Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
2-3 (1-0PL)
Holy Cross
2-3 (0-1PL)
Men's Lacrosse Downs Holy Cross 12-9 in Patriot League Opener
3/2/2024 2:55:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Connor Davis and Cam Doolan combined to score nine goals, including two crucial ones in the fourth quarter to lift the Bucknell men's lacrosse team to a 12-9 victory in its Patriot League opener against Holy Cross at a rain-soaked Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium Saturday. A second-half surge by Holy Cross tied the game at 9-9 with nine minutes to play, but Davis and Doolan scored back-to-back goals to put an end to a 15-minute Bucknell scoring drought.
The Bison led by as many as five in the second quarter, but they managed just one goal over the first 23 minutes of the second half. Holy Cross used a 6-1 run to turn an 8-3 deficit into a 9-9 tie. After Davis and Doolan scored their fifth and fourth goals of the contest, respectively, Luke Brunner put the game on ice with an empty-net goal with 1:26 to play.
Bucknell improved to 2-0 at home with the win, and it is 1-0 in Patriot League play for the first time since 2018. Both teams moved to 2-3 overall on the season.
Davis and Doolan were instrumental in building Bucknell's early first-half lead, as they scored seven of the team's first eight goals. Davis had his third hat trick of the season by the 11-minute mark in the second quarter, and Doolan followed shortly after when he scored his third with 5:52 to play in the first half.
The Crusaders turned it over six times in the opening frame and four more times in the second. Bucknell also doubled Holy Cross up on faceoff wins (12-6) and collected 16 ground balls to the Crusaders' seven in the second quarter, allowing the Bison to post a 25-15 advantage in shots over the first 30 minutes. Of Holy Cross' 15 shots, only five were on target. The Crusaders scored on four of those shots on goal.
Holy Cross flipped the script in the third quarter and outshot the Bison 12-7, won three of four faceoffs and accounted for 14 of the 21 ground balls. They outscored Bucknell 2-1 in the frame, with Sean Berrigan's goal at the 7:29 mark being Bucknell's only score through the first 23 minutes of the second half.
Holy Cross trailed 9-6 entering the fourth quarter, and six minutes in it had scored three unanswered to tie the game for the first time. With 6:39 to play the Bison benefited from a 30-second Holy Cross penalty, as Davis scored his fifth of the game and made good on Bucknell's second man-up opportunity to break the tie. 4Q, 5:06 | Another Bison goal gives us a very small cushion with under 5 to play! It's Davis' fifth of the contest. @PatriotLeagueTV@ESPN https://t.co/os366Ynxna pic.twitter.com/pyWe1nDltu
The Crusaders saw a few more opportunities to strike in the closing minutes, but they turned it over twice, went wide with two shots and hit the post on another.
Doolan added an assist in the first quarter to match Davis' five points. Berrigan and Brunner both finished with a goal and two assists, and Michael Meyer added two points on a goal and an assist. Brendan Coyle, who went 12 for 25 on faceoffs, led the team with eight ground balls. Duncan Hill was one of four Bison with a pair of caused turnovers, and he added four ground balls as well.
Max Nolan got the start at goalie for the Bison before being relieved in the second half by Jaz Zanelli. Zanelli made five saves.
Bucknell goes back on the road next Saturday, March 9 to face Boston U.
