Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Places Three Players on 2002 Women's Lacrosse All-Patriot League Team
4/26/2002 8:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
April 26, 2002
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell senior Melissa Montefusco (Chatham, N.J./Chatham), and juniors Suzanne Raffaele (Springfield, Pa./Archmere Academy) and Nicole Kallis (Stevensville, Md./St. Mary's) have been named to the 2002 women's lacrosse All-Patriot League Team. Montefusco and Raffaele represented the Bison on the league's first-team, while Kallis was a member of the second-team. The all-league team and major individual award winners were announced at a banquet held by the Patriot League in conjunction with the 2002 women's lacrosse tournament at Lafayette on Friday evening.
The duo of Montefusco and Raffaele marks the first time in Bucknell women's lacrosse history that the Bison have had two representatives on the first-team.
Montefusco makes her third-straight appearance on the all-league team and her first on the first-team. A co-captain this season, Montefusco ended her career as the all-time Bucknell assist leader with 72 helpers, 30 more than the second spot on the list. In addition, she will graduate as the Patriot League record holder in the same category, passing the old mark of 66 set six years ago. This season alone she set career-highs in goals and assists, scoring 25 times and assisting on a Bucknell single-season record of 26. At the conclusion of BU's season, Montefusco was ranked eighth in the nation in assists per game with 1.73. In a game against Niagara, the midfielder had one of the best games in the nation in 2002, scoring seven goals and adding five assists for 12 points. She finishes her career with 122 points, good enough for sixth on the Orange and Blue all-time list.
Raffaele appears on the all-league squad for her third-straight year as well, making her first showing on the first-team. The 2000 Patriot League Rookie of the Year, Raffaele has been a solid contributor for the last three seasons. The forward came back from knee surgery in the off-season to start the first game of the year and tally four goals in her first contest back. Raffaele finished her junior campaign with career-bests in goals, assists and points, leading the team in the goals category with 37. She ended the season with 104 career goals, placing her fourth on the Bucknell all-time goals scored list. With 123 career points entering her final season, Raffaele stands in fifth-place on the BU all-time list.
Kallis makes her third-straight appearance on the All-Patriot League second team after earning the honor the past two years. Serving as the only Bison goalkeeper this season, Kallis played all 906:00 minutes of the year. She recorded 197 saves in 15 games for a .604 save percentage, ranking her third in the country in that category. In addition, Kallis' 8.54 goals against average was the 10th-best average in the nation. With 542 career saves through three seasons, Kallis will enter her final year in fifth place on the Bucknell all-time list.
Bucknell finished its season at 6-9 overall and 1-5 in the Patriot League.
