Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
#11/10 Ohio State
Bucknell Men's Lacrosse Travels to No. 11/10 Ohio State
2/20/2019 11:37:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
The Bison and Buckeyes, who were ranked 11th in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Coaches' Poll and 10th in the Inside Lacrosse Media Listing this week, are set to face off for the first time since 2010. Ohio State will be Bucknell's second ranked opponent of the 2019 campaign.
The complete game notes can be viewed here.
Bucknell (1-2, 0-0 Patriot League) vs. No. 11/10 Ohio State (3-0, 0-0 B1G)
When: Saturday, Feb. 23 – 12 p.m.Â
Where: Ohio Stadium – Columbus, Ohio
Internet Video: BTN2Go.com ($)
Live Stats: OhioStateBuckeyes.com
Tickets: OhioStateBuckeyes.com
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_MLAX
Bucknell at a Glance
 • The Bison are currently 1-2 (0-0 Patriot League) on the season.
• In 2018, Bucknell finished 11-4 overall and captured a share of the Patriot League regular-season title by going 7-1 in conference action.
• The Bison reached the double digits in victories for the sixth time in Frank Fedorjaka's tenure as head coach and most notably knocked off eventual national champion Yale (9-8 OT) and then No. 6 Loyola (12-11) on the road. They rose as high as 10th in both the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Coaches' Poll and Inside Lacrosse Maverik Media Listing, their best national ranking since the 2013 campaign.
• Bucknell's captains are seniors Ryan Durkin, Christian Klipstein, Reed Malas and Jarett Witzal. The four first-time captains will lead a team featuring 26 underclassmen.
• Malas represented the Bison on the 2019 Preseason All-Patriot League Team. A year ago, he finished second to Will Sands in assists (12) and fourth to the "Big Three" of Sands, Sean O'Brien and Connor O'Hara in points (34). The "Big Three" was lost to graduation.
• Klipstein is a three-year starter in the cage. An All-Patriot League Second Team goalie in 2017 and 2016, he needs 54 saves to become the seventh Bison with at least 500 in his career. He posted a goals against average south of 10 in 2016 (8.41) and 2018 (9.11), with his best single-season save percentage of .579 coming as a freshman.
• Witzal is the Bucknell record holder in career faceoff wins (491), single-season faceoff wins (171, 2016), single-game faceoff wins (22, 2016) and single-season faceoff percentage (.6173, 2016).
• The Bison will face a grueling non-conference schedule in 2019. They opened their 52nd campaign on Feb. 2 at Maryland, which reached the NCAA title game three years in a row from 2015 to 2017, winning the 2017 edition. They will also face off against Ohio State, the 2017 NCAA runner-up, and North Carolina, the 2016 NCAA champion.
Inside the Richmond Box Score
• Despite hat tricks by Matthew Barkauskas and Tommy Sopko, and 14 saves by Christian Klipstein, Bucknell was edged by Richmond, 13-11, on Feb. 16.
• During a frenetic fourth quarter that saw the teams score three goals in 27 seconds and two in 22 seconds within the first five minutes, the Spiders outscored the Bison by a 6-3 margin to emerge victorious.
• Jarett Witzal won 15 of 26 faceoffs and led all players with 11 ground balls, one shy of his career high set in 2016.
• Witzal's 11 ground balls gave him 203 in his career; he became just the third Bison to collect at least 200 ground balls, joining Jake Clarke (297 from 2008-11) and Alex Spring (258 from 2013-16).
• Klipstein added a career-best seven ground balls and a game-high four caused turnovers to his 14 stops. Hunter Newman and Conor Shears caused two turnovers apiece while Bryant Boswell collected five ground balls.
• Brendan Egan, who made his first career start at midfield, netted his first collegiate goal to open the game's scoring at the first quarter's 13:46 mark.
• The Spiders led in shots (37-34) and shots on goal (27-20) while the Bison led in faceoffs (16-28) and ground balls (35-32).
• This was the second meeting between Bucknell and Richmond and the first in Lewisburg.
No. 11/10 Ohio State at a Glance
• The Buckeyes were ranked 11th in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Coaches' Poll and 10th in the Inside Lacrosse Media Listing this week. They will be the Bison's second ranked opponent of the 2019 campaign; in the season opener for both teams on Feb. 2, Bucknell fell at No. 3 Maryland, 11-6.
• Ohio State is off to a 3-0 start following an 11-7 victory at Massachusetts on Feb. 16.
• For their role in the Buckeyes' latest win, Matt Borges was named the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Week for the second week in a row while goalie Josh Kirson was tabbed as its Specialist of the Week. Borges was part of a defense that held the Minutemen off the scoreboard for nearly a 23-minute stretch while Kirson made a career-best 17 saves.
• Kirson currently ranks third nationally with a .667 save percentage. He also boasts 36 saves and a 7.74 goals against average.
• With 11 goals, Tre Leclaire is slotted in a tie for fifth nationally. He is one of 12 players who have reached the double digits in this statistical category to date.
