Category: Men

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Football Men Sports

Football defeats Georgetown on Senior Day to capture winning record within Patriot League

Cooper Mead

Senior Writer

The football team beat Georgetown (1-9 overall, 0-4 PL) at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium by a 17-7 margin to bring its overall record to 5-5. With a 3-2 record in the Patriot League, the Orange and the Blue finished above .500 in conference play for the first time since 2004.

The Bison performance was marked by stifling defensive play that limited the Hoyas to just 22 yards on the ground and 171 yards overall. This marked the sixth time this year that an opponent has failed to reach 100 rushing yards in a game against the Bison. The Bison’s seventh-ranked rush defense was led by Evan Byers ’15 and Demetrius Baldwin-Youngblood ’15 who both came up with eight tackles on the day. Baldwin-Youngblood contributed heavily with three sacks, setting a career-high.

On the offense, the Bison controlled field position throughout the contest as their average drive starting point was at their own 44-yard line compared with Georgetown’s average at just their own 18-yard line. Brandon Wesley ’14 had another productive day, as he tallied 112 yards on 14 of 21 passing. He also added his 25th career touchdown and his 112 passing yards brought his total to 6,073 career yards, further extending his school record.

On the ground, CJ Williams ’17 continued to run hard, as he gained for 67 yards on 19 carries. Williams was complemented by Matt DelMauro’s ’16 58 yards on nine carries.

“The team plays together and for the man next to them; no one is selfish and the Georgetown win was a team win on all three phases of the game. It was great to send the seniors out on a high note,” Williams said.

Despite a relatively slow game offensively for the Bison, they came out swinging in the second quarter and came up with scores on three consecutive drives to register all 17 of their points. On their first drive of the quarter, the Bison set up inside the 10-yard line after a crucial 26-yard completion from Wesley to Kyle Sullivan ’14. Wesley then connected on a six-yard touchdown pass to Josh Brake ’15 to put the Bison up 7-0.

The Bison defense held strong on the next Hoya drive to force a quick punt and give the Bison offense the ball. Sullivan was able to return the punt 31 yards, and Wesley and the Bison orchestrated a five-play, 27-yard drive that was concluded by Travis Friend’s ’14 four-yard touchdown carry, giving the Bison a formidable 14-0 advantage.

Georgetown continued to struggle but made a costly error on the first play of the next drive, as a fumble set the Bison offense up on the Georgetown 31-yard line. Despite great field position, the Bison were forced to kick a field goal. Kicker Sean Cobelli ’14 split the uprights on a 33-yard boot on his first kick all season for the Bison.

Georgetown remained scoreless until its final possession when the offense coordinated an 11-play, 71-yard drive that culminated in a one-yard touchdown run with just 7:55 left to play in the game. The Bison sealed the victory as they wound the clock down on an impressive display of clock management on the last drive of the contest.

Prior to the game, a special recognition went out to the seniors at their last home game of their Bison football careers. These seniors included Cobelli, Derek-London Dierkes, Jake Flaherty, Brent Forbes, Friend, Blair Gatewood, Jeff Goyette, Matt Johnson, Austin Kevitch, Patryk Najbar, Derrick Palmer, Joe Sangimino, Sean Sellers, Tracey Smith, Wayne Stewart, Sullivan, Charles Thompson, Sal Vallala and Wesley.

“It was great to be a part of the pre-game ceremony honoring our seniors,” head coach Joe Susan said. “To be able to win in their final game at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium is special for them and a memory that will be with them and their teammates for a long time.”

The Bison will hope to carry their momentum into tomorrow, as they head to VMI to conclude their season.

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Men Sports Water Polo

Men’s water polo claims second at Southern Championships

Chris McCree

Senior Writer

Coming into the event as the reigning champion, the men’s water polo team claimed second place at the Southern Championships this past weekend in Annapolis, Md. Holding a three-goal lead in the finals at the half, the Orange and Blue were outscored by five goals in the third quarter against Navy and eventually fell to the Midshipmen 9-8.

“Overall, I think we played well as a team,” Stefan Aleksic ’16 said. “The fact that we were in the finals the second year in a row is showing us that we are moving in the right direction.”

