Bucknell University Athletics
Exciting Weekend on Tap for Bucknell Athletics Teams
4/22/2004 8:00:00 AM | General
April 22, 2004
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell University campus is the place to be for college sports enthusiasts this weekend, with a jam-packed docket of events on tap. Six Bison teams are in action at home, and most of the contests have major postseason implications attached to them.
The women's water polo team gets the weekend rolling on Friday when the Eastern Championships come to Kinney Natatorium for the first time. The event brings together the top 12 teams in the Collegiate Water Polo Association in a battle for an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship. The Orange and Blue enter the tournament as the eighth seed, marking the highest seed the squad has ever earned. BU will face ninth-seeded Wagner at 1:10 p.m. on Friday in the first game of the championship, and play will continue through Sunday afternoon.
On Saturday afternoon, the Bison lacrosse and diamond teams take the field for critical Patriot League matchups. At 1 p.m., the men's lacrosse team hosts Colgate at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium in what amounts to a "do-or-die" contest for the Bison. A victory over the Raiders in the regular-season finale would put Bucknell in the four-team Patriot League Tournament, while a loss would end the Herd's season. Bucknell currently sits in fifth place with a 3-3 record, one game back of Army and Colgate. The Bison can move up to the No. 3 spot with a win and an Army loss to Hobart on Saturday. If Bucknell and Army both win, BU will be the No. 4 seed and have to travel to Annapolis, Md., to face tourney host Navy, currently ranked second in the nation. Bucknell features the nation's leading scorer in junior Chris Cara, who has 69 points (32 goals, 37 assists) on the season, 10 shy of the school and league record.
At the same time on Saturday, the Bison women's lacrosse team will host Lehigh in the final regular-season contest at Graham Field. While Bucknell's postseason hopes do not ride on this game - the Bison are locked into the No. 3 seed - coach Randall Flynn and her troops will be doing some scoreboard watching. American and Colgate, both 5-0 in the league and tied for first place, clash head-to-head in Hamilton, N.Y. The winner of that game will claim the No. 1 seed and host the Patriot League Tournament, while the loser will be the No. 2 seed and play the Bison in the semifinals.
Both lacrosse games will feature pregame Senior Day ceremonies. Nine seniors will suit up at home for the final time in the women's game at Graham Field, while head men's coach Sid Jamieson honors five members of the Class of 2004.
Like the men's lax squad, Bucknell's baseball and softball teams find themselves in "must-win" situations this weekend. The baseball team hosts Holy Cross for doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday, beginning at noon each day. The softball team also entertains the Crusaders, with twin bills starting at 1 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday.
Three teams qualify for the Patriot League baseball playoffs, and Bucknell enters the final regular-season weekend in a tie for third place with Lehigh at 7-9, with Navy one game back at 6-10. The good news for the Bison is that they took 3 of 4 from both Lehigh and Navy and own tiebreakers over both. Still, Bucknell must play well against Holy Cross (5-11) this weekend while keeping a close eye on Lehigh at home against Lafayette (9-7) and Navy at home against first-place Army (14-2). Bucknell is the defending Patriot League champion.
 Kris Devore and the softball squad hosts Holy Cross this weekend.  |
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The Bison softball squad must take 3 of 4 from Holy Cross to qualify for the four-team Patriot League Tournament. Entering the weekend Holy Cross sits in fourth place at 5-11, while the Bison are just one game back at 4-12. Lehigh (14-2), Army (12-4) and Colgate (11-5) have already punched their postseason tickets.
The baseball and softball teams will be handling their Senior Day festivities prior to Sunday's doubleheaders.
Wrapping up Saturday's busy slate is the annual Orange & Blue spring football game at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Tim Landis' team will play offense vs. defense, with a special scoring system in place to determine the winner.
Not to be forgotten this weekend are the Bucknell outdoor track and field teams, the men's golf team and the women's crew, who have big events away from campus. Jim Cotner's golfers, coming off a win at the St. Peter's Peacock Invitational on Tuesday, are in Hamilton, N.Y., for the Patriot League Championship. Colgate hosts the 54-hole event Saturday and Sunday at Seven Oaks GC.
About 20 members of the Bison track and field teams are at the prestigious Penn Relays at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, while other members of the squad will be at the College of New Jersey Invitational. Women's Crew will compete Sunday at the Patriot League Challenge on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Mass.
The Bison Sports Network is scheduled to carry four of this weekend's events live on the air. Friday's women's water polo game against Wagner will be aired on the Internet only at www.BucknellBison.com. Saturday's men's lacrosse game and spring football game, and Sunday's softball doubleheader will air on both the Internet and on WMLP 1380-AM in Lewisburg. Doug Birdsong will call all of the action.
With the exception of the water polo championship, all Bucknell home events this weekend are free of charge. Admission to the water polo event is $5 a day or $12 for the entire weekend. Admission for Bucknell students and staff with an appropriate ID is $3 per day or $5 for the weekend. Children under 12 are admitted free of charge.