• A year ago, Ohio State finished 8-7 (3-2 B1G). In the Big Ten Tournament, the Buckeyes fell in the opening round to Johns Hopkins, 6-5.
• Ohio State reached the 2017 NCAA Tournament finals; there, the Buckeyes were downed by Maryland, 9-6. During the 2015 campaign, Ohio State advanced to the NCAA Final Four, where they were knocked out by eventual champion Denver.
The Bucknell/Ohio State Series
• This will be the seventh meeting between the Bison and Buckeyes and the first since the 2010 campaign.
• Bucknell leads the all-time series that dates back to 1991, 5-1. Ohio State's lone victory came in 2009, a 10-9 overtime decision.
• Three of the team's past four games were decided by a single goal, including two in bonus time. The exception was the most recent contest, an 11-5 Bison win at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium on Feb. 20, 2010.
• Both teams were ranked at the time of the 2007 (Bucknell 17th, Ohio State 19th) and 2008 (Bucknell 19th, Ohio State 20th) meetings. In addition, the Buckeyes were 19th at the time of the 2009 meeting while the Bison were 17th entering the 2010 contest.
Category Leaders
• Goals: Matthew Barkauskas and Will Yorke (6)
• Assists: Ryan Durkin (3)
• Points: Matthew Barkauskas and Reed Malas (7)
• Shots: Reed Malas (29)
• Ground Balls: Jarett Witzal (23)
• Caused Turnovers: Christian Klipstein and Conor Shears (6)
• Face-Off Wins: Jarett Witzal (36)
• Face-Off Percentage: Jarett Witzal (.545)
• Save Percentage: Christian Klipstein (.552)
• Goals Against Average: Christian Klipstein (10.05)
• Saves: Christian Klipstein (37)
School Record Holders on the 2019 Roster
• Jarett Witzal: Career Face-off Wins (491), Season Face-off Wins (171, 2016), Game Face-off Wins (22, 2016 vs. Lehigh), Season Face-off Winning Percentage (.6173, 2016), Career Face-off Attempts (839), Season Face-off Attempts (325, 18)
Career Milestones Met Against Richmond
• Jarett Witzal: Became the third Bison with 200 ground balls in his career; now has 203
Career Milestone Watch
• Christian Klipstein: Needs 19 saves to move into seventh in school history with 465
• Christian Klipstein: Needs 54 saves to become the seventh Bison with 500 in his career
• Reed Malas: Needs five goals to reach the 50-goal plateau
• Jarett Witzal: Needs nine faceoff wins to reach 500 in his career; will become first Bison to reach this threshold
• Jarett Witzal: Needs 55 ground balls to move into second in school history with 258
Bison All-Patriot League Selections
• Bucknell returns two All-Patriot League players in goalie Christian Klipstein (2nd in '17 & '16) and midfielder Reed Malas (2nd in '18).
• The Bison lost five of their six 2018 all-league honorees: attacker Will Sands (1st), midfielder Sean O'Brien (1st), defenseman Benny Borgognone (2nd), defenseman Matt Gilray (2nd) and attacker Connor O'Hara (2nd).
• Sands and O'Brien were also recognized as USILA All-Americans, with Sands making the third team and O'Brien garnering honorable mention accolades. Sands joined David Dickson (2013, 3rd), Billy Eisenreich (2012, 3rd), Chris Cara (2005, 3rd), Peter von Hoffman (1979, 3rd), Lou Kissling (1970, 3rd), Ed Farver (1969, 1st) and Jim McKee (1969, 2nd) as Bison who were tabbed to USILA's All-America First, Second or Third Team. Five members of that group have been inducted into the Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame.
Bucknell in the 2018 National Polls
• The Bison were ranked 16th in the final Inside Lacrosse Maverik Media Listing, and 17th in the final United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Coaches' Poll, of the 2018 campaign.
• Fresh off of capturing a share of the 2018 Patriot League regular-season title, Bucknell entered the national top 10 for the first time since the 2013 campaign on April 23.
• The Bison, who wrapped up the regular season with an 11-3 (7-1 Patriot League) record, moved to 10th in both the USILA Coaches' Poll and the Inside Lacrosse Maverik Media Listing.
• Bucknell last appeared in the national top 10 on March 25, 2013 following thrilling road victories over then No. 2 Cornell (9-8) and No. 20 Albany (18-12). The Bison were listed sixth in that week's Nike/Inside Lacrosse Media Poll, which remains their highest ranking in program history, and seventh in the USILA Coaches' Poll.
Week       USILA   Inside Lacrosse
Feb. 26Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 20Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â -
Mar. 26Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 16Â Â Â Â Â Â 18
Apr. 2Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 14Â Â Â Â Â Â 14
Apr. 9Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 12 Â Â Â 11
Apr. 16Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 11Â Â Â Â 12
Apr. 23Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 10Â Â Â Â 10
Apr. 30Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 14 Â Â Â 15
Final           17     16
Bucknell Captures Ninth Patriot League Regular-Season Title
• In 2018, Bucknell captured its ninth Patriot League regular-season crown.
