Lacrosse: Air Force falls to No. 11 Bucknell

  • Published
  • By Melissa McKeown
  • U.S. Air Force Academy Assistant Athletic Media Relations Director
LEWISBURG, Pa. (AFNEWS) --  Giving up a 5-0 lead in the opening half, the Air Force lacrosse team was unable to get past 11th-ranked Bucknell, dropping the 8-3 contest March 17 afternoon at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. The Falcons fall to 1-4 on the season with the loss, while the Bison improve to 6-1 overall.

Shutting out the Falcons in the opening period, Bucknell increased its advantage to 5-0 with just under six minutes remaining in the second quarter. Air Force finally got on the board with time expiring in the first half, as senior Michael Weber of Wantagh, N.Y., beat the buzzer with an assist from senior Will Meister of Denver, Colo.

More than 10 minutes went by in a scoreless third period until Meister took the assist from junior Kevin Crumrine of Edgewater, Md., to bring Air Force within three goals. However, a man-up goal for the Bison with just over a minute remaining in the period put Bucknell back up by four. Again, the Falcons scored late in the period, this time as Justin Kuchta of Ridgefield, Conn., took the feed from Griffin Nevitt, a sophomore from Charlotte, N.C., to bring the score to 6-3 entering the final quarter.

Two goals by Bucknell in the first five minutes of the final period had the Falcons trailing by five once again. However, there would be no more scoring in the game, which ended with an 8-3 Bison victory.

Bucknell outshot Air Force 31-22, though both teams finished with 29 ground balls. In addition, the Falcons, led by senior Kyle O'Neill  of Portsmouth, R.I., had the advantage on face-offs for the first time this season, winning 8-of-14. However, Air Force could not capitalize on any of its four man-up opportunities, while the Bison went 2-of-5 on extra man opportunities.

The Falcons are back in action noon March 24 at West Point, N.Y., against service-academy rival Army, currently ranked ninth in the nation. 

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