Women's Lacrosse Travels to Navy with PL Tournament Spot on Line

Friday, April 30

Annapolis, Md.

6 p.m.

Bucknell University

Navy

Photo by: Marc Hagemeier

Women's Lacrosse Travels to Navy with PL Tournament Spot on Line

4/27/2021 12:15:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Bucknell (3-5, 3-4 PL) vs. Navy (7-3, 3-2 PL)
When: Friday, April 30 – 6 p.m.
Where: Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium – Annapolis, Md.
Internet Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: NavySports.com
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_WLAX

Bucknell at a Glance
• Bucknell is 3-5 (3-4 PL) on the season following its 19-8 loss at Army West Point on April 24.
• The Bison would qualify for its first Patriot League Tournament since 2017 with their first-ever victory over Navy. Bucknell would be making its eighth appearance in the Patriot League Tournament.
• The Bison posted a 3-5 (0-0 PL) record during their abbreviated 2020 campaign. Their victories were over Sacred Heart (18-9), Binghamton (16-9) and Campbell (13-10).
• In 2019, Bucknell went 4-13 (2-7 PL) and placed ninth in the Patriot League.
• In senior Eve Calabria, the Bison returned their top point producer from both 2020 (16g-14a) and 2019 (14g-20a). They lost three of their top five point producers from 2020 and three of their top five point producers from 2019 to graduation; like Calabria, Caroline Walsh (4th with 10g-3a in 2020) and Julia Bradbury (5th with 17g-3a in 2019) are each back for her senior year.
• Bucknell returned the majority of its defensive core in senior Gabby Walsh, juniors Eva Macris and Abby Neff and sophomore Ella Payer. They need to replace Jessie Britton, a two-time Academic All-Patriot League pick who started all 41 of the Bison's games over her final three seasons in Lewisburg.
• Bucknell's three goalies returned for 2021. A year ago, senior Lauren Kinnee and junior Caitlin Tucker each saw time in net as the Bison looked to replace four-year starter Jamisen DeWitt.
• Bucknell welcomed 13 newcomers ahead of the 2021 campaign; the newcomers hail from eight different states: Connecticut (3), Pennsylvania (3), New York (2), California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina and Texas. This is the second-straight year the Bison welcomed an incoming class of "lucky" 13.
• Bradbury, Macris, Mason Rode and Kali Peeples are serving as team captains this year.
• Jackie Dando is in her second season as head coach. She spent the previous seven years at Lebanon Valley College, posting an 82-49 overall record and a 41-14 conference ledger. Lebanon Valley qualified for the MAC Commonwealth Conference in each of her seven seasons as head coach, culminating with the program's first league championship and NCAA Division III tournament berth in 2019.

Category Leaders
• Goals: Kali Peeples (13)
• Assists: Katie Wendell (11)
• Points: Laurel McHale (18)
• Shots: Kali Peeples (28)
• Ground balls: Mason Rode (15)
• Caused turnovers: Emily Baird (9)
• Draw controls: Ella Payer (21)
• Save Percentage: Caitlin Tucker (.493)
• Goals Against Average: Caitlin Tucker (12.97)
• Saves: Caitlin Tucker (37)

Navy at a Glance
• Navy is 7-3 (3-2 PL) on the season. With a victory over the Bison, the Mids will qualify for the Patriot League Tournament.
• Navy most recently defeated American, 20-13, on April 24. It was the Mids' third-straight victory.
• Bucknell and Navy were originally scheduled to meet on March 7 in what would have been the Patriot League opener for both teams.
• The Mids, who were chosen to place second in the 2021 Patriot League Preseason Poll, went 2-4 (0-0 PL) during their abbreviated 2020 campaign.
• Navy posted a 16-5 (8-1 PL) record in 2019. Despite falling to Loyola in the Patriot League Tournament finals, the Mids qualified for the NCAA Tournament; there, they advanced to the second round, ultimately dropping a tight 15-12 decision to then No. 6 Virginia.
• In 2017, Navy became the first Patriot League team to advance to the NCAA Women's Lacrosse Final Four. The Mids won 18 games that season, finishing with an 18-5 record.
• Navy has won all 12 of its games against Bucknell. The teams first met in 2008.
• In their most recent meeting on March 23, 2019 in Annapolis, the then No. 14 Mids cruised to a 17-4 victory over the Bison.

A Look Ahead
• With a victory over Navy, Bucknell would finish third in the Patriot League South Division with a 2-2 divisional record. As the South Division's third seed, they would travel to the South Division's second seed, Lehigh, for the Patriot League Tournament quarterfinals on either Monday, May 3 or Tuesday, May 4. Loyola (Md.) has already clinched the South Division's top seed and will receive a first-round bye.