Bucknell University Athletics
Witzal Garners Third Straight PL Faceoff Award, Bison Back in Top 20
4/25/2016 4:00:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- It was another big day of awards for the Bison men's lacrosse team. After five players earned All-Patriot League honors earlier in the day, freshman Jarett Witzal garnered his third straight Corvias Patriot League Faceoff Specialist of the Week honor and his fourth of the 2016 season.
In addition to the individual accolades, the Bucknell team jumped back into the national rankings in the No. 20 spot in the USILA Coaches' Poll. The Bison were also ranked earlier in the season after their 3-0 start.
Witzal's honor comes after a spectacular 22-for-24 performance at the faceoff spot in Bucknell's 15-7 victory over Lehigh on Friday night. Witzal broke his own two-week-old school record for faceoff wins in a game. He took 21 draws against Mount St. Mary's on Apr. 15.
His 12 ground balls against Lehigh fell one shy of the team record. Witzal added his first career goal for good measure, a big one in the final minute of the third quarter that gave Bucknell a 10-5 lead.
Witzal is now 155-for-243 (.638) on faceoffs this season. The 155 wins are now second-most in a season at Bucknell, trailing Jake Clarke's record of 163 by just eight. Witzal is also now in position to break the school record for faceoff percentage in a season. Clarke also holds that mark at .617.
This is just the sixth time in Patriot League history that a men's lacrosse player has won three straight Player of the Week awards in the same category.
Bucknell has won four straight games leading into the Patriot League Tournament. After finishing the regular season 9-4 overall and 5-3 in the conference, the Bison will be the tournament's No. 3 seed. Bucknell hosts No. 6 Holy Cross in a quarterfinal game on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