Prior to the final contest, the Bison claimed victories over Washington & Jefferson and Mercyhurst in the first and second rounds, respectively.

In the first game, the Bison jumped out to a sizeable 7-3 lead at the half and did not let up from there, as the team would go on to win 12-5. Aleksic scored three goals in the contest and was joined by Julian Colina ’14 and Alex Nowlin ’14, who each tallied two of their own.

Later on in the day, the Bison faced a tougher opponent, as Mercyhurst came out of the gates firing. Down by three at the half, the Orange and Blue were able to take control in the second half and escape with an 8-6 victory. Aleksic added four more goals in the contest.

“We had three hard games this weekend and two of them were pretty close. But I think we showed the strength and mentality of this team in the semi-final game against Mercyhurst,” Aleksic said. “We had an amazing comeback in the second half, not allowing them to score more than one goal, which enabled us to win that game.”

In the finals, the Bison started the contest strong, scoring six goals in the first half to Navy’s three. From there, the team could not manage to find the back of the net until 12 minutes into the half. Heading into the fourth and down two goals, the Bison rallied back with two goals from Jack Else ’14 and Aleksic to tie the game at eight apiece. Then, with just under five minutes remaining, the Midshipmen found the back of the net to take the match.

“I think this tournament was a great indicator on what we have been doing good so far and what we still have to work on to improve ourselves,” Aleksic said. “Our biggest problem was staying consist in the way we play. We would play really well for a certain time, but then we would get out of our rhythm and allow our opponents easy goals. I think we outplayed Navy for three quarters, but that one quarter where we did not play well cost us a win in finals.”

In taking second, the Bison were still able to earn a bid in the CWPA Championship, which takes place on Nov. 22-24. The bid marks the 14th consecutive trip for the Bison, who hope to earn an NCAA Championship berth by winning the event.

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Football Men Sports

Football fall in close contest to Fordham

Cooper Mead

Senior Writer

The football team (4-5) suffered a heartbreaking 23-21 loss in one of the most highly contested and exciting Bison football games in recent years at Fordham’s (10-0) on Nov. 9. The contest was marked by a myriad of direction changes and competitive drives. Despite the Bison’s efforts to overcome a 10-point deficit, their potential game-winning field goal was blocked with under a minute left in the game.

Entering the game, the Bison hoped to extend their winning streak to four, while Fordham aimed to remain undefeated.

On the defensive front, the Bison played tough, as they held the Fordham offense to well below their average of 40 points per game. The effort was led by Evan Byers ’15 with 14 tackles (four for a loss), Clayton Ewell ’16 with nine stops, and Matthew Steinbeck’s ’15 11th career interception.

On offense, Brandon Wesley ’14 produced 225 yards on 20 of 40 passing with a touchdown. On the ground, CJ Williams ’17 had 15 carries for 63 yards. Bobby Kaslander ’16 caught five passes for 85 yards to lead the receiving core.

“We played very hard throughout this game. I felt that the matchup was a good one going in and the game was a good one for fans of college football. The emotion that goes into a game like this makes it difficult to get over,” head coach Joe Susan said.

In the first quarter, the Bison tied the score at 7-7 when Kaslander reeled in an impressive 26-yard catch that set up a two-yard Wesley run around the outside to find the end zone.

After a relatively unproductive half for both teams and a Fordham field goal, Fordham orchestrated a strike only five minutes into the second half. On 3rd and 8, Fordham came through with a 63-yard pass that found the end zone to make the score 17-7.

In the third quarter, unusual play calling by the Bison paid off. Wide receiver Josh Brake ’15 passed to Williams for a 23-yard touchdown on a screen play, bringing the Bison within three points. The Bison also attempted a flea flicker, but it was intercepted by the Fordham secondary.

The Bison had multiple chances to take the lead, including a productive offensive effort on the next drive after a forced turnover. Unfortunately, Williams fumbled to end the possession.

With just 2:29 left in the third quarter, Steinbeck intercepted a Fordham pass and gave the Bison the ball. After four plays, Wesley connected with Brake for a five-yard touchdown pass to give them a 21-17 lead. Fordham countered with two field goals to bring the score to 23-21 with just 8:09 left in the contest.

