Bucknell Men's Lacrosse Travels to No. 7/6 Lehigh

Photo by: Marc Hagemeier

Bucknell Men's Lacrosse Travels to No. 7/6 Lehigh

4/21/2021 12:25:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Bucknell (2-5, 1-4 PL) vs. No. 7/6 Lehigh (8-0, 7-0 PL)
When: Friday, April 16 – 7:30 p.m.
Where: Ulrich Sports Complex – Bethlehem, Pa.
Internet Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: LehighSports.com
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_MLAX

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

Bucknell at a Glance
• Bucknell is currently 2-5 (1-4 PL) on the season after being edged by Robert Morris, 8-7, on April 16.
• 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 (22) – 12th in NCAA in goals/game (3.14)
• Assists: Alston Tarry (10)
• Points: Tommy Sopko (26)
• Shots: Tommy Sopko (70)
• Ground Balls: Danny Striano (29)
• Caused Turnovers: Bryant Boswell (14) – t-10th in NCAA in goals/game (2.00)
• Face-Off Wins: Nick Crovatto (55)
• Face-Off Percentage: Conor McCusker (.511)
• Save Percentage: Ben Clark (.463)
• Goals Against Average: Ben Clark (12.03)
• Saves: Ben Clark (63)

No. 7/6 Lehigh at a Glance
• The Mountain Hawks, who are currently ranked seventh in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Coaches' Poll and sixth in the Inside Lacrosse Media Listing, are 8-0 (7-0 PL) on the season. They will be Bucknell's fourth ranked opponent of the season.
• Three of Lehigh's wins came over ranked Patriot League opponents: then No. 10 Loyola (10-6), then No. 7 Army West Point (13-12) and then No. 19 Navy (13-7).
• The Mountain Hawks, who were picked to finish third in the 2021 Patriot League Preseason Poll, went 5-1 (2-0 PL) during their abbreviated 2020 campaign. They posted a 9-8 (5-3 PL) record in 2019, ultimately falling to Army West Point, 11-7, in the Patriot League title game.
• This will be the 55th meeting between Bucknell and Lehigh; the teams have met all but three years since 1968, the Bison's first season of varsity men's lacrosse.
• Lehigh and Lafayette (53) are the only foes Bucknell has faced off against more than 50 times.
• While the Bison lead the all-time series with the Mountain Hawks, 38-16, the teams are tied at 5-5 in their past 10 meetings.
• Earlier this spring at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, then No. 11 Lehigh dispatched Bucknell, 18-6. It was the Mountain Hawks' largest margin of victory over the Bison in program history.
• In 2019, Christian Klipstein made 15 saves, and Tommy Sopko and Will Yorke each posted five points on a hat trick and two assists, to lift Bucknell to a 12-10 road victory over then first-place Lehigh.
• The upset kept the Bison alive in the Patriot League Tournament race; they ultimately clinched the sixth seed with a 10-8 victory over Colgate the following week.

A Look Ahead
• The Bison close their season with a 7:30 p.m. game at Lafayette on Saturday, May 1.

Note for NCAA rankings: Statistical rankings as of Monday, April 19 (through games played on Sunday, April 18)