Saturday, March 22
Lewisburg, Pa.
12 p.m.
Bucknell University
4-4, 2-2PL
11
vs
10
Lehigh
2-6, 1-1PL
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2
3
4
F
Lehigh
4
2
1
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10
Bucknell
2
4
5
0
11
Photo by: Lianne Garrahan
Davis Ties Bucknell Career Goals Record as Men’s Lax Holds off Lehigh, 11-10
3/22/2025 3:39:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
LEWISBURG, Pa. – On a day when senior attackman Connor Davis made history for his goal-scoring prowess, it was the Bucknell defense that once again came up with a game-saving stand in the final seconds to preserve an 11-10 win over defending Patriot League champion Lehigh on Saturday afternoon at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
The Bison leveled their overall (4-4) and Patriot League (2-2) records with their second straight one-goal victory. In last week's 18-17 thriller at No. 15 Colgate, goalie Luke Renaud made two huge saves in the final minute, including one right at the final horn. This time, Renaud came up with another critical stop with his team down a man with 37 seconds left, and then freshman Ollie Hau stripped Lehigh's Dakota Eierman as he charged toward the cage in the final five seconds.
Bucknell trailed 5-2 early in the second quarter before dominating the middle two periods. An 8-1 run helped the Bison open up a four-goal lead, and then they held on after Lehigh scored three times in the fourth quarter to make it a one-goal game.
It was a balanced scoring attack for Bucknell, as Owen Kovacs, Cam Doolan, Anthony Panetti, and Sean Kerwick all scored two goals. Michael Meyer had a goal and two assists, Davis had one and one, and Will Hopkins handed out a pair of assists.
Both of Kovacs' goals were highlight-reel, around-the-back stunners in Bucknell's second-quarter surge. After Doolan tied the game at 5-5 midway through the period, Meyer fed a cutting Kovacs for a wraparound shot and a 6-5 lead, Bucknell's first lead of the day.
OH MY, OWEN KOVACS! #rayBucknell #PLTop3 #SCTop10
— Bucknell Men's Lax (@Bucknell_MLAX) March 22, 2025
Watch: https://t.co/GdtBOc6Tcq@ESPN | @PatriotLeagueHQ pic.twitter.com/qsBhYochmo
Grant Rodny made it a 6-6 game at the half with shot from distance with 3.7 seconds left, but the Bison exploded for four straight to start the second half.
Davis' history-making goal broke the 6-6 tie 3:12 into the third period and gave the Bison the lead for good. Hopkins carried the ball top-side and fed Davis in the slot for his 138th career goal. That ties Bucknell Hall-of-Famer Justin Zackey's school record, which has held up in the record book since 1994.
HISTORY! Here's a look at Connor Davis' record-tying 138th career goal! It came at a big moment too, breaking a tie in the 3rd quarter. #rayBucknell
— Bucknell Men's Lax (@Bucknell_MLAX) March 22, 2025
Watch: https://t.co/GdtBOc6Tcq@ESPN | @PatriotLeagueHQ pic.twitter.com/NU5n0VzEsD
Panetti followed with a nifty goal off the dodge from the left side, and then Davis fed Luke Brunner 48 seconds later to make it 9-6. Meyer finished off the 8-1 run for a 10-6 lead, and after Andrew Kelly ended Lehigh's long scoring drought with 4:58 left in the third, Panetti scored with just five seconds left to make it 11-7 heading to the fourth.
Eierman sandwiched a pair of goals around a Luke Winkler extra-man tally to get the Mountain Hawks within one with 6:35 still to play, but Bucknell's defense came up with big stops down the stretch.
Lehigh goalie Kasey Heath made three saves on one Bucknell possession to keep it 11-10, but the Bison made good use of a delayed penalty and the resulting EMO to melt about two minutes off the clock.
Lehigh went man-up for 30 seconds with 59 ticks remaining, and Renaud made a tough save on Hunter Polonkey. The Mountain Hawks kept possession and sprayed three shots wide of the mark. After a restart from the deep right corner with seven seconds left, Eierman drove toward the crease but Hau made a terrific stick check, grabbed the ground ball and flung it high in the air as time expired.
Freshman Ollie Hau with the takeaway just before the final horn, and the BISON WIN!!! #rayBucknell @ESPN | @PatriotLeagueHQ pic.twitter.com/AkOtmetKMg
— Bucknell Men's Lax (@Bucknell_MLAX) March 22, 2025
Bucknell won the game and was only outshot 45-36 despite Lehigh's 19-6 edge on faceoffs. Of Lehigh's 45 shots, 21 came in the fourth quarter The Bison defense forced the Mountain Hawks into 19 turnovers, 12 of which were caused. Hau led the way with three caused turnovers, and nine different Bison had at least one CT.
Renaud played all 60 minutes in goal and finished with 13 saves, including five in the final period. Heath stopped 11 shots for the Mountain Hawks.
Bucknell snapped a five-game series losing streak to Lehigh and now leads 39-20 all-time. Last year's meeting was also a one-goal affair, with the Mountain Hawks prevailing 9-8 in Bethlehem.
It was a wild day in the Patriot League, with all four conference matchups decided by one goal. In addition to Bucknell's victory over Lehigh, Boston University won 10-9 in overtime at No. 3 Army; Navy escaped with a 9-8 OT win at Holy Cross; and Lafayette knocked off Loyola 11-10 in Baltimore.
Bucknell moved into a tie for fifth place alongside Lafayette at 2-2, and the Bison and Leopards will meet next Friday night in Easton.
Team Stats
LEHIGH
BUCKNELL
Shots
45
36
Turnovers
19
13
Caused Turnovers
5
12
Faceoffs Won
19
6
Extra-Man Opps
4
3
Ground Balls
33
27
Game Leaders
Players
G
2
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
1
CT
0
G
2
A
1
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
0
G
2
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
0
G
2
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
1
CT
1
Players Mentioned
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
A
/ Men's LacrosseM
/ Men's Lacrosse
A
/ Men's LacrosseA
/ Men's LacrosseA
/ Men's Lacrosse
A
/ Men's LacrosseA
/ Men's Lacrosse
G
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