Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Boston University (PL Quarterfinal)
Bucknell's Turnaround Season Ends with PL Quarterfinal Loss at Boston University
5/3/2016 7:32:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
BOSTON, Mass. – Boston University broke open a tie game with a 12-goal second half, ousting Bucknell from the Patriot League Women's Lacrosse Tournament with an 18-8 verdict in the quarterfinal round on Tuesday afternoon at Nickerson Field. One year after winning just two games, the Bison saw an outstanding turnaround season come to an end with a 10-8 record. The third-seeded Terriers (10-7) advance to face No. 2 Navy in the semifinals on Friday in Baltimore.
Bucknell controlled this game for much of the first half. Playing in the Patriot League Tournament for the first time in seven years, the Bison needed only 19 seconds to get on the board. The Terriers won the draw – an area that would prove critical for them as the game developed – but Eve Lukowski picked off an outlet pass and started a fastbreak the other way. Emily Becker found Maddy Molinari on the run, and Molinari buried the shot to open the scoring.
After Boston University rallied to go up 4-2, Bucknell took 6-4 lead after a run of four straight goals. Back-to-back free-position conversions from Molinari and Becker, the latter set up by a Sam Rickels steal, tied the game at 4-4.
After a tough save from Jamie DeWitt and a Terriers shot off the post, Lukowski scored off an assist from Christina Manis to put the Bison ahead. Rickels then fed Manis at the 8:18 mark to give Bucknell a two-goal lead.
Momentum changed in the final two minutes of the half, as the Terriers' Mickenzie Larivee scored twice in unsettled situations. The first came on a broken play, as Bucknell checked down a centering pass. But Larivee plucked the loose ball and fired it home with 1:49 on the clock. Boston University took a yellow card with 30 seconds left, but the Bison turned the ball over in their offensive zone and allowed Larivee to score the equalizer on a counter-attack the other way with just nine ticks remaining.
Bucknell had a great look coming out of the locker room, but Terriers' goalie Caroline Meegan robbed Lukowski from point-blank range. Mallory Collins answered with two of her game-high five goals on consecutive 8-meter shots to put Boston University ahead for good.
The decisive stretch of the game came just after Becker scored a pretty goal with 14:43 remaining to pull Bucknell within 9-7. Just after the goal, the Bison ordered up a stick check on Charlotte Castronovo, and the ploy worked as the stick failed, resulting in a yellow card. Just 23 seconds later another Terrier took a yellow, giving Bucknell a two-player advantage for nearly two full minutes.
However not only did the Bison turn the ball over on an interior feed, but Larivee scored Boston University's second shorthanded goal of the game at the other end. That momentum-breaker ignited a run of six straight goals for the Terriers in a span of 5:44, and the hosts had a commanding 15-7 lead with 7:03 to play.
Draw controls and clears were areas of advantage for Boston University. The Terriers won 20 of the 28 draws, including 13 from Jill Horka, and they forced eight Bison failed clears. Boston University finished with a 40-25 shot advantage.
Despite the draw control disparity, Bucknell's defense held strong for most of the game until the floodgates opened late. The Bison forced 14 turnovers and held a 23-16 ground ball advantage. DeWitt finished with 10 saves and a team-high four ground balls.
Manis led the offense with a goal and three assists, while Becker and Molinari scored twice apiece. Rickels tallied two assists.
Becker became the eighth player in Bucknell history to record 40 goals in a season. She finished her brilliant senior year with 41 goals and 19 assists for 60 points. She had 10 career goals entering 2016, but her 41 this year is the sixth-highest total in program history.
Lukowski (65), Manis (62) and Becker all reached the 60-point mark, while Molinari finished with 55 and Richter 48. Bucknell had never had more than two 50-point scorers in a season, but this year they had four 50-point scorers and three 60-point producers. The 221 total goals on the season was a new school record.
Richter finished the year with 79 draw controls, second-most in school history after she broke the record with 84 last season. Richter just completed her sophomore year, and her 163 career draw controls are already just one shy of the school record. Bonnie Buechel had 164 DCs from 2006-09.
Rickels finished her career with 94 draw controls to rank ninth in school history.
Rickels, Becker, Ally Furbay and Rennie Tankersley all finished up their senior campaigns by leading the Bison to their first winning season since 2004. The 10 wins were tied for second-most in program history.
