April 13, 2009
Live video streaming on Bison Vision 
Live stats on GameTracker 
LEWISBURG, Pa. - For the first time all season, the Bucknell women's lacrosse team finds itself trying to snap a losing streak. The Bison have dropped back-to-back contests to Le Moyne and Colgate, both on the road, and now they bring a 9-5 record into Tuesday's non-league game against Marist (4 p.m., Graham Field).
Saturday's 12-7 setback at Colgate cost Bucknell a chance to host the Patriot League Tournament, but the Bison have locked up a tourney berth and can still garner the No. 2 seed with a win over Navy at home on Saturday.
Marist, the defending champion in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, brings a 7-4 mark into Tuesday's game. The contest will air live on Bison Vision, with Doug Birdsong on the call.
Scouting Marist:
The Red Foxes have dropped two straight games to fall to 7-4 overall and 2-2 in the MAAC. Most recently, Marist fell 15-9 at home to Colgate on Apr. 7 in a rematch of the 2008 NCAA play-in game, which was also won by Colgate.
Marist began the season 6-1, including a season-opening 18-14 win over Lafayette. The Red Foxes have also beaten St. Bonaventure (11-10) and Davidson (11-9), two teams that Bucknell conquered earlier in the year.
Stephanie Garland leads the team in scoring with 42 goals and 10 assists for 52 points. Other top scorers include Cristin Begley (20-10-30), Kate Noftsker (18-11-29), Lauren Ciccerello (14-8-22) and Carolyn Sumcizk (10-9-19). Ciccerello leads the team in ground balls (27) and draw controls (28).
While Marist averages 13.4 goals per game, defensively the Red Foxes allow 11.8 per game. Goalie Kelsey Thoms has seen most of the action this season and has a .411 save percentage and an 11.51 goals-against average.
The Marist coaching staff should be familiar with Bucknell from their Patriot League days. First-year head coach Laura Campbell is a 2003 graduate of American, while first-year assistant coach Megan Orr was a three-time Patriot League Goalie of the Year at Holy Cross.
Series Notes:
Bucknell and Marist have met only once previously, that an 18-5 Bison victory in the 1998 season opener. The Bison went on to win 10 games that season. They have not reached double-digit wins since then, but a win over Marist on Tuesday would get Bucknell back to the 10-win level.
In that meeting in 1998, freshman Kari Evans scored a team-high three goals in her collegiate debut and four other Bison scored two goals. Bucknell led 12-3 at the half and outshot Marist 33-13 in the game.
Last Outing:
Colgate scored three times late in the first half to break open a tie game and never looked back, defeating Bucknell 12-7 on Saturday afternoon in a battle of Patriot League unbeatens. Both teams came in with 4-0 Patriot League records, but it was the defending champion Raiders securing home field advantage for the Patrot League Tournament with the victory. The contest was tied at 1-1, 2-2, 3-3 and 4-4 before Colgate scored twice in just 10 seconds to open up a 6-4 lead. The Raiders led 7-4 at the half. and a 3-0 run early in the second pushed their margin to 10-5. Bonnie Buechel scored three goals and Carol Donohue and Julia Braun two each to account for all seven Bucknell goals. Ashley Didio and Courtney Miller scored three times each for Colgate.
Bison Bits:
Bucknell is a win away from its third 10-win season in school history. The Bison won 13 games in 1997 and 10 in 1998.
Sophomore goalie Alyssa DeLorenz had a very good game against Colgate with 14 saves. That upped her season save percentage to a league-best .503. DeLorenz also leads the league in saves per game at 10.71.
Junior Carol Donohue tallied two goals and an assist against Colgate, giving her 150 career points. She is the sixth player in school history to reach that milestone, joining Suzanne Raffaele (173), Heidi Hammes (170), Michelle Manion (163), Bonnie Buechel (155) and Sue Gray (153). Buechel reached 150 points in the previous game against Le Moyne.
Donohue now as a team-high 14 assists on the season and 65 in her career. That total trails only Melissa Montefusco (72) on Bucknell's career list.
Buechel reached the 30-goal plateau for the second time in her career. She has 32 goals in 2009, four shy of her career high, set in 2007. Buechel now has 117 career goals, fifth-most in program history.
Buechel has moved into second place on Bucknell's career list for caused turnovers with 73. Only 2008 grad Lauren Deitrich (116) has more. Buechel also ranks first in Bucknell history in draw controls (155) and fourth in ground balls (128).
Buechel ranks fifth in the Patriot League in goals per game (2.29), while Donohue ranks seventh in both points per game (2.93) and assists per game (1.00). Also among the league leaders, Julia Braun (2.79) and Buechel (2.71) rank 4-5 in ground balls per game, while those two are tied for fourth in the PL in draw controls per game (2.50). Buechel is third in caused turnovers per game (1.79).
Bucknell has been much better than its opposition on free-position attempts this season. The Bison are 39-for-81 (.481), while their opponents are 24-for-88 (.273).
Next Up:
Bucknell hosts Navy on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the final game prior to the Patriot League Tournament. While both teams have been eliminated from contention for the No. 1 seed, there are still significant seeding implications riding on the game. The Bison know they are tournament-bound, and they can lock up the No. 2 seed with a win over the Mids. Navy has not yet locked up a postseason spot, although it can with a win or a Holy Cross loss. If Bucknell loses to Navy, the Bison would be seeded either third or fourth, depending on how Lehigh (vs. Colgate) and Holy Cross (vs. American) fare.
Live streaming video of the Bucknell-Navy game will also be carried on Bison Vision. It is also Senior Day, as Bison seniors Catherine Barry and Bonnie Buechel will be honored prior to the game.
