ERIE, Pa. — No. 23-ranked Bucknell University concluded a 4-0 weekend at the Mercyhurst University Invitational as the Bison steered past McKendree University, 15-7, and Salem University, 11-10.
Against McKendree, Bucknell exploited a ten-goal first half to overwhelm the Bearcats.
The Bison were bolstered by a career-best seven goals from Kali Hyham. Junior Ally Furano added six goals as the two combined for 13 of Bucknell’s 15 goals in the contest.
Hyham scored the first two goals of the morning on assists from Megan Lacroix and A. Furano before the Bearcats responded with a goal to cut the Bison lead to 2-1. Bucknell then used a 5-0 run to race out to a 7-1 lead, and eventually scored three more goals in taking a seven-goal advantage, 10-3, at the half. A. Furano and Hyham combined for all ten of Bucknell’s goals in the first half.
Mercyhurst pulled within five halfway through the third quarter, 10-5,but Nina Benson managed Bucknell’s lone goal of the third right near the end of the quarter after chasing down a long pass from sophomore goalkeeper Georgia Lewis. Two more goals by A. Furano and one by Hyham helped Bucknell restore a nine-goal lead at 14-5.
Hyham’s seven-goal game was one shy of the school record 8 set by A. Furano in Bucknell’s win over No. 24 Marist Cllege in the first game of the season. The junior also drew two ejections and added a steal, while Lewis posted her first double-digit save output with 11 in holding the Bearcats to seven tallies. A. Furano added six goals with five ejections drawn in the win.
In the late game, the Bison held off a furious Salem rally in the final four minutes to hang on for an 11-10 win over the Tigers. Hyham, who scored five goals in the win, scored the game-winning goal with 4:23 to go as Bucknell finished a perfect 4-0 weekend at the Mercyhurst Invite.
The two teams exchanged goals to start the game. Paige Furano opened the scoring at the 7:12 mark of the first quarter, before sister Ally Furano fired an unassisted goal to double the Bucknell lead with 6:33 to go. Salem responded with two goals of its own, before a goal by Hyham at the three-minute mark gave Bucknell a narrow 3-2 lead after one quarter of play. Lacroix helped boost the Bison offense to start, assisting Bucknell’s first and third goals en route to a career-best five assists, the most by a Bucknell player this season.
After a defensive start to the second, Marcela Herrera scored one of her three goals on the day with just over a minute to go before Salem responded 30 seconds later with a goal by Margherita Garibbo. Herrera scored a second goal with five seconds to go in the half on a pass from P. Furano as Bucknell took a 5-3 lead at the break.
Bucknell found some breathing room in the third quarter, outscoring the Tigers 4-2 in the frame to take a 9-5 lead after three. Herrera scored her third goal of the day on a long pass by Lewis with 37 seconds left in the quarter as Bucknell headed to the fourth with a four-goal advantage.
Bucknell seemed to be in control with 4:23 left to go after Hyham’s fifth goal of the day gave the Bison a four-goal cushion. However, the Tigers scored three straight to pull within one, 11-10, with 40 seconds left. However, the Bison held off the Tigers in the final seconds to improve to 10-1 this season.
The Bison’s 10-1 start is the best start through 11 games in school history. The 2006 team that finished 23-10 started the season 9-1 before falling in game 11 to Hartwick College, while Bucknell’s school-record 2008 team that finished 26-10 also started the season 9-2. Last year’s team also started the year at 9-2 through 11 games.
Hyham capped off a fantastic weekend in which she scored at least five goals in every game, while Lacroix added five assists. Herrera added a season-best three goals in the win, while Lewis posted eight saves while adding two assists.
Release courtesy Bucknell University Athletics Communications
