Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Denver
Backup Goalie Lifts No. 17 Denver Past Bucknell Men's Lax, 11-8
4/16/2006 8:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
April 16, 2006
DENVER, Colo. -- Brett Koll scored three goals and reserve goalie Austin Konkel came off the bench to make 13 saves while allowing only one goal over the final 34 minutes to lead No. 17 Denver to an 11-8 victory over Bucknell on Sunday afternoon.
Kirk Klett (Mt. Lebanon, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) scored three goals, Joe Mele (Westbury, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) had two and Nick Marks (Barrington, Ill./Salisbury School) had a goal and two assists for the Bison (5-7), who were coming off a 7-6 win at Air Force on Friday night. Denver (9-4) improved to 9-0 at home this season.
The Bison led 7-6 at the end of a frenetic first half, but the Pioneers outscored them 5-1 in the second half. Konkel was a major reason why. The freshman replaced starter Jeb Hollingsworth after Klett gave Bucknell a 7-5 lead with 4:24 left in the first half. He made two saves late in the first half, then 11 more over the final 30 minutes.
Koll tied the game at 7-7 with 9:12 left in the third quarter, but two minutes later Bucknell's Andrew Goodhand (Sandy, Utah/Juan Diego) collected a loose ball and scored his first career goal before a scrambling Konkel could get back to the crease.
The lead lasted less than three minutes, however, as Bucknell turned the ball over on a clear near midfield, and Ryan Zordani picked up one of his three assists on the day, feeding Koll for a shot from close range.
The Pioneers took the lead on Adam Goodwin's man-up goal with 13:53 remaining, and another EMO goal, this one from Koll after a crossing pass from Todd Ruport, made it 10-8 with 7:33 left. Denver added another insurance goal with 2:20 to play. With Bucknell forced to double-team the ball, Koll found Brad Richardson, who scored with an underhand shot to make it 11-8.
Denver scored the game's first two goals, but the Bison fought back to tie it on an EMO goal by Marks, off an assist from Perry Menzies (Upperco, Md./Hereford), and a tally by Klett.
The Bison took their first lead of the day with 11:30 left in the second quarter on a highlight reel goal by Mele. The freshman, who reached the 20-goal plateau on the season, picked up a loose ball in an unsettled situation to the left of the goal, and with his momentum carrying him away from the net, he planted and fired a laser to the upper right corner of the net.
Mike Thon (Rochester, N.Y./Penfield) gave Bucknell a 5-4 lead with 9:37 left in the half, but 19 seconds later Rory Shepard scored into an empty net from 60 yards away with the Bison in a 10-man ride.
Mele and Klett answered with two straight for Bucknell to make it 7-5, but that's when Denver made the goalie switch that ulitmately changed the game's momentum.
Klett's hat trick was his second in as many games on the Colorado road trip, and he also reached 20 goals on the season. Marks entered the game with just one career assist but had two against Denver.
The Pioneers outshot Bucknell 38-36 and dominated in the faceoff department. Geoff Snider, ranked second nationally in faceoff percentage, won 17 of 23 draws, including 7 of 8 in the second half.
Despite allowing the empty-net goal in the first half, Bucknell's 10-man ride was effective, as Denver went just 16-for-33 on clears.
The Bison have two regular-season games remaining, Wednesday night at Penn State and next Sunday at home against Colgate. With victories by Lehigh and Colgate this weekend, Bucknell was eliminated from Patriot League Tournament contention.