The last minute of the game was perhaps the most exciting football that the Bison have played all year. With a two-point lead, Fordham set up in the victory formation to take a knee, but the Bison defense had other plans. The defensive line made a push and forced a fumble that was recovered by the Bison on their own 35-yard line. The Bison took possession and Wesley went to work, as he made two crucial completions to bring the ball just past midfield. The Bison were aided by an important pass interference penalty called against Fordham that brought the ball to the Fordham 19-yard line. After a quick rush by Wesley to center the ball for the field goal try, Derek Maurer ’15 lined up for the lengthy 37-yard field goal. On the ensuing play, the Fordham offensive line was able to block the kick and seal the victory, handing the Bison a devastating loss after a hard fought battle.

The performance on both sides of the ball exhibits the resilience of the Bison squad and its ability to play with one of the most potent teams that it has faced all season.

“We came out ready to play knowing that we can put up points against any team we play. But, there is no solace in the score and there are definitely things we need to improve on as we get ready for Georgetown this week,” Brake said. 

The Bison will hope to rebound and continue their efficient play at their last home game tomorrow at 1 p.m. Prior to kickoff, they will honor their senior players.

“This team is led by its seniors. They are special to me and my staff, in that we have been privileged to coach them for four years. These men have worked very hard at being their best both on and off the field. I am happy for them and proud of them. I consider it a privilege to have been able to coach them. This emotion and sentiment echoes through my staff,” Susan said.

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Men Sports Swimming & Diving

Men’s Swimming & Diving Passes by Three Patriot League Foes in One Clean Sweep

Devan Schulte

Staff Writer

The men’s swimming and diving team successfully sank American, Lafayette, and top-ranked Navy on Nov. 9 at Kinney Natatorium to boost the team’s record to 4-1 overall (3-0 PL). Mike Nicholson ’14 and Louis Behnen ’17 both captured multiple wins to help the Bison hand Navy its first loss since becoming a member of the Patriot League 10 years ago.

The Orange and Blue racked up points from the start of the meet, taking nine first-place finishes to outshine Navy’s seven. Behnen secured the 1000 free and the 200 back, gaining himself a spot in the school’s record books with times of 9:32.41 and 1:51.60, respectively.

“Winning the 1000 was a good way to start off the meet. It built the momentum that carried throughout the meet and eventually allowed us to win,” Behnen said.

Nicholson maintained this momentum, capturing first-place finishes in the 200 IM, 200 fly and 200 breast. Steve Grune ’16, Jack Robinson ’17, and Ben Seketa ’15 finished first for the 50 free, 100 back, and 100 breast, respectively. Despite the caliber with which the team swam, the key to winning did not rest solely on the shoulders of these first-place victories. The rest of the Bison team captured a multitude of points with many second and third-place finishes as well.

“Our team energy is what made me successful. Everyone was positive, encouraging, and loud for every race throughout the meet. However, a big team goal of ours is to improve that energy on the pool deck every meet. We want to keep our energy up for every race throughout the meet no matter what,” Grune said.

Divers Tyler Wenzel ’16 and Patrick Alvermann ’16 utilized the team’s energy on the diving boards, with Wenzel competing in the one-meter and Alvermann in the three-meter event. Both secured points for the Orange and Blue through third and fourth-place finishes, respectively.

The Bison ended the day outscoring both American and Lafayette by at least 200 points each, and secured a hard-fought victory over Navy 152-148, marking the Midshipmen’s first loss in the 11-meet series between the two teams.

“We just need to carry this momentum through the rest of the season. We have a chance to have one of the best seasons in Bucknell swimming, and if everyone can continue swimming like we did on Saturday, then the future looks good,” Chris Ortiz ’16 said.

The Bison will return to the pool on Nov. 22 to host the three-day Bucknell Invitational.

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Men Sports Swimming & Diving

Men’s Swimming & Diving Sweep George Washington 165-91

Lauren Boone

Sports Editor

The men’s swimming and diving team won 165-91 in its first scored meet of the season against George Washington on Oct. 19. Louis Behnen ’17 led the Bison, winning three events. Teammate Mike Nicholson ’14 supported Behnen’s lead, claiming two more first-place finishes for the Orange and Blue.

The team claimed first place in every event during the meet. Eight Bison claimed individual titles, showing their strength across the board.

