Bucknell University
Colgate
12th-Ranked Bison Men's Lax Holds Off Colgate 10-8 in Regular-Season Finale
4/23/2005 8:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
April 23, 2005
HAMILTON, N.Y. - Steve Case scored the tiebreaking goal with 3:36 to play and Chris Cara added a late insurance goal for his fifth point of the day to lift No. 12 Bucknell to a 10-8 victory over a resilient Colgate squad Saturday afternoon at Tyler's Field.
With the victory, Bucknell finishes the regular season with a record of 8-4 overall, 5-1 in the Patriot League, and the Bison join Navy and Army in a three-way tie atop the league standings. Based on a rarely-needed goal differential tiebreaker, Navy has secured the No. 1 seed at next weekend's Patriot League Tournament and will play either Lehigh or Lafayette at 2 p.m. Friday at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium in Annapolis, Md. Approximately 45 minutes after the conclusion of that contest, third-seeded Bucknell will face second-seeded Army.
Bucknell seemingly had Colgate put away early in this one, as the Bison streaked to a 7-2 second-quarter lead. But the Raiders scored twice just before halftime then potted the only three third-quarter goals to tie the game at 7-all.
With the game tied at 8, Cara found Case open in front of the net for the game-winner, Case's second goal of the day. Cara, who finished with two goals and three assists and hit the 60-point plateau for the second-straight season, scored into an empty net with 1:42 to play to make it 10-8.
Senior faceoff specialist Ryan Goodman was one of the stars of the day for the Bison. Goodman won 11 of 20 faceoffs, including three critical draws in the fourth quarter, and he finished with a career-high 10 ground balls in the game.
Case, Cara, Nick Marks and Kirk Klett all scored two goals each for Bucknell. For Colgate, Matt Lalli had two goals and three assists, while Brendan Hurley and Brian Robinson each registered two goals and one assist.
Five different Bison scored in the first period to help Bucknell to a 5-2 lead. Patrick Christensen opened the scoring just 38 seconds in, and after Robinson tied it, Klett, Case and Marks scored in succession for a 4-1 lead. Brian Gargan made it 5-2 after 15 minutes.
Klett and Marks scored unassisted goals to make it 7-2 midway through the second period, but the Bison would not score again for another 24:55 as the Raiders made a stunning comeback. Lalli and Hurley made it 7-4 at the half, and Hurley, Lalli and Robinson scored during a third period in which Colgate outshot Bucknell 15-6.
Cara scored his first goal of the day coming from behind the net 1:54 into the fourth quarter to make it 8-7 Bucknell. The Bison went down a man inside seven minutes to play and Baran made a big save, one of 12 on the day, but Jeff Hiller connected with Robert Trasolini for the tying goal moments later.
Goodman won the ensuing faceoff and Colgate goalie Andrew Jarolimek made a key save on Klett with 4:41 left. The Bison defense came up with a turnover, which led to Case's game-winner.
Bucknell outshot Colgate 42-38 and defeated the Raiders for the seventh straight year, although only four goals have separated the teams in the last three meetings.
Cara, who entered the game as the leading scorer in Division I lacrosse, upped his season point total to 62, which is fifth best in school history. He now has 31 career assists and joins Bucknell Hall of Famer Pete von Hoffmann as the only two Bison to record four 30-assist seasons in a career. Cara has 132 career assists and is closing in on von Hoffmann's Bucknell record 138.
Christensen's goal against Colgate was the 89th of his career, moving him into sole possession of fifth place on Bucknell's career list.
The Bison have reached eight victories in a season for the seventh time in school history and first time since 2003.
The Bison will next look to avenge a heartbreaking 7-6 loss to Army back on Apr. 9 at West Point. The Black Knights are currently ranked seventh nationally.
