Saturday, February 4
Lewisburg, Pa.
11:30 a.m.
Bucknell University
1-0
20
vs
6
Mercer
0-1
1
2
3
4
F
Mercer
1
1
3
1
6
Bucknell
6
7
3
4
20
Photo by: Noel Gyllenhaal
Men’s Lacrosse Rolls in Season Opener, 20-6 over Mercer
2/4/2023 2:44:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Freshman Michael Meyer scored six goals in his collegiate debut, Dutch Furlong had four goals and six assists for a 10-point day, and the Bucknell men's lacrosse team scored early and often in a 20-6 victory over Mercer in the 2023 season opener at frigid Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
Meyer tied the Bucknell freshman goal-scoring record with his six goals. Current sophomore Connor Davis had three six-goal games just last season, and the reigning Patriot League Rookie of the Year also had a big day with four goals, including two in the first 3:18 to get the Bison going.
Bucknell's starting attack trio of Davis, Furlong, and Meyer combined for 14 goals and seven assists, helping the Bison set a school record for most goals in a season opener. They just missed the record for the largest opening-day victory margin. Bucknell's 2011 Patriot League championship squad debuted with a 17-2 win over Canisius.
Meyer, whose fourth goal of the day off a Furlong feed in the final minute of the half gave the Bison a commanding 13-2 lead, was not the only rookie to make an impact. Freshman midfielder Will Hopkins assisted on Davis's opening goal just 56 seconds into the contest, and he finished with a goal and three assists. Classmate Patrick Reilly also lined up with the first middie unit, and freshman Jaz Zanelli got the start in goal and made nine saves.
The Bison, who narrowly defeated Mercer 16-14 in last year's season opener in Georgia, surged ahead quickly in this one. With the 11:30 a.m. start time, this was the first NCAA Division I game of the season to get started, and Davis's tracer on the game's first possession was officially the first goal of the college lacrosse season.
Davis added a second goal from downtown off a feed from Cam Doolan, and then Meyer's first career tally made it 3-0 after only 4:04 of play. Faceoff man Ashton Wood got Mercer on the board with a clean win and a sprint to the goal, but back-to-back tallies from Furlong and an EMO goal from Davis made it a 6-1 game after one period.
Two more goals from Meyer and one each from Ethan Gyllenhaal and Davis capped an 8-0 run and made it 11-1.
Mercer's best stretch came at the start of the second half when Jack Sullivan and Parker Junod scored just over a minute apart to bring the Bears within 13-4. Consecutive goals from Meyer and Jack Feda restored order for the Bison, and they cruised from there.
Hopkins netted his first career goal early in the fourth quarter, and senior middies C.J. Baroni and Brian Miller closed out the scoring. It was the first career goal for Miller.
Furlong's 10 points established a career high – he had three seven-point games last season – and fell just two shy of the team record set last season by Alston Tarry at Holy Cross.
Bucknell outshot Mercer 46-24 and had a decided edge in time of possession thanks to an 18-12 faceoff advantage and 30 Bears turnovers. Defensemen Andrew Stanzel and Hank Bethel both had four caused turnovers, and 12 different Bison had at least one.
Griffin Shaffer (10-15) and Conor McCusker (7-13) handled most of the faceoff duties, and wing Danny Striano led the team with five ground balls.
Mercer, whose first-year head coach Ryan Danehy was an assistant at Bucknell for the previous four seasons, received goals from six different players. Junod had a team-high three points from a goal and two assists. Starting goalie Colin Kelley had nine saves, and Jake Meyer made one stop in relief.
Bucknell is back in action at home next Saturday against Robert Morris at 3 p.m.
Meyer tied the Bucknell freshman goal-scoring record with his six goals. Current sophomore Connor Davis had three six-goal games just last season, and the reigning Patriot League Rookie of the Year also had a big day with four goals, including two in the first 3:18 to get the Bison going.
