Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Lacrosse Visits Lafayette Saturday on Bison Vision
3/26/2010 8:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
March 26, 2010
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Two women's lacrosse teams looking to get their seasons turned around meet on Saturday at Fisher Stadium when Bucknell visits Lafayette. The 1:30 p.m. game will be broadcast live on Bison Vision. The Bison, who went 4-2 in Patriot League play last season, have been rocked by injuries in 2010 and come in to Saturday's game with a 1-9 record, 0-2 in the league. Lafayette is 0-9 overall, 0-2 in the Patriot League.
Bucknell is coming off a 19-6 setback against St. Bonaventure on Tuesday, and the Bison could be without as many as five starters when they suit up Saturday at Lafayette. Despite the attrition, Bucknell has been in many of its games this season, including their most recent Patriot League encounter against American. On Feb. 21 the Bison defeated Davidson 8-7. Since then they have dropped eight straight, but four of the losses have been by two goals or less, and in another, a 15-8 loss to Duquesne, Bucknell led at halftime.
Last Saturday against American, the Bison and Eagles engaged in a back-and-forth affair. It was a 13-12 game in the final three minutes, but a handful of key turnovers down the stretch doomed Bucknell in a 15-13 loss.
Saturday's Bucknell-Lafayette winner will be back in the Patriot League playoff race. The Bison still have league games against Holy Cross, Colgate and Navy remaining.
Bucknell-Lafayette Series Notes:
• A series once owned by Lafayette has flipped around in the last six years. The Leopards won the first 25 games between the two teams before the Bison finally broke through with a 16-9 win in Easton in 2004. The Bison have won five of the six games since then and are now 5-26 all-time against Lafayette.
• Bucknell has reached the 20-goal barrier in two of the last three meetings. The Bison won 21-11 at home in 2007 and 20-11 in 2008 in Easton before holding on for a 14-11 victory last season at Graham Field.
• In the most recent game in Easton, Carol Donohue logged four goals and four assists for eight points, and 11 different players scored goals in the 20-11 win. The game was tied at 8-8 early in the second half, but Bucknell broke it open with an 8-0 run. Julia Braun added three goals and Michelle Milot had two for the Bison. Braun also had six draw controls.
• Last season, Becca Devine scored a career-high six goals in Bucknell's 14-11 triumph at Graham Field. The Bison jumped out to a 6-0 advantage and led by as many as seven in the second half before the Leopards scored the final four goals of the game to make it interesting. Ryan Gribbon added two goals and three assists and Braun had two goals and five draw controls for the Bison. Emily Archibald paced Lafayette with five goals.
Bison Briefs:
• After scoring four goals against American and two more against St. Bonaventure this week, Julia Braun continues to lead the team in scoring with 24 goals and 27 points.
• Braun ranks fifth in the Patriot League in goals per game, 10th in points per game, second in draw controls per game (3.60) and third in caused turnovers per game (1.50). She ranks 18th nationally in draw controls.
• Freshman Paige Cobbs scored four goals against American and was named Patriot League Rookie of the Week on Monday. Cobbs now has eight goals on the season.
• Becca Devine (12-4-16) and Michelle Milot (10-3-13) have both reached the 10-goal plateau. Devine scored twice in the St. Bonaventure game on Tuesday.
• Braun (36) and Milot (23) have combined for 59 of Bucknell's 112 draw controls this season.
• Bucknell has converted 41.6% of its shots this season, third-best in the Patriot League behind Navy (.485) and Lehigh (.427). Braun leads the team in shooting percentage at .533, while Devine, Milot and Madison Hurwitz are all at .500.
• Prior to the St. Bonaventure game, goalie Alyssa DeLorenz ranked second in the nation in total saves (103) and eighth in saves per game (11.1).
Scouting Lafayette:
• The Eagles have been outscored 133-61 and outshot 294-180 this season.
• Addie Godfrey (13-1-14) and Lauren Brown (12-1-13) are the team's top scorers. Erin Steele (8-3-11) is the team assist leader.
• Brown and Caitlin Mitchell lead the team with 18 ground balls apiece, and Brown leads the squad with 14 draw controls.
• Emily Bjork has seen most of the action in goal and has 101 saves and 124 goals against this season. Her 11.2 saves per games leads the Patriot League.
• Bucknell and Lafayette have played three common opponents: Davidson, Lehigh and Penn State. Bucknell defeated Davidson 8-7, while Lafayette lost 16-7. Both teams lost to Lehigh (Bucknell 13-2 and Lafayette 20-4) and Penn State (Bucknell 15-2 and Lafayette 19-5).
Next Up:
Bucknell steps away from league play on Wednesday to host Le Moyne at 4 p.m. at Graham Field. The next Patriot League contest will be Apr. 3 at Holy Cross at noon.
