Women's Lax Hosts Saint Francis (Pa.), Travels to Villanova this Week

Bucknell-Saint Francis Live Stats

Bucknell-Villanova Live Stats | Video

LEWISBURG, Pa. -- After seeing its weekend encounter with Johns Hopkins postponed due to foul weather, the Bison women's lacrosse team will take the field for the first time in seven days on Wednesday when Saint Francis (Pa.) visits Graham Field for a 5 p.m. start. Bucknell will then travel to Villanova for another non-league game on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

After beating preseason Northeast Conference favorite Wagner 9-7 on opening day, the Bison have dropped back-to-back games to Manhattan (12-8) and No. 10 Penn State (17-2) to fall to 1-2 on the season.

Senior Emily Kookogey has carried much of the offensive load thus far. Kookogey has goals in every game so far, and her eight goals on the season rank fifth in the Patriot League. Seven different Bison have hit the net this season, the latest being freshman Eve Lukowski, who scored her first collegiate goal in her first start at Penn State last week.

Another first-year attacker, Gretchen Richter, has three goals and a team-high 10 draw controls, while sophomore defender Lucia Smircich leads the team with seven caused turnovers.

Saint Francis will be playing its first game of the season on Wednesday. The Red Flash finished 4-12 overall and 1-6 in the NEC last season. Head coach Gregg Gebhard, a former Bucknell assistant, must replace his top two scorers from 2014. Katie Schaaf (14G, 13A, 27P) is the team's top returning point-producer.

Bucknell is 7-1 all-time against the Red Flash with three straight wins in the series. The Bison won 13-8 last season in Loretto. Sam Rickels had a hat trick in that game, and Kookogey and Claire Switala scored two goals apiece.

Villanova has not played since opening the campaign with a 10-7 loss at Rutgers on Valentine's Day. The Wildcats, who were 8-8 last season, travel to Navy on Wednesday before hosting the Bison.

Jackie Froccaro and Kelsey Denihan scored two goals each, and Jessica Muccia logged a goal and four assists for Villanova against Rutgers. Goalie Jaclyn Fraum made 12 saves.

The Wildcats have an 11-5 lead in a head-to-head series that dates back to 1989. Villanova was a member of the Patriot League from 2001-06, and the two teams met for the first time since then last season at Graham Field. The Wildcats won that one 10-4 behind three goals from Meghan Breen. Bison goalie Elizabeth Duswalt had a big game that day with a career-high 15 saves.