Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Hobart
Bucknell Men's Lacrosse Squad Falls to Hobart 10-8 in Season Opener
2/25/2006 7:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
Feb. 25, 2006
HAVERFORD, Pa. - Bucknell freshman John Togneri (Longmeadow, Mass./Loomis-Chaffee) registered two goals and an assist in his collegiate debut, but it wasn't quite enough as the Bison fell to Hobart 10-8 at the Haverford School outside Philadelphia on Saturday afternoon.
In the season openers for both squads, Sean Murphy scored three times for Hobart, including a key insurance marker with four minutes remaining in a tight contest. Kirk Klett (Mt. Lebanon, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) and Steve Case (Bladwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) scored two goals each for Bucknell, which played its first game under new head coach Frank Fedorjaka, whose debut with the Bison came against his alma mater.
Murphy's second goal of the game gave Hobart a 7-4 lead in the opening minute of the fourth quarter, but the Bison mounted a furious rally. Freshman Doug Buckley (Wantagh, N.Y./Chaminade), Klett and Togneri all scored in succession just 2:46 apart to knot the game at 7-all.
The Statesmen won the ensuing faceoff, and David O'Quinn scored 32 seconds later to put Hobart right back on top. Daryl Veltman then followed with an EMO goal to make it 9-7. The persistent Bison pulled back within one on the first career goal from rookie Joe Mele (Westbury, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) with 5:03 to play, but Murphy finished a feed from O'Quinn with 4:02 left to seal it for the Statesmen.
Bucknell opened the scoring on Togneri's unassisted tally 1:54 into the game, but Hobart pocketed the next three goals and took a 4-2 lead into intermission after a turnover-filled first half from both sides.
Senior Matt Baran (Wilmington, Del./Tatnall School) made nine saves for the Bison, while Mike DeSantis stopped 12 shots for Hobart. The Statesmen outshot Bucknell 31-27, while ground balls were even at 36 apiece. Hobart won 13 of 22 faceoffs, including 6 of 9 in the fourth quarter.
The Bison, ranked 25th in the Inside Lacrosse Preseason Poll, host Mount St. Mary's in their home opener at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium on Tuesday at 4 p.m .
