Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
3-7 (2-3PL)
Lafayette
4-5 (1-4PL)
Davis' Career-High Seven Goals Lead Men's Lacrosse to PL Win Over Lafayette, 17-8
3/30/2024 5:34:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Connor Davis scored a career-high seven goals, including five in a big third quarter that helped lift the Bucknell men's lacrosse team to 17-8 win over Patriot League rival Lafayette at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium Saturday afternoon. The Bison led wire-to-wire after jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first quarter and held a 7-3 advantage at halftime.
Davis added an assist to his performance, giving him a career-high in points (8) as well. Michael Meyer posted a hat trick, and Hans Huber chipped in two goals and an assist. Ethan Gyllenhaal registered three of the team's 10 caused turnovers, and Will Pickering picked up a team-high six ground balls. Bucknell outshot the Leopards 47-31 for the game, including a lopsided 17-4 margin in the third quarter.
Lafayette scored the first goal of the third quarter to cut the deficit to three goals at 7-4, but the Bison followed with a 5-0 run. Davis scored four of the goals during the run and assisted on the other. Three of his goals were scored in a row in less than a two-minute span. Four other Bison contributed assists during the run, as Luke Brunner, Patrick Ciquera, Huber and Sean Berrigan each earned a point. Bucknell outscored the Leopards 8-2 in the dominant third quarter.
Davis and the Bison offense are on FIRE! 🔥 Bucknell scores 8 in the third quarter, and Davis has matched his career high with 6. @PatriotLeagueTV@ESPN https://t.co/hkmL7Xs2p5 pic.twitter.com/Pd2BiPXTA9
— Bucknell Men's Lax (@Bucknell_MLAX) March 30, 2024
Huber, Meyer and Cam Doolan each scored to helped the Bison build their early 3-0 lead in the first quarter, but Lafayette responded with back-to-back scores to draw within one of tying two minutes into the second frame. Huber kicked off a 4-0 run in the second quarter that gave Bucknell its largest lead of the first half at 7-2. The Leopards scored the last goal of the half, as the two teams entered the locker rooms with Bucknell leading 7-3.
After the big third quarter, Bucknell entered the fourth leading 15-5. The fourth quarter was the only one in which Lafayette outscored the Bison, 3-2, as Bucknell took its foot off the gas before finishing with a season-high 17 goals scored.
Davis' seven goals were two shy of the program record, and he's now up to 28 on the season and 98 in his career, which ranks tied for seventh in the Bucknell record book.
Will Hopkins and Brett Callahan both added one goal each. Colin McLoy led the faceoff efforts, going 11 for 22 with four ground balls and an assist. Berrigan and Henry Boykin both reached three points in the game with a goal and two assists. 12 different Bison in total registered at least one point in the victory. Bucknell led 47-31 in shots placing 30 on goal. They also held a 34-31 advantage in ground balls and benefited from 23 Lafayette turnovers.
Jaz Zanelli played nearly 55 minutes and tallied eight saves with six goals against in the win. George Herron saw action in the final five minutes and made three stops.
The Leopards were led by John Mathes, who posted five points on four goals and an assist. Joe Doherty played all 60 minutes in the cage, making 13 stops.
Bucknell improved to 2-3 in Patriot League play with the win and is now 3-2 in home games. The win was the 150th of head coach Frank Fedorjaka's career.
Bucknell goes back on the road next Saturday, April 6 to face Loyola in Baltimore, Md. at 1 p.m.
