No. 6 Loyola Rides Hot Start to 12-7 Win over Bucknell Men's Lacrosse

Saturday, March 23

Lewisburg, Pa.

1 p.m.

Bucknell University

2-7 (1-3PL)

#6 Loyola (Md.)

6-2 (3-0PL)

Loyola

Bucknell

Photo by: Phil Puccio

No. 6 Loyola Rides Hot Start to 12-7 Win over Bucknell Men's Lacrosse

3/23/2019 3:32:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score

LEWISBURG, Pa. – No. 6 Loyola rode a hot start to a 12-7 victory over the Bucknell men's lacrosse team on Saturday at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.

The Greyhounds (6-2, 3-0 Patriot League) opened up a 5-0 lead during the first quarter, with two of their goals coming in the final 30 seconds of that frame, and never looked back. Christian Klipstein kept the Bison (2-7, 1-3 Patriot League) in the game, making a season-best 20 saves. That total was just three shy of his career high, set in 2016 against then No. 6/7 Villanova.

Pat Spencer, a three-time All-American and Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, paced a potent Loyola attack. He logged eight points on five goals and three assists, with six coming in the first half. During the contest, he entered the NCAA's top 10 in career points; he now boasts 322 (127g-195a), a total good for sixth all-time.

For Bucknell, Tommy Sopko netted a hat trick, highlighted by a sprawling strike in the fourth quarter. Will Yorke (2g-1a) and Tom Smith (1g-1a) also registered multi-point outings while Drew Wellington filled the stat sheet with five ground balls and a caused turnover.

The faceoff battle proved to be the difference in the game. Loyola's Bailey Savio was sensational, winning 17 of 23 faceoffs and scooping up a game-best 10 ground balls. Savio won the first five faceoffs of the game and, at halftime, had won 10 of the 12 contested. Chase Scanlan (4g-1a) also reached the five-point plateau while Jacob Stover made 15 saves to earn the win in net.

At halftime, the Greyhounds held a 7-3 advantage. The Bison, who twice trailed by six goals in the first half, cut into their deficit by netting three of the second quarter's final four goals. Smith got Bucknell on the board with 9:27 on the clock in the second quarter; Yorke and Sopko added strikes at the 8:15 and 1:47 marks.

In the second half, the teams traded goals. All but the last Loyola strike, which came with 3:40 remaining in regulation, was answered by a Bucknell tally. But, because of the early hole they had fallen in, the Bison never drew closer than four goals.

While Bucknell led in shots (43-40), the Greyhounds held advantages in shots on goal (32-22) and ground balls (35-25). Loyola held the Bison scoreless on four man-advantage opportunities while converting on two of their five. With their win, their second in a row, the Greyhounds snapped a two-game losing skid to Bucknell dating back to 2017.

The Bison next host Army West Point on Saturday, March 30 at 1 p.m. Before the game, starting at 11 a.m., Bucknell will host a Spring Fest outside of the stadium featuring inflatables, face painting and balloon art.