Bucknell Men's Lacrosse Travels to No. 12 Loyola

Saturday, March 20

Baltimore, Md.

2 p.m.

Bucknell University

#12 Loyola (Md.)

Photo by: Marc Hagemeier

Bucknell Men's Lacrosse Travels to No. 12 Loyola

3/16/2021 12:10:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Bucknell (1-1, 0-1 PL) vs. No. 12 Loyola (3-2, 1-1 PL)
When: Saturday, March 20 – 2 p.m.
Where: Ridley Athletic Complex – Baltimore, Md.
Internet Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: LoyolaGreyhounds.com
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_MLAX

NOTICE: Saturday's game at Loyola is closed to visiting spectators due to COVID-19 restrictions and safety protocols.

Bucknell at a Glance
• Bucknell is currently 1-1 (0-1 PL) on the season following its 18-6 loss to No. 11 Lehigh on March 14.
• In 2020, the Bison went 5-1 (0-0 PL). The week their season was canceled due to the COVID-19 public health threat, they were ranked 20th in the USILA Coaches' Poll.
• In 2019, Bucknell posted a 6-9 (4-4 PL) record. The Bison closed the regular season on a four-game winning streak and earned their 13th Patriot League Tournament berth in 15 seasons.
• Bucknell was selected to finish sixth in the 2021 Patriot League preseason poll. Defenseman Bryant Boswell and midfielder Harry Wellford represented the Bison on the Preseason All-Patriot League Team.
• Defenseman Travis Talarico was tabbed as an Honorable Mention Preseason All-American by both the USILA and Inside Lacrosse. He was joined on the USILA squad by Wellford.
• Bucknell lost two of its three 2019 All-Patriot League honorees to graduation, returning only Boswell.
• Most notably, the Bison will need to replace attackman Will Yorke, the 2020 Inside Lacrosse Breakthrough Player of the Year who finished that abbreviated season as the Patriot League leader in goals per game (4.17), a figure good for third nationally. Yorke also led the team in goals in both 2020 (25) and 2019 (34).
• Bucknell returned the other four players who rounded out its top five in points a year ago. Attackman Tommy Sopko finished second among Bison in goals in both 2020 (16) and 2019 (28) while attackman Alston Tarry led the team in assists (14) and went second to Yorke in points (26) in 2020.
• On the defensive side of the ball, Bucknell's most notable loss was 2019 All-Patriot League defenseman Conor Shears. The Bison returned their starting goalie, Ben Clark, two of their top three defensemen and the majority of their defensive midfielders.
• Boswell, Clark, Sopko and Nick Clarke are serving as team captains this year.
• Frank Fedorjaka is in his 16th season as Bucknell's head coach and 21st campaign as a collegiate head coach. He is just the second head coach in Bison men's lacrosse history.

Category Leaders
• Goals: Tommy Sopko (10) – t-2nd in NCAA in goals/game (5.00)
• Assists: Four Tied (2)
• Points: Tommy Sopko (12) – t-7th in NCAA in points/game (6.00)
• Shots: Tommy Sopko (26)
• Ground Balls: Danny Striano (8)
• Caused Turnovers: Bryant Boswell (5) – t-8th in NCAA in caused turnovers/game (2.50)
• Face-Off Wins: Nick Crovatto (20)
• Face-Off Percentage: Nick Crovatto (.465)
• Save Percentage: Ben Clark (.486)
• Goals Against Average: Ben Clark (11.53)
• Saves: Ben Clark (18)

No. 12 Loyola at a Glance
• The Greyhounds were ranked 12th in both the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Coaches' Poll and Inside Lacrosse Media Listing this week. They will be the Bison's second ranked opponent of the 2021 campaign; Bucknell faced off against then No. 11 Lehigh at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium last week.
• Loyola is currently 3-2 (1-1 PL) on the season. The Greyhounds have faced three ranked opponents to date, compiling a 1-2 record.
• Loyola, which was picked to win the Patriot League in the 2021 preseason poll, went 4-2 (1-0 PL) during its abbreviated 2020 campaign. Six Greyhounds made the 2021 Preseason All-Patriot League Team, headlined by Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Ryan McNulty.
• In 2019, Loyola posted a 12-5 (7-1 PL) record; despite being upset in the Patriot League Tournament semifinals by Army West Point, the Greyhounds earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships and advanced to the second round.
• Loyola leads the all-time series with Bucknell, 7-3. After facing off three times in the 1980s, the teams didn't meet again until the Greyhounds joined the Patriot League in 2014.
• In 2019, then No. 6 Loyola downed the Bison, 12-7, despite a seven-point effort (4g-3a) by Tom Smith.
• Entering their 2019 loss, Bucknell had won its past two games against the Greyhounds by one-goal margins. In 2018, the Bison handed then No. 6 Loyola its only Patriot League loss by emerging a 12-11 During the 2017 campaign, they stunned the then No. 17/18 Greyhounds, 9-8, in double overtime. Will Sands led the way with seven points (2g-5a), including the game-winning goal, while Christian Klipstein made 15 saves.

A Look Ahead
• The Bison travel to Army West Point for a 3 p.m. game on Saturday, March 27.

Note for NCAA rankings: Statistical rankings as of Monday, March 15 (through games played on Sunday, March 14)