Saturday, April 20
Bethlehem, Pa.
12 p.m.
Lehigh University
vs
Bucknell
Mountain Hawks wrap up three-game homestand by hosting Bucknell on Senior Day
4/19/2019 11:22:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh men's lacrosse team is set to wrap up a three-game homestand on Saturday when it hosts Bucknell on Senior Day. Opening faceoff is set for 12 p.m. and will be televised nation-wide on CBS Sports Network. The Mountain Hawks most recently bounced back from two consecutive defeats with a 17-4 victory over St. Bonaventure Saturday. Prior to this Saturday's game against the Bison, Lehigh will recognize its impressive senior class of 15. Saturday is also a HEADstrong/USILA Awareness Game as part of the organization's Cancer Awareness Month.
Despite consecutive losses to No. 2 Loyola and Robert Morris, the Mountain Hawks are still in a strong position in the Patriot League standings. At 5-1 in league play (8-5 overall), Lehigh is tied with the Greyhounds for first place. If Loyola loses at Army West Point Saturday, and the Mountain Hawks win their final two games (vs. Bucknell and at Holy Cross), Lehigh would win the regular-season title and host the Patriot League Semifinals and Championship Game for the first time since 2013. With one more win, Lehigh could clinch a top two seed and first-round bye, although with one win, there is a way that the Mountain Hawks wouldn't clinch a top two seed. With two wins, Lehigh would finish no lower than the No. 2 seed.
The Mountain Hawks impressed last time out, opening a 4-0 lead before the game was four minutes old. The advantage swelled to 8-0, then 12-1 at halftime. With its starters pulled in the second half, Lehigh outscored the Bonnies 5-2 to account for the 17-3 final. Last Saturday marked Lehigh's largest margin of victory since the 2016 season opener (a 21-4 win over NJIT) and fewest goals allowed since a 12-3 win over Georgetown in April of 2014.
Freshman Tommy Schelling and sophomore Matt Ilchuk each had their first-career hat tricks to lead the offense. Schelling added two assists for a career-high five points, every point coming in the first half. All three of Ilchuk's points came in the fourth quarter, and all four of his points came in the second half. Lehigh's starting attack and midfield combined for eight goals and nine assists, despite just playing the first half and a man-up opportunity in the second. In the victory, sophomore Matt Douglas scored his first-career goal while sophomore Denny Nealon and freshman Matt Marker tallied their first-career points, both assists and both coming in a 55-second span in the fourth quarter. Both assists were on Ilchuk goals.
Junior Conor Gaffney continued to thrive, winning 13-of-13 faceoffs and becoming just the third player in the nation to win double-figure faceoffs without a loss this season. Gaffney finished the week 37-of-42 to up his season percentage to 69.8 percent. He corralled 11 groundballs to up his career total to 313, tied with Ryan Snyder for the Lehigh program record. He also moved from sixth in Patriot League history to a tie for fourth in career GBs. He's up to 116 groundballs this season, just 16 from tying and 17 from breaking the Patriot League single-season record of 132 held by Colgate's Robert Grabher in 2012. Sophomore Joel Trucksess also won 5-of-6 faceoffs on Saturday to up his season percentage to 66.7.
This Saturday, Gaffney could break the program single-season and career record for groundballs, both currently held by Snyder - 118 and 313, respectively. He needs just three to break the season record and one to capture the career mark.
Bucknell stands 4-8 overall and 2-4 in Patriot League, still very much in contention for a league tournament berth. The Bison league victories came against Holy Cross (10-7) and Lafayette (17-4). Bucknell is riding a two-game winning streak into this weekend, also beating Marist (10-7). Five Bison have tallied between 20 and 35 points, led by Will Yorke's team-high 26 goals and 35 points. Reed Malas leads the way in assists (11). Alston Tarry is second on Bucknell in points with 32 (24 goals, eight assists). Included was a nine-point effort vs. the Leopards (five goals, four assists) to earn Patriot League Rookie of the Week. Faceoff specialist Jarett Witzal leads the team in groundballs (82) while winning 49.4 percent of his faceoffs. Conor Shears leads the way in caused turnovers (19). Christian Klipstein has started every game in goal, owning a 10.59 GAA and 0.531 save percentage.
Bucknell leads the all-time series vs. Lehigh, 37-15, with the Bison winning last year's meeting, 14-7. The Mountain Hawks won the year prior, 9-6 on Senior Night which snapped Bucknell's three-game winning streak. Prior to that streak, the Mountain Hawks had won the previous four meetings. The streak began with a hard-fought 9-8 win during Lehigh's 2012 Patriot League Championship season and included an 11-7 road win to clinch the No. 1 overall seed in 2013. The Mountain Hawks also defeated Bucknell 11-5 in the 2013 championship game.