• The Bison previously won the regular-season title in 1996 (5-0), 2000 (5-1), 2001 (6-0), 2002 (5-1), 2003 (5-1), 2005 (5-1), 2009 (6-0) and 2011 (6-0). It was the fifth time they shared the crown; they claimed it outright with their undefeated league records in 1996, 2001, 2009 and 2011.
• Bucknell's seven Patriot League wins represent its highest total in program history. With the additions of Loyola and Boston University, the league's regular season expanded to eight games in 2014. Before the 2018 campaign, the Bison had never won more than five Patriot League games since those squads joined the league.
Head Coach Frank Fedorjaka
• Frank Fedorjaka took over as the Bucknell head men's lacrosse coach in 2006 when he succeeded longtime mentor Sid Jamieson. Now in his 14th season at the helm of the program, he has fashioned a stellar 123-76 (.618) record, including a 57-31 (.648) Patriot League ledger.
• This Saturday's game at No. 11/10 Ohio State will be Fedorjaka's 200th at the helm of the Bison lacrosse program.
• At the end of the 2018 regular season, Fedorjaka was named the Patriot League Coach of the Year for the third time in his career. He was previously named the Patriot League Coach of the Year in 2009 and 2011. In 2009, the Bison won the Patriot League regular-season crown with a 6-0 record; the 2011 squad captured both the regular-season and tournament titles, advancing to Bucknell's second NCAA Tournament in program history.
• The Bison have won nine or more games in nine of Fedorjaka's 13 seasons, including a program-record 14 in 2011, 12 in 2013 and 11 in 2018.
• Including a five-year stint as head coach at Franklin & Marshall from 1994 to 1998, Fedorjaka has a 161-105 (.605) lifetime record.
Bucknell in the Patriot League Tournament
• Bucknell has appeared in 12 of the past 14 Patriot League Tournaments, including 10 in a row from 2007 to 2016.
• After suffering championship-game losses in 2008 and 2009, the Bison won their first Patriot League Tournament title in 2011 behind convincing victories over Lehigh and Colgate.
• In 2013, the Bison again advanced to the Patriot League championship game, where they fell to top-seeded Lehigh.
• Bucknell is 7-12 all-time in the Patriot League Tournament.
• Because of the goal differential between the three co-champions, the Bison were seeded third in the 2018 Patriot League Tournament; on April 25, they were upset in the quarterfinals by sixth-seeded Boston University, 12-11, at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
Bucknell in the NCAA Tournament
• The Bison appeared in the 2001 and 2011 NCAA Tournaments after securing an automatic bid as the Patriot League champion.
• In 2001, Bucknell played fifth-seeded Notre Dame in its first NCAA Tournament game at Army West Point's Michie Stadium. The Fighting Irish used a 6-0 run to turn a 2-2 deadlock into an 8-2 advantage 39 seconds into the third quarter and never looked back, ultimately winning by 12-7 margin.
• In 2011, the Bison were minutes away from their first NCAA Tournament win in program history, but seventh-seeded Virginia scored twice in the final 2:32 of regulation to force overtime. Then, Matt White found the back of the net 1:27 into the extra frame to lift the host Cavaliers to a stunning 13-12 verdict at a rainy Klockner Stadium.
• Against Virginia, Bucknell finished with a 47-30 shot advantage, went 18-for-19 on clears, won 15 of 29 face-offs and committed only eight turnovers. Billy Eisenreich and Ryan Klipstein, the older brother of current Bison goalkeeper Christian Klipstein, each posted four points (2g-2a) while Charlie Streep and Todd Heritage added hat tricks.
Bison in the 2018 MLL and NLL Drafts
• A school record four Bison were selected in the 2018 Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft on April 18.
• Attacker Will Sands became Bucknell's second-highest draft pick when he was chosen by the Boston Cannons with the first selection of the third round, 19th overall.
• Later in the evening, midfielder Sean O'Brien was taken by the Dallas Rattlers (5th round, 37th overall) while defenseman Matt Gilray (5th round, 44th overall) and attacker Connor O'Hara (6th round, 53rd overall) were both selected by the Denver Outlaws.
• Previously, the most Bison selected in a single draft was two. Charlie Streep, who was selected 52nd overall by the Long Island Lizards, was in Eisenreich's draft class.
• A total of 13 Bison have become MLL Draft picks since the league was founded in 2001. A least one Bison has heard his name called in six of the past seven drafts.
• On Sept. 25, Gilray was selected by the Buffalo Bandits third overall in the 2018 National Lacrosse League Draft.
A Look Ahead
• The Bison begin Patriot League play at Navy on Saturday, March 2 at 3 p.m. The Midshipmen, who shared the 2018 Patriot League regular-season crown with Bucknell and Loyola, were the only team that knocked off the Bison during league action that season.
