Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Men's Lacrosse Re-Enters National Rankings at No. 20
3/20/2006 7:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
March 20, 2006
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Fresh off a pair of thrilling sudden-death overtime victories last week, including one against No. 1 Maryland on Tuesday, the Bucknell men's lacrosse team has moved into the USILA national lacrosse rankings this week at No. 20.
The Bison are now 3-3 on the season and are ranked in the coaches' poll for the first time in 2006. In College Park on Tuesday, freshman Joe Mele (Westbury, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) scored his third goal of the day with nine seconds remaining in double overtime to give Bucknell a 7-6 win over the top-ranked Terps. It was the first time in program history that the Bison defeated the nation's No. 1 team. Last season, Bucknell topped No. 2 Navy in Lewisburg, also in overtime.
Bucknell followed up the Maryland win with yet another sudden-death road victory, this one a low-scoring 4-3 decision at Holy Cross on Saturday. Sophomore Nick Marks (Barrington, Ill./Salisbury School) pocketed the game-winner in overtime, one of his three goals on the day.
Bucknell is one of three Patriot League schools in the top 20, with Navy ranked No. 8 and Colgate, which defeated Navy on Saturday, ranked No. 18. Two other PL teams, Lehigh and Army, also garnered votes this week.
With Maryland vacating the top spot after its loss to Bucknell, Virginia is now ranked No. 1 in the poll, followed by Duke, Cornell, Maryland and Hofstra. Georgetown, Princeton, Navy, Johns Hopkins and Massachusetts round out the top 10.
After a grueling four-game road trip that included games in Pittsburgh, San Diego, College Park, Md., and Worcester, Mass., the Bison finally return home on Tuesday night to take on 14th-ranked Penn at 7 p.m. The Quakers are 5-0 on the season.
