Men's Lax Visits Defending NEC Champion Robert Morris Friday Afternoon

Friday, February 13

Moon Township, Pa.

1 p.m.

Bucknell University

Robert Morris

Photo by: Lauren Medeiros

Men's Lax Visits Defending NEC Champion Robert Morris Friday Afternoon

2/10/2026 5:39:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Bucknell (2-0) at Robert Morris
When: Friday, Feb. 13, 3 p.m.
Where: Joe Walton Stadium, Moon Township, Pa.
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: RMUColonials.com

Bucknell at a Glance

The Bison play a true road game for the first time this season when they travel to defending Northeast Conference champion Robert Morris for a Friday matinee. Bucknell is off to a 2-0 start after a couple of one-sided victories, 14-8 over Manhattan at Penn State's Holuba Hall and 11-2 at home against St. Bonaventure last Friday.
Bucknell is looking for its first 3-0 start since 2022, when it won five straight to begin the campaign. The Bison received three points in this week's USILA Coaches Poll.
The defense was the story against the Bonnies at snowy Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. Bucknell pitched a shutout for the last 35 minutes and allowed only one even-strength goal all day. It was a 3-2 game at the half, and then the Bison outscored St. Bonaventure 8-0 in the second half. Goalie Jaz Zanielli made seven saves and the defense forced 22 turnovers on the way to its lowest goals-against total since a 13-1 win over Lafayette on Apr. 11, 2014.
Last week's win was the 400th in program history. The team's inaugural season came in 1968.
Peter Grandolfo led the offense with four goals, including three in a row in the third quarter to help the Bison pull away. Grandolfo, a Preseason All-Patriot League selection, now has seven goals in two games. Among all Patriot League players, only Lehigh's Finn Morgan has more with 10.
Freshman Sean Murray had a breakout game last week with a goal and three assists.
Nine Bison are on the scoresheet so far, and all nine have at least three points: Grandolfo (7-0-7), Sean Berrigan (2-4-6), Luke Brunner (2-3-5), Michael Meyer (4-1-5), Murray (1-3-4), Will Hopkins (2-2-4), Owen Kovacs (3-1-4), Hans Huber (1-2-3), and Anthony Panetti (3-0-3).
All 25 of the team's goals are at even strength. Remarkably, Bucknell has not had an extra-man opportunity yet this season.
Bucknell has won 25 of 42 faceoffs thus far. Zach Hepworth had a big day against Manhattan, winning 17 of 23 in his Bison debut. Colin McLoy was more effective against St. Bonaventure, taking 6 of 9.
LSM John Young leads the team in ground balls with seven, followed by a couple of offensive middies in Brunner and Panetti with six each.
Bucknell returned the bulk of its contributing group from a year ago. Seven of the nine players who recorded double-digit points last season are back, along with three experienced goalies, two starting defensemen, the top long- and short-stick defensive midfielders, and the team's No. 1 returning faceoff man.
Frank Fedorjaka is in his 21st season as head coach at Bucknell, and he is joined on the staff by defensive coordinator Kyle Gallagher, offensive coordinator Matt Kerwick, and new assistant coach Jackson Mumford.

Robert Morris at a Glance

Coach Craig McDonald's squad has certainly had a challenging start to the season with a pair of road games against top-20 teams. The Colonials have fallen to No. 15 Johns Hopkins (17-2) and No. 9 Richmond (17-7), and Friday's game will be their home opener.
Robert Morris returned to the Northeast Conference in men's lacrosse last season and had a banner campaign. The Colonials went 11-6 overall and 6-1 in the NEC, with the only league loss coming in overtime at Le Moyne in the regular-season finale. In the NEC Tournament, Robert Morris beat LIU 12-11 in OT and Detroit Mercy 17-8 to claim the title. RMU fell 14-9 at home to Air Force in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Colonials must replace NEC Player of the Year Bo Columbus and Offensive Player of the Year David Burr, but they were still picked as the favorite in the NEC preseason poll.
Calum Brennan, who scored 49 goals last season and was named NEC Tournament MVP, is back this season, along with All-NEC defenseman Owen Tapper and starting goalie Nate Fechter.
Dylan Anderson, Joel McCormick, and Gavin Pedone lead the team with two goals apiece this season.
Fechter has started both games in goal and has 19 saves with 30 goals allowed.

The Bucknell-Robert Morris Series

Robert Morris leads the all-time series 3-2, with the teams alternating wins since the first meeting in 2011, a 7-5 RMU decision. That was a rare loss for the 2011 Bison, who finished 14-3 and won the Patriot League title. The only other setbacks that season came at No. 14 Penn and at No. 10 Virginia in overtime in the NCAA Tournament.
Bucknell's wins came at home in 2012 (17-10) and away in 2022 (14-12).
The last meeting came in Lewisburg in 2023, with Robert Morris winning 12-9 behind four goals from Nick Pelletier. Connor Davis and Will Hopkins scored three goals each for the Bison. It was a game of runs, as the Colonials jumped out to a 5-0 lead, the Bison answered with seven straight, and then RMU scored another five in a row in the third quarter to take the lead for good.

Next Up

Bucknell is right back in action on the road at Iona on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 1 p.m. That will be the first-ever meeting between the Bison and the Gaels.