Men’s Lax Rolls to 14-8 Win over Manhattan in Season Opener

Sunday, February 1

University Park, Pa. (Holuba Hall)

7 p.m.

Bucknell University

1-0, 0-0

Manhattan

0-1, 0-0

Manhattan

Bucknell

Photo by: Bob Latchford

Men’s Lax Rolls to 14-8 Win over Manhattan in Season Opener

2/1/2026 9:24:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The extra wait was worth it for the Bucknell men's lacrosse team, as the Bison opened the 2026 season with a 14-8 victory over Manhattan on Sunday night at Penn State's Holuba Hall. Playing indoors and one day later than expected due to the extreme cold in the region, Peter Grandolfo and Michael Meyer scored three goals apiece, the defense forced 16 turnovers, and Zach Hepworth went 17-for-23 at the faceoff spot in his Bison debut to spark the victory.

After Grandolfo and Sean Berrigan scored in the game's first five minutes, Manhattan shot back with three straight goals in a span of 2:48. That would be the only time Bucknell trailed all night, as a three-goal flurry in the final 1:40 of the quarter flipped the game. Will Hopkins forced a turnover on the ride and fed Meyer for the tying goal, and then 24 seconds later Hans Huber, back in action after missing all of last season with an injury, gave the Bison the lead for good. Hopkins buzzer-beater made it 5-3, and then Grandolfo and Anthony Panetti scored the first two goals of the second quarter to open up a four-goal lead.

Manhattan pulled within 8-6 on goals from Dylan Knapp and Thomas White early in the third quarter, but a goal from Meyer and two in a row from Owen Kovacs made it 11-6. The Bison led by as many as seven at 14-7 on Luke Brunner's goal with 3:54 to go, and Manhattan added a consolation goal from Connor White with four seconds remaining.

In addition to the hat tricks from Meyer and Grandolfo, Kovacs (2-1-3) and Hopkins (1-2-3) had three-point nights. Panetti scored twice, and Brunner and Sean Berrigan both had a goal and an assist.

Brunner led the Bison with five grounds balls, while Kovacs and Hepworth both had four. Hepworth, in his first season at Bucknell after transferring from Ohio State, won nine of the first 11 draws before finishing 17-for-23. Colin McLoy went 1-for-2 in the fourth quarter.

Bucknell finished with a 45-24 shot advantage and won the ground ball battle 38-32. The Bison committed only 12 opening-night turnovers and were a solid 19-for-23 on clears. It was mostly a penalty-free game. Bucknell was flagged twice, one coming in the game's final minute, while the Jaspers were not penalized.

The Bison are slated to play at home next Saturday against St. Bonaventure at noon at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.