Bucknell's starting attack trio of Davis, Furlong, and Meyer combined for 14 goals and seven assists, helping the Bison set a school record for most goals in a season opener. They just missed the record for the largest opening-day victory margin. Bucknell's 2011 Patriot League championship squad debuted with a 17-2 win over Canisius.
Meyer, whose fourth goal of the day off a Furlong feed in the final minute of the half gave the Bison a commanding 13-2 lead, was not the only rookie to make an impact. Freshman midfielder Will Hopkins assisted on Davis's opening goal just 56 seconds into the contest, and he finished with a goal and three assists. Classmate Patrick Reilly also lined up with the first middie unit, and freshman Jaz Zanelli got the start in goal and made nine saves.
The Bison, who narrowly defeated Mercer 16-14 in last year's season opener in Georgia, surged ahead quickly in this one. With the 11:30 a.m. start time, this was the first NCAA Division I game of the season to get started, and Davis's tracer on the game's first possession was officially the first goal of the college lacrosse season.
And the first goal of the 23' season goes to ‼️‼️#NCAAMLAX x 🎥 @Bucknell_MLAX
— NCAA Lacrosse (@NCAALAX) February 4, 2023
pic.twitter.com/6E1IkqnnCb
Davis added a second goal from downtown off a feed from Cam Doolan, and then Meyer's first career tally made it 3-0 after only 4:04 of play. Faceoff man Ashton Wood got Mercer on the board with a clean win and a sprint to the goal, but back-to-back tallies from Furlong and an EMO goal from Davis made it a 6-1 game after one period.
Two more goals from Meyer and one each from Ethan Gyllenhaal and Davis capped an 8-0 run and made it 11-1.
Mercer's best stretch came at the start of the second half when Jack Sullivan and Parker Junod scored just over a minute apart to bring the Bears within 13-4. Consecutive goals from Meyer and Jack Feda restored order for the Bison, and they cruised from there.
Hopkins netted his first career goal early in the fourth quarter, and senior middies C.J. Baroni and Brian Miller closed out the scoring. It was the first career goal for Miller.
4th | Goal number 6⃣ from Michael Meyer! The freshman ties the Bucknell rookie record with that score! @ESPN | @PatriotLeagueTV
— Bucknell Men's Lax (@Bucknell_MLAX) February 4, 2023
Watch: https://t.co/QukxDffX1u pic.twitter.com/osfejAZniv
Furlong's 10 points established a career high – he had three seven-point games last season – and fell just two shy of the team record set last season by Alston Tarry at Holy Cross.
Bucknell outshot Mercer 46-24 and had a decided edge in time of possession thanks to an 18-12 faceoff advantage and 30 Bears turnovers. Defensemen Andrew Stanzel and Hank Bethel both had four caused turnovers, and 12 different Bison had at least one.
Griffin Shaffer (10-15) and Conor McCusker (7-13) handled most of the faceoff duties, and wing Danny Striano led the team with five ground balls.
Mercer, whose first-year head coach Ryan Danehy was an assistant at Bucknell for the previous four seasons, received goals from six different players. Junod had a team-high three points from a goal and two assists. Starting goalie Colin Kelley had nine saves, and Jake Meyer made one stop in relief.
Bucknell is back in action at home next Saturday against Robert Morris at 3 p.m.
Team Stats
MU
BUC
Shots
24
46
Turnovers
30
22
Caused Turnovers
12
19
Faceoffs Won
12
18
Extra-Man Opps
3
7
Ground Balls
35
36
Game Leaders
Players
G
6
A
1
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
1
CT
0
G
4
A
6
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
2
CT
2
G
4
A
0
FO
-
Pen
1-30
GB
1
CT
0
G
1
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
1
Players Mentioned
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
D
/ Men's LacrosseA
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
A
/ Men's LacrosseM
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
F/O
/ Men's LacrosseA
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
F/O
/ Men's Lacrosse
D
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
A
/ Men's Lacrosse
G
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