Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
4-3, 0-1
Navy
8-0, 1-0
WLAX Falls to #5 Navy 17-6 in Patriot League Opener
3/14/2026 2:12:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Despite holding the lead for a majority of the first quarter, the Bucknell women's lacrosse team fell to #5 Navy 17-6 as the Midshipmen dominated the final three quarters of play in the conference opening game for both teams. After the Bison went up 3-2, Navy won nine straight draws and turned it into nine straight goals to secure a lead that Bucknell would be unable to come back from. With the loss, the Bison fell to 4-3 on the season and 0-1 in the Patriot League.
Bucknell opened the game hot as it was able to go the first ten minutes without trailing the Midshipmen, but a 2-0 run for Navy to end the first gave it a 4-3 lead. The second quarter was a dominant show by the Midshipmen as they extended its scoring run to nine to take an 11-3 lead before Bucknell got its lone goal of the quarter to make it 11-4 at halftime. A low-scoring third quarter with just three Navy goals and one Bucknell goal resulted in the Midshipmen extending their lead to nine with one quarter left to play. The final quarter of play went the same way as the third with three Midshipmen goals and one Bison goal to make it a 17-6 win for #5 Navy,
Freshman Katie Powers led Bucknell in scoring with two goals on two shots. Caleigh Cummiskey, Megan Krestinski, Alex Macutek and Alex Nesbit each notched one goal apiece to round out the Bison's six goals. Krestinski and Nesbitt added a second point apiece as they recorded the lone Bucknell assists of the contest.
Kate Hearns led the Bison in ground balls with four and freshman Anna Cornell followed closely behind with three. Cornell also led the team in caused turnovers with three.
Navy was dominant throughout the final three quarters of play, which all started on the draw as the Midshipmen won 19 and the Bison only reeled in six. Gigi Abernethy and Krestinski led Bucknell in draw controls with two apiece.
Saves were even amongst the two teams at eight, but there was a glaring difference in shots on goal as Navy had 21 to Bucknell's 12. Bella Crowley started in net for the Bison and recorded five saves and 13 goals against in almost 40 minutes of play. Julia Dembowitz also saw time in the goal for Bucknell and had three saves and four goals against in almost 21 minutes played.
The game opened with three and a half minutes of scoreless play before Alex Macutek put Bucknell on the board. Navy then answered with a goal of its own from Emma Kennedy, but Caleigh Cummiskey answered with a nice dodge and shoot goal to give Bucknell a 2-1 lead. Alyssa Chung found her first of the game with 8:13 to tie the game 2-2, but once again the Bison responded, this time with a goal from Alex Nesbitt. The Midshipment then went on a 2-0 run to end the first quarter up 4-3.
After four minutes of scoreless play opened the second quarter, Navy continued its run with seven more goals to go on a 9-0 run and take an 11-3 lead with 3:34 remaining in the half. The Bison came up with a goal to end the Midshipmen's scoring run as Megan Krestinski got her first to make it 11-4 at halftime.
The third quarter of scoring opened with 12:06 on the clock with another goal from Chung to extend Navy's lead. Katie Powers then got her second career goal for the Bison in a man-up opportunity off of a Krestinski assist, but the Midshipmen answered with two straight to go up 13-5 at the end of three.
Navy opened the fourth quarter with three more goals to extend its scoring run to 5-0 and take a 12 goal lead with 11:10 left in regulation. Powers once again broke the Navy scoring streak with her second goal of the game to cut the deficit to 11. The final 6:08 went scoreless as the Midshipmen claimed their 17-6 win on their senior day.
Bucknell will continue its difficult start to Patriot League play as it will host its conference home opener against Army on Saturday, March 21 at 1 p.m. in Christy Mathewson Memorial Stadium.
