Bucknell Men's Lacrosse Travels to No. 18/16 Navy

Saturday, March 27

West Point, N.Y.

3 p.m.

Bucknell University

Army West Point

Photo by: Marc Hagemeier

Bucknell Men's Lacrosse Travels to No. 18/16 Navy

3/23/2021 12:25:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Bucknell (1-2, 0-2 PL) vs. No. 18/16 Navy (2-0, 0-0 PL)
When: Sunday, March 28 – 3 p.m.
Where: Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium – Annapolis, Md.
Internet Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: NavySports.com
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_MLAX

NOTICE: Fans are permitted to attend Sunday's Bucknell-Navy men's lacrosse game at Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium's capacity is currently limited to 50 percent. Ticket information can be found here.

Bucknell at a Glance
• The Bison were originally scheduled to travel to Army West Point but will instead face divisional foe Navy in a makeup game of their postponed March 6 contest.
• Bucknell is currently 1-2 (0-2 PL) on the season following its 24-10 loss to No. 12 Loyola on March 20.
• 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 (13) – t-4th in NCAA in goals/game (4.33)
• Assists: Alston Tarry (4)
• Points: Tommy Sopko (16)
• Shots: Tommy Sopko (33)
• Ground Balls: Danny Striano (12)
• Caused Turnovers: Bryant Boswell (5)
• Face-Off Wins: Nick Crovatto (25)
• Face-Off Percentage: Conor McCusker (.563)
• Save Percentage: Daniel Parson (.400)
• Goals Against Average: Ben Clark (17.09)
• Saves: Ben Clark (23)

No. 18/16 Navy at a Glance
• The Midshipmen were ranked 18th in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Coaches' Poll and 16th in the Inside Lacrosse Media Listing this week. They will be the Bison's third-straight ranked opponent.
• Navy is currently 2-0 (0-0 PL) on the season. The Midshipmen had their first two Patriot League games postponed and last played on Feb. 28; Navy and Bucknell's game was originally slated to be both team's Patriot League opener on March 6.
• The Midshipmen, who were chosen to place fifth in the 2021 Patriot League Preseason Poll, went 3-2 (1-1 PL) during their abbreviated 2020 campaign.
• Navy posted a 6-7 (4-4 PL) record in 2019. The Midshipmen did not qualify for that year's Patriot League Tournament.
• Navy leads the all-time series with Bucknell, 11-8, and is riding a four-game winning streak over the Bison. Five of Bucknell's wins came in a row between 2011 and 2015.
• In 2019, the Midshipmen downed the Bison, 14-8. They raced out to a 6-0 lead by the middle of the second quarter and never allowed Bucknell to draw closer than five goals the rest of the way.

A Look Ahead
• The Bison welcome Colgate to Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium for a noon game on Saturday, April 3.

Note for NCAA rankings: Statistical rankings as of Monday, March 22 (through games played on Sunday, March 21)