Saturday, February 22
Lewisburg, Pa.
1 p.m.
Bucknell University
1-2
11
vs
16
Villanova
3-2
1
2
3
4
F
Villanova
4
3
6
3
16
Bucknell
2
3
3
3
11
Photo by: Lianne Garrahan
Women’s Lacrosse Drops 16-11 Decision to Villanova
2/22/2025 4:34:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Freshman Kat Reynolds recorded her first career hat trick, but a tough end to the third quarter proved too much to overcome for the Bucknell women's lacrosse team in a 16-11 loss to Villanova on Saturday afternoon at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
The Bison fell to 1-2 on the season, with the losses coming to two quality teams in Penn State and Villanova. The Wildcats improved to 3-2, with one of the setbacks a 17-16 decision to Navy.
Ava Harris scored off a feed from Taylor McClain to cut Bucknell's deficit to two at 10-8 with 1:18 left in the third quarter, but the game changed when the Wildcats scored three times in the final 32 seconds of the period, including a buzzer-beater from Rose Christie. Villanova scored two more goals in the first 4:17 of the fourth quarter, and suddenly the visitors had a commanding 15-8 lead.
Bucknell made a late run with Allie Boyce scoring her second of the day from the 8-meter spot, followed by two in a row from Reynolds to make it 15-11 with 5:07 to go. The Wildcats came up with a key defensive stop and added one more goal from Sydney Pappas, her fourth of the day, with 3:30 remaining.
Alex Nesbitt put the Bison in front just 1:47 into the contest, and the Bucknell defense kept it a 1-0 game until Sami Carey finally got Villanova on the board after 10:24 had elapsed. McClain gave the Bison a 2-1 lead, but Villanova scored three straight in the final three minutes of the opening period to take the lead for good.
Bucknell had numerous close calls in the middle portion of the contest. In a 5-3 game in the second quarter, Villanova goalie Makenzie Fisher made back-to-back point-blank saves to rob Nesbitt and McClain. Reynolds rocketed a shot off the crossbar later in the period.
In the third quarter with the Bison trailing 8-6, Boyce had a free-position goal waved off due to a foul away from the ball, and moments later Katie Browne rang the goalpost.
McClain, Nesbitt, and Boyce all scored two goals for Bucknell, and Aliza Thir logged a goal and two assists. The Bison were 5-for-6 on free-position attempts, compared to Villanova's 1-for-7.
Jess Leon had another strong defensive game with three caused turnovers and three grounds balls. Kiera McClanahan added four caused turnovers for the Bison, who finished with 13 in the game. Kate Hearns also had three ground balls.
Draw controls were a major factor in the game, as Villanova finished with a 22-7 advantage. Emma Verhoest, who came in averaging 10.8 DCs per game, added 12 more in this one. Carey had an eight-point game for the Wildcats with three goals and five assists. Pappas had four goals and one assist, and Leslie Iorio tallied three goals and an assist.
Fisher made three saves for Villanova, while Colleen Kazanjian was strong in the Bison crease with 12 saves.
Bucknell wraps up its three-game homestand on Tuesday against Kent State at 3 p.m.
The Bison fell to 1-2 on the season, with the losses coming to two quality teams in Penn State and Villanova. The Wildcats improved to 3-2, with one of the setbacks a 17-16 decision to Navy.
Ava Harris scored off a feed from Taylor McClain to cut Bucknell's deficit to two at 10-8 with 1:18 left in the third quarter, but the game changed when the Wildcats scored three times in the final 32 seconds of the period, including a buzzer-beater from Rose Christie. Villanova scored two more goals in the first 4:17 of the fourth quarter, and suddenly the visitors had a commanding 15-8 lead.
Bucknell made a late run with Allie Boyce scoring her second of the day from the 8-meter spot, followed by two in a row from Reynolds to make it 15-11 with 5:07 to go. The Wildcats came up with a key defensive stop and added one more goal from Sydney Pappas, her fourth of the day, with 3:30 remaining.
Alex Nesbitt put the Bison in front just 1:47 into the contest, and the Bucknell defense kept it a 1-0 game until Sami Carey finally got Villanova on the board after 10:24 had elapsed. McClain gave the Bison a 2-1 lead, but Villanova scored three straight in the final three minutes of the opening period to take the lead for good.
Bucknell had numerous close calls in the middle portion of the contest. In a 5-3 game in the second quarter, Villanova goalie Makenzie Fisher made back-to-back point-blank saves to rob Nesbitt and McClain. Reynolds rocketed a shot off the crossbar later in the period.
In the third quarter with the Bison trailing 8-6, Boyce had a free-position goal waved off due to a foul away from the ball, and moments later Katie Browne rang the goalpost.
McClain, Nesbitt, and Boyce all scored two goals for Bucknell, and Aliza Thir logged a goal and two assists. The Bison were 5-for-6 on free-position attempts, compared to Villanova's 1-for-7.
Jess Leon had another strong defensive game with three caused turnovers and three grounds balls. Kiera McClanahan added four caused turnovers for the Bison, who finished with 13 in the game. Kate Hearns also had three ground balls.
Draw controls were a major factor in the game, as Villanova finished with a 22-7 advantage. Emma Verhoest, who came in averaging 10.8 DCs per game, added 12 more in this one. Carey had an eight-point game for the Wildcats with three goals and five assists. Pappas had four goals and one assist, and Leslie Iorio tallied three goals and an assist.
Fisher made three saves for Villanova, while Colleen Kazanjian was strong in the Bison crease with 12 saves.
Bucknell wraps up its three-game homestand on Tuesday against Kent State at 3 p.m.
Team Stats
VU
BUCKNELL
Shots
38
19
Turnovers
14
18
Caused Turnovers
8
13
Draw Controls
22
7
Free-Position Shots
7
6
Ground Balls
20
17
Game Leaders
Players
G
3
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
0
G
2
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
0
G
2
A
1
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
1
CT
0
G
2
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
2
CT
1
Players Mentioned
A
/ Women's Lacrosse
A
/ Women's Lacrosse
A
/ Women's Lacrosse
D
/ Women's Lacrosse
G
/ Women's Lacrosse
A
/ Women's Lacrosse
D
/ Women's LacrosseM
/ Women's LacrosseA
/ Women's Lacrosse
M
/ Women's LacrosseIn The Herd: Saint Francis Game Preview And Nick Hoying Feature
Thursday, September 25
In The Herd: First Practice Review And Tuana Coskun Feature
Wednesday, September 24
In The Herd: First Practice Review And Ruot Bijiek Feature
Tuesday, September 23
(Coaches Camera) Salem Men's Water Polo Vs. Gannon (9/21/25)
Monday, September 22