Saturday, February 1
Lewisburg, Pa.
12 p.m.
Bucknell University
1-0
23
vs
7
Merrimack
0-1
1
2
3
4
F
Merrimack
4
2
0
1
7
Bucknell
8
3
9
3
23
Photo by: Lianne Garrahan
Men's Lacrosse Puts on Dominant Display in Season-Opener
2/1/2025 2:00:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
LEWISBURG, Pa.– The Bucknell men's lacrosse team put on a dominant second-half display to defeat Merrimack 23-7 on Saturday afternoon at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. The Bison outscored the Warriors 12-1 in the final 30 minutes, using eight different goal scorers and 14 different players with an assist as the Bison flirted with several records on the day.
Senior Connor Davis scored a career-high eight goals, including a four-goal third period. His eight goals are tied second-most for a single game in school and Patriot League history, and he now sits fourth all-time with 116 career goals.
Junior Michael Meyer also had a big game, notching four goals and setting career-highs in assists (4) and points (8). Juniors Owen Kovacs and Will Hopkins joined the fun with hat-tricks of their own and combined for three assists between the two. Kovacs first goal was the first point of his career. Sophomore Sean Berrigan bagged a multi-goal game and added an assist.
This was the seventh time in Bucknell history that the Bison have scored at least 23 goals in a game. Only twice have the Bison scored more: 26 goals against Denver in 1992 and 25 goals against VMI in 1983. The last time the Bison scored as many goals was in 2022 when they had two 23-goal performances.
Bucknell and Merrimack were all locked up at 3-3 midway through the first before a 5-1 spurt in the final six minutes gave the Bison an 8-4 advantage after the first. Meyer broke the deadlock with two goals in a minute before goals by Hopkins, Davis and senior Cam Doolan in the final two minutes capped off the quarter.
The second quarter quieted down after the 12-goal first. Davis matched his first quarter with two more goals in the second, and Kovacs first goal of the game sent the Bison to halftime ahead 11-6.
It was all Bucknell in the third quarter, outscoring the Warriors 9-0 in the frame to take a massive 20-6 lead. Davis put up another four goals with Meyer providing the helper on three of them. Hopkins put away two goals and an assist in the quarter with Berrigan and sophomore Peter Grandolfo also finding the back of the net.
Meyer's fourth goal came just 40 seconds into the fourth quarter. Kovacs scored the next two in the quarter to make it 12 straight goals for the Bison. The Warriors ended Bucknell's bid for a second-half shutout with a goal with 1:03 left in the game.
Grandolfo, Doolan and sophomore Luke Brunner all kicked off their 2025 campaign with a goal and an assist.
Freshmen Crispin Kaye, Luke Brennen and Anthony Panetti all earned their first career point with assists. Kaye and Brennan each had one assist while Panetti provided two helpers. Sophomore Henry Boykin and junior Louie Germain each provided one assist.
Merrimack's Conor Noone led the Warriors with three points on two goals and an assist. Brady Covey and Brendan Harty each had two points.
The Bison out-shot the Warriors 56-34 and won more ground balls (43-34). Merrimack committed 27 turnovers to Bucknell's 22 and the Bison converted both of its extra man advantages.
Bucknell hits a four-game road stretch, traveling to St. Bonaventure on Saturday, Feb. 8 for a 3 p.m. match-up.
Senior Connor Davis scored a career-high eight goals, including a four-goal third period. His eight goals are tied second-most for a single game in school and Patriot League history, and he now sits fourth all-time with 116 career goals.
Junior Michael Meyer also had a big game, notching four goals and setting career-highs in assists (4) and points (8). Juniors Owen Kovacs and Will Hopkins joined the fun with hat-tricks of their own and combined for three assists between the two. Kovacs first goal was the first point of his career. Sophomore Sean Berrigan bagged a multi-goal game and added an assist.
This was the seventh time in Bucknell history that the Bison have scored at least 23 goals in a game. Only twice have the Bison scored more: 26 goals against Denver in 1992 and 25 goals against VMI in 1983. The last time the Bison scored as many goals was in 2022 when they had two 23-goal performances.
Bucknell and Merrimack were all locked up at 3-3 midway through the first before a 5-1 spurt in the final six minutes gave the Bison an 8-4 advantage after the first. Meyer broke the deadlock with two goals in a minute before goals by Hopkins, Davis and senior Cam Doolan in the final two minutes capped off the quarter.
The first of two consecutive goals from Michael Meyer. His second comes just a minute later to give the Bison a two-goal advantage! #rayBucknell
— Bucknell Men's Lax (@Bucknell_MLAX) February 1, 2025
Q1 4:47 | Bucknell 5, Merrimack 3 pic.twitter.com/2QtreTZvAj
The second quarter quieted down after the 12-goal first. Davis matched his first quarter with two more goals in the second, and Kovacs first goal of the game sent the Bison to halftime ahead 11-6.
HAT-TRICK!!
— Bucknell Men's Lax (@Bucknell_MLAX) February 1, 2025
Davis opens the scoring in the second quarter to give the Bison a 9-4 advantage!
Watch: https://t.co/K2GGGLHG9h@espn | @PatriotLeagueHQ pic.twitter.com/Cnl3YwootV
It was all Bucknell in the third quarter, outscoring the Warriors 9-0 in the frame to take a massive 20-6 lead. Davis put up another four goals with Meyer providing the helper on three of them. Hopkins put away two goals and an assist in the quarter with Berrigan and sophomore Peter Grandolfo also finding the back of the net.
Meyer's fourth goal came just 40 seconds into the fourth quarter. Kovacs scored the next two in the quarter to make it 12 straight goals for the Bison. The Warriors ended Bucknell's bid for a second-half shutout with a goal with 1:03 left in the game.
Grandolfo, Doolan and sophomore Luke Brunner all kicked off their 2025 campaign with a goal and an assist.
Freshmen Crispin Kaye, Luke Brennen and Anthony Panetti all earned their first career point with assists. Kaye and Brennan each had one assist while Panetti provided two helpers. Sophomore Henry Boykin and junior Louie Germain each provided one assist.
Merrimack's Conor Noone led the Warriors with three points on two goals and an assist. Brady Covey and Brendan Harty each had two points.
The Bison out-shot the Warriors 56-34 and won more ground balls (43-34). Merrimack committed 27 turnovers to Bucknell's 22 and the Bison converted both of its extra man advantages.
Bucknell hits a four-game road stretch, traveling to St. Bonaventure on Saturday, Feb. 8 for a 3 p.m. match-up.
Team Stats
MERR
BUCKNELL
Shots
34
56
Turnovers
27
22
Caused Turnovers
10
13
Faceoffs Won
12
20
Extra-Man Opps
2
2
Ground Balls
34
43
Game Leaders
Players
G
8
A
1
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
1
CT
0
G
4
A
4
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
2
CT
1
G
3
A
2
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
2
CT
1
G
3
A
1
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
0
Players Mentioned
A
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
A
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
D
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
A
/ Men's LacrosseA
/ Men's Lacrosse
A
/ Men's Lacrosse
A
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