall and 3-0 in the Patriot League while the visiting Statesmen are 3-0 overall and 2-0 in the Patriot League.