Following Saturday's game, the Mountain Hawks wrap up the regular season by traveling to Holy Cross next Friday (Apr. 26) for a 7 p.m. opening faceoff.
Like Lehigh men's lacrosse on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
Despite consecutive losses to No. 2 Loyola and Robert Morris, the Mountain Hawks are still in a strong position in the Patriot League standings. At 5-1 in league play (8-5 overall), Lehigh is tied with the Greyhounds for first place. If Loyola loses at Army West Point Saturday, and the Mountain Hawks win their final two games (vs. Bucknell and at Holy Cross), Lehigh would win the regular-season title and host the Patriot League Semifinals and Championship Game for the first time since 2013. With one more win, Lehigh could clinch a top two seed and first-round bye, although with one win, there is a way that the Mountain Hawks wouldn't clinch a top two seed. With two wins, Lehigh would finish no lower than the No. 2 seed.
The Mountain Hawks impressed last time out, opening a 4-0 lead before the game was four minutes old. The advantage swelled to 8-0, then 12-1 at halftime. With its starters pulled in the second half, Lehigh outscored the Bonnies 5-2 to account for the 17-3 final. Last Saturday marked Lehigh's largest margin of victory since the 2016 season opener (a 21-4 win over NJIT) and fewest goals allowed since a 12-3 win over Georgetown in April of 2014.
Freshman Tommy Schelling and sophomore Matt Ilchuk each had their first-career hat tricks to lead the offense. Schelling added two assists for a career-high five points, every point coming in the first half. All three of Ilchuk's points came in the fourth quarter, and all four of his points came in the second half. Lehigh's starting attack and midfield combined for eight goals and nine assists, despite just playing the first half and a man-up opportunity in the second. In the victory, sophomore Matt Douglas scored his first-career goal while sophomore Denny Nealon and freshman Matt Marker tallied their first-career points, both assists and both coming in a 55-second span in the fourth quarter. Both assists were on Ilchuk goals.
Junior Conor Gaffney continued to thrive, winning 13-of-13 faceoffs and becoming just the third player in the nation to win double-figure faceoffs without a loss this season. Gaffney finished the week 37-of-42 to up his season percentage to 69.8 percent. He corralled 11 groundballs to up his career total to 313, tied with Ryan Snyder for the Lehigh program record. He also moved from sixth in Patriot League history to a tie for fourth in career GBs. He's up to 116 groundballs this season, just 16 from tying and 17 from breaking the Patriot League single-season record of 132 held by Colgate's Robert Grabher in 2012. Sophomore Joel Trucksess also won 5-of-6 faceoffs on Saturday to up his season percentage to 66.7.
This Saturday, Gaffney could break the program single-season and career record for groundballs, both currently held by Snyder - 118 and 313, respectively. He needs just three to break the season record and one to capture the career mark.
Bucknell stands 4-8 overall and 2-4 in Patriot League, still very much in contention for a league tournament berth. The Bison league victories came against Holy Cross (10-7) and Lafayette (17-4). Bucknell is riding a two-game winning streak into this weekend, also beating Marist (10-7). Five Bison have tallied between 20 and 35 points, led by Will Yorke's team-high 26 goals and 35 points. Reed Malas leads the way in assists (11). Alston Tarry is second on Bucknell in points with 32 (24 goals, eight assists). Included was a nine-point effort vs. the Leopards (five goals, four assists) to earn Patriot League Rookie of the Week. Faceoff specialist Jarett Witzal leads the team in groundballs (82) while winning 49.4 percent of his faceoffs. Conor Shears leads the way in caused turnovers (19). Christian Klipstein has started every game in goal, owning a 10.59 GAA and 0.531 save percentage.
Bucknell leads the all-time series vs. Lehigh, 37-15, with the Bison winning last year's meeting, 14-7. The Mountain Hawks won the year prior, 9-6 on Senior Night which snapped Bucknell's three-game winning streak. Prior to that streak, the Mountain Hawks had won the previous four meetings. The streak began with a hard-fought 9-8 win during Lehigh's 2012 Patriot League Championship season and included an 11-7 road win to clinch the No. 1 overall seed in 2013. The Mountain Hawks also defeated Bucknell 11-5 in the 2013 championship game.
Following Saturday's game, the Mountain Hawks wrap up the regular season by traveling to Holy Cross next Friday (Apr. 26) for a 7 p.m. opening faceoff.
Like Lehigh men's lacrosse on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
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