Bucknell University Athletics
Cara, Sussman Listed Among NCAA Men's Lax Leaders
4/17/2002 8:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
April 17, 2002
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell freshman attackman Chris Cara (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford H.S.) and junior goalie Justin Sussman (Baltimore, Md./Friends Academy) are listed among the national men's lacrosse statistical leaders, according to the latest (Apr. 14) report issued by the NCAA.
Cara, who is coming off a dominating three-goal, four-assist showing in a 15-6 win over Colgate last Sunday, ranks seventh nationally in total scoring with an average of 4.36 points per game. Cara has 21 goals and 27 assists, and his 48 points are the fourth-most in the nation, trailing only Manhattan's Eugene Tanner (57), Hartford's Brian LoMastro (55) and Syracuse All-American Michael Powell (53).
Cara is tied with Powell for fifth place in assists per game at 2.45. The 27 assists are tied with Army's Tim Pearson for the most in the Patriot League this season, and Cara has moved into the top 10 on both the Bucknell and Patriot League single-season assist lists. He now ranks ninth on the Bucknell chart, 10 shy of record-holder Pete VonHoffmann. Cara joins Lehigh's Brad Baker and Lafayette's Jamie Murray in 10th place on the Patriot League single-season list, 12 short of Pearson's mark set last season.
Cara's 48 points are tied for ninth on Bucknell's all-time single-season list. He has also tied Pete VonHoffmann's record for points in a season by a freshman. VonHoffmann had 17 goals and 31 assists as a rookie in 1976.
Sussman lists sixth nationally in save percentage (.612) and 20th in goals-against average (8.90). The all-conference netminder has made 142 saves while yielding 90 goals in 11 games. Only Brown's Mike Levin and Albany's Kevin Rae, with 143, have more saves than Sussman.
Bucknell also ranks among the national team leaders in a pair of categories. Most notably, the Bison are fifth among all Division I teams in man-down defense, killing 46 of 55 (.836) penalties. The Herd's man-down numbers are even more impressive in Patriot League contests, as Bucknell as yielded only two goals in 25 man-down situations (.920). Bucknell has killed 19 straight penalties in league play and has allowed only one EMO goal in its last four games overall.
The Bison also rank 20th nationally in scoring defense, allowing 8.73 goals per game.
Bucknell (5-6 overall, 4-1 Patriot League) is next in action on Tuesday, Apr. 23 at Penn State at 7:30 p.m. The Bison are currently tied with Hobart for first place in the Patriot League.
