Bucknell University
6-7 (2-4PL)
American
6-8 (2-5PL)
Boyce's Record-Tying 10 Goals Propel Women's Lax to 20-11 Senior Day Win over American
4/15/2023 4:52:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Sophomore Allie Boyce registered a school-record-tying 10 goals, highlighting a dominant 20-11 victory by the Bucknell women's lacrosse team over American at Graham Field on Saturday. Seven different Bucknell players tallied multiple points, and Ella Payer posted a season-high 11 draw controls during an all-around special Senior Day game.
Boyce is only the second player in program history to record double-digit goals in a single contest, matching Sue Gray's mark set in 1984. Entering the game with the second-best shooting percentage in the nation (.673), Boyce was a perfect 10 for 10 against the Eagles on Saturday. She scored seven of her goals in the first half, helping Bucknell jump out to a 13-6 lead over the first 30 minutes.
Sue Gray scored 10 goals against Northeastern 39 years ago. She was the only Bison ever to score 10 in a game until Allie Boyce duplicated that feat (on perfect 10-for-10 shooting!) in today's win over American. #rayBucknell@PatriotLeague | @NCAALax | @Inside_Lacrosse pic.twitter.com/2kD6KJ92Of
— Bucknell Women's Lax (@Bucknell_WLAX) April 15, 2023
Boyce tied the program record with 4:46 remaining in the game with a free position goal. Four of her goals came in that fashion, and she already ranked second in the nation in free position goals entering the weekend. As a team, the Bison capitalized on seven of their 14 free position shots in the victory.
Bucknell and American went back and forth in the first quarter before a stretch of more than 20 minutes when the Bison scored six unanswered to stake a 14-6 lead with 12:16 to play in the third quarter. The Eagles managed to score five more times over the remainder of the game, but they never drew closer than six of tying.
Bucknell outshot American 37-25 in the contest, putting 27 shots on goal. Senior Caroline Miller totaled four points on equal parts goals and assists, and junior Tatumn Kohlbrenner posted a goal, three assists, three ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers.
Megan Krestinski, Caroline Sheridan, Taylor Kopan and Taylor McClain finished with two points each. On the defensive side, senior Symone Ryans collected nine saves, including three in the second quarter where American was shut out.
While Boyce racked up half of Bucknell's goals, five different Bison found the back of the cage by the end of the opening frame. Boyce scored the first four goals of Bucknell's 6-0 run, which began with just one second left in the first quarter.
The Eagles finally got back on the board with 10:18 to play in the third and scored back-to-back goals within 23 seconds of each other to cut the Bison advantage to 14-8, but it was the last time they'd score without a Bucknell response.
Payer's mark of 11 draw controls had only been reached twice before in program history – once by Bonnie Buechel in 2007 and once by Payer herself when she recorded a school-record 15 last season. Payer already holds the career record in the category with 193 over her four seasons.
Reagan Murdoch led the Eagles in scoring with three goals, and Alyssa Apuzzo joined her with three points on a pair of goals and an assist.
Boyce is now up to 43 goals in 2023 and is nine shy of Gray's 39-year-old single-season record.
Bucknell is back home on Wednesday, April 19 for a 5 p.m. game against Loyola Maryland.
