LEXINGTON, Va. — No. 25-ranked Bucknell University improved to 5-1 on the season as the Bison defeated Route 15 rival Mount St. Mary’s University, 14-6, and host the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), 21-13, to close out a 3-0 weekend at the VMI Invitational.
The Bison – which knocked off Salem University by a 14-4 final score on Friday, February 6, to begin the weekend – won the latest edition of the Route 15 Rivalry with a stress-free eight-goal decision over Mount St. Mary’s.
Bella Schraa led the Bison with four goals, shooting a perfect 100%. Olivia Hopper and Gwen Kallmeyer each added three goals, while Tamara Torkos supplied 12 saves.
The Bison started fast and rolled to a 4-0 lead on goals from Olivia Hopper, Caitlin Stott and back-to-back Kallmeyer tallies.
The Mount scored once, but Bucknell responded with two goals.
Mount St. Mary’s made one last grasp at relevance with two straight scores. A 4-1 Bucknell run placed the score at 10-4 and put an end to any further pretenses.
The two teams traded two goals each before the Bison ended the game on a 2-0 volley with scores from Ashley Hopper and Lin Naraoka.
Taking on the host Keydets, Bucknell was tied at six-all with VMI midway through the second quarter before the Bison used a 3-0 run to create some separation. The Keydets advanced to within 10-9 before a 4-0 stretch established a clear line of differentiation as the Orange & Blue cruised to an eight-goal victory.
Naraoka led Bucknell in scoring with five goals. Nine different Bison players tallied a cage-finder. Addison Wedding added four and Olivia Hopper chipped in a trio of tallies during the second half.
The Bison built an early 4-1 lead, but VMI clawed back to within 4-3 and then erased a 6-3 deficit with three straight goals.
The Orange & Blue freshmen responded to the challenge as Wedding tallied twice, Olivia Garcia added a goal and Naraoka finished a shot nine seconds before halftime.
The Keydets made another charge to 10-9 and again the Bison answered the challenge. A 4-0 Bucknell run, powered by two Naraoka goals, kept VMI in check.
Bucknell put the game to bed in the fourth quarter with six goals. Olivia Hopper scored twice and was joined by Wedding, Kallmeyer, Schraa, Stott and Ava Bayne in the tally parade.
Information courtesy Bucknell University Athletics Communications
