Women's Lacrosse Starts Busy Stretch at Home vs. Villanova, at Lafayette this Week

Villanova (7-2) at Bucknell (4-3)
When: Wednesday, March 22, 5 p.m.
Where: Graham Field at Holmes Stadium, Lewisburg, Pa.
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: BucknellBison.com
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_WLAX

Bucknell (4-3, 0-1 PL) at Lafayette (1-9, 0-2 PL)
When: Saturday, March 25, 4 p.m.
Where: Fisher Stadium, Easton, Pa.
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: GoLeopards.com
Follow on Twitter: @Bucknell_WLAX

Bucknell at a Glance

The Bison embark on one of their busiest stretches of the season this week, as Villanova comes to Graham Field on Wednesday to kick off a stretch of four games in 10 days. The Wildcats are the last non-conference opponent on the schedule, as the Bison then head to Lafayette on Saturday to start a run of eight straight Patriot League contests.
Wednesday's game will be Faculty Appreciation Night. All Bucknell faculty are invited to a reception at Graham Field for the 5 p.m. game.
Bucknell saw its four-game winning streak come to an end on Saturday against red-hot Navy, one of the traditional Patriot League powers who jumped back into the national rankings this week. The game was tight early before the Mids pulled away for a 21-13 win.
The 13 goals were the most Bucknell has ever scored in 15 all-time meetings with Navy. Sophomore Allie Boyce and freshman Alex Nesbitt scored three goals apiece, and Emily Baird and Taylor McClain both had a goal and two assists.
Bucknell had been good on draw controls throughout the season, but Navy won 27 of the 38 to amass a significant edge in possession time.
Boyce now has a team-high 19 goals on the season on only 26 shots. Her .731 shooting percentage ranks second in the nation, behind only Florida's Maggi Hall (.773). Boyce now has a goal in every game this season and all but one in her career, and she has recorded at least one point in all 23 career games.
Boyce ranks third in the Patriot League in goals per game (2.71), while McClain (6-22-28) ranks second in the league in assists and fifth in points. McClain continues to list third among all Division I players in assists.
Emily Baird is tied for second on the team with 11 goals, all coming in the last five games. The middie leads the team with 12 caused turnovers and ranks second in ground balls (13) and third in draw controls (19). Her 1.71 10 CTs per game are third-most in the Patriot League.
Nesbitt has emerged as both a scorer and feeder in recent weeks. In the three games since she joined the starting lineup, the rookie from Ontario has eight goals and five assists.
Like Boyce, Taylor Kopan has scored in every game this season, extending her goal-scoring streak to 13 in a row dating back to 2022. Kopan has 11 goals on the season.
Senior co-captain Ella Payer is closing in on the Bucknell career record for draw controls. She has 42 this season, fourth-most in the Patriot League, and her 161 career draw controls are just three shy of Bonnie Buechel's 14-year-old school record. Payer has collected seven or more DCs three times this season, with a high of 10 in the win over St. Bonaventure.
The Bison are coming off a 6-10 season in 2022. Bucknell was 6-6 overall and 3-2 in the Patriot League after an 18-12 win over second-place Army, but the Bison dropped their final four games – two coming by just one goal – and finished one game out of a Patriot League Tournament spot.
Bucknell was picked to finish seventh in the Patriot League preseason poll. Loyola was tabbed the preseason favorite, followed by Army, Navy, Lehigh, Colgate, American, Bucknell, Boston University, Holy Cross, and Lafayette.
Payer is in her second year as a team co-captain, and she is joined this year by classmates Caitlin McHale and Caroline Miller.
Head coach Jackie Dando is in her fourth season as Bucknell's head coach, and she is joined by a new pair of assistants in Liza Oakley and Katie Lasater. Oakley handles the defense and draws, while Lasater works with the attackers and goalies.

Villanova at a Glance/Series History

The Wildcats are off to a great start at 7-2, including an 11-10 win over Navy on Feb. 25. Villanova also has a Patriot League win over Lafayette (15-1), and its only losses have come against Maryland and USC.
The Wildcats have already blown by last year's win total. Jill Batcheller's team finished 5-11 last season, but this year's squad is allowing only 9.8 goals per game while scoring 12.2.
Sydney Pappas (30-5-35) earned an IWLCA Co-Offensive Player of the Week honor earlier in the season after scoring 11 goals in wins over Saint Joseph's and Navy. Pappas is coming off a six-goal performance in Saturday's win over Quinnipiac, and the sophomore leads the team in goals and points.
Caroline Curnal (22-6-38) added five goals against Quinnipiac, and Sami Carey (14-12-26), and Kayla Gulmi (4-15-19) are other offensive players to watch.
Curnal also has a Big East-leading 83 draw controls, including 16 last time out against Quinnipiac and 13 in a season-opening win over William & Mary. No other Big East player has more than 51 DCs.
Olivia Conquest started the first four games in goal, but Cate Gallagher has started the last five. She has 38 saves with 53 goals allowed.
Villanova opens Big East play on Apr. 1 at preseason-favorite Denver.
Bucknell and Villanova have met 20 times previously, with the Wildcats leading the series 14-6.
Villanova won the most recent meeting 17-7 in Lewisburg in 2018, but the Bison won the previous season 10-6.
Villanova was an associate member of the Patriot League in women's lacrosse from 2001-06. Bucknell won four of those six intraconference meetings.

Lafayette at a Glance/Series History

The Leopards are off to a 1-9 start, including Patriot League losses to Lehigh (15-3) and American (16-15). Lafayette's lone win was a 10-9 overtime verdict against Canisius, courtesy of an Abby Romano golden goal.
Saturday's game at American was a wild one. Lafayette led 13-8 at the half and 15-11 late in the third quarter, but the Eagles scored the final five goals of the game, capped by Kellie Linehan's game-winner with 1:17 remaining.
Sarah Bennett scored six goals against American and leads the team in goals (17), assists (9), and points (26). Sara Rogers (14-8-22), Katie Chiasson (16-2-18), Charlotte Edwards (7-7-14), and Romano (10-3-13) are other top scorers.
Lindsay Geiger leads the team with 38 draw controls, 18 ground balls, and nine caused turnovers.
Lexie Coldiron has played all but 15 minutes in goal for the Leopards. She has a league-high 104 saves with 139 goals against. No other Patriot League goalie has more than 68 saves. Coldiron tallied 16 saves in both Patriot League games.
Bucknell has won the last three head-to-head meetings with Lafayette – all at home -- but the Leopards lead the all-time series 34-9. Lafayette won the first 25 meetings until the Bison finally won 16-9 in 2004.
Last season at Graham Field, Bucknell ran out to a 9-1 lead on the way to a 16-9 win. Allie Boyce had five goals, Emma Cashwell four, and Taylor Kopan three for the Bison, who outshot Lafayette 38-21.

Looking Ahead

After this week's encounters, Bucknell travels to Colgate for a mid-week game next Wednesday before hosting Lehigh on Alumni Appreciation Day on Apr. 1.

Women's Lacrosse Starts Busy Stretch at Home vs. Villanova, at Lafayette this Week

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Emily Baird

Allie Boyce

Emma Cashwell

Taylor Kopan

Taylor McClain

Caitlin McHale

Caroline Miller

Alex Nesbitt

Ella Payer

Women's Lacrosse Starts Busy Stretch at Home vs. Villanova, at Lafayette this Week

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Emily Baird

Allie Boyce

Emma Cashwell

Taylor Kopan

Taylor McClain

Caitlin McHale

Caroline Miller

Alex Nesbitt

Ella Payer

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