“GW is a competitive team, so to be able to win all 16 events against them was a real accomplishment,” Nicholson said. “We saw some of the younger guys really step up in some big spots and put up impressive times for this early in the season.” 

Behnen played a particularly strong role for the team, winning the 200 back, 500 free, and 1,000 free. He swam a time of 9:36.33 in the 1,000 freestyle, the third best time in program history. Behnen touched the wall a solid 16 seconds before the second-place finisher.

“I was more focused on race strategy and pace during this meet than my end time, because that’s the most important thing to focus on this early in the season,” Behnen said. “Other members of the team also stepped up and did well when we needed points.”

Nicholson also contributed to the Bison victory, claiming first in both the 200 fly and the 200 breast. Among the other first-place finishers were Chris Ortiz ’16 (200 free), Will Rappaport ’16 (100 back), Ben Seketa ’15 (100 breast), Steve Grune ’16 (50 free), Trevor Reitz ’14 (100 free), and Erik Heinemann ’15 (100 fly). The Orange and Blue also performed well in the relay events. 

“Our relays are showing a lot of depth which gives us some much needed flexibility for the dual meet season,” Nicholson said. “We also showed a lot of strength in the backstroke events, which has been a weak point for us in the past. While we are happy with our results, we’ve quickly moved on to focusing on our next meet this weekend against Pittsburgh. It’s our first meet against an ACC [Atlantic Coast Conference] team in a long time, which, in addition to being homecoming weekend, should be a great environment for us to really measure ourselves against top competition in an exciting environment.”

The Bison will return to the lanes of the Kinney Natatorium tomorrow at 1 p.m. where they will host Pittsburgh.

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Golf Men Sports

Stitzer, Pogust lead Bison golf

Alexandra Rosen

Contributing Writer

The men’s golf team came out strong in the Donald Ross Intercollegiate in Morganton, N.C., but finished with a score of 295. The Bison placed 13th overall and were led by Schuyler Stitzer ’14 and Zach Pogust ’15.

Stitzer did not shoot anything lower than a bogey the first day, and on the second day he shot 74. Pogust finished day one with a 1-over 71 and tied his personal best this season. The second round left him with 74, which was enough to help the team score of 294 and 297 in the first two rounds.

While the Orange and the Blue tied their season low of 294, it was not enough to beat the other schools in the tournament.

“Despite our unsatisfactory finish, there were a lot of positives we took from the weekend,” Peter Scialabba ’15 said. “Our short games allowed us to shoot competitive scores although we weren’t hitting the ball as well as we’d like.”

There are many positives to take from the tournament, including the first-years stepping up to the tee.

“Our freshmen D.J. [Magee ’17] and Zach [Melnick ’17] are improving as they get used to playing college golf,” Scialabba said.

Magee birdied a hole at the beginning of the final round, shooting a 75. Melnick scored a spot on the travel roster and secured three birdies for the weekend, finishing behind Pogust and Stitzer.

The Bison compete next in the Lehigh Invitational at Saucon Valley CC on Oct. 27-28.

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Men Sports Tennis

Bybel, Canibe compete at ITA Regional Championships

Chris McCree

Senior Writer

The men’s tennis team sent Nick Bybel ’16 and Octavio Canibe ’15 to the USTA/ITA Regional Championships on Oct. 18 to compete against some of the top players in the country. In the three matches played between the two, the Bison came away winless from the tournament.

In doubles, Bybel and Canibe teamed up against Ethan and Jacob Dunbar of Richmond. Ethan has been named twice to the All-Conference first team and has played No. 1 singles for the Spiders for two years. Not fazed by the accolades, the Orange and Blue duo proved to be worthy foes, forcing a tiebreaker which they ultimately lost 8-7 (6).

In singles, both Bybel and Canibe fell in straight sets. Matched up against Rob Stirling of James Madison, Bybel put up a strong fight in the first set (6-4), but his opponent came out even stronger in the second, taking the set 6-2. Similarly, Canibe lost a match to fellow Patriot Leaguer Thomas Pecor (Navy) 6-4, 6-0.

The Championships marked the end of the fall season for the Orange and Blue. Bybel emerged as a key member of the Bison contingent, as he finished the fall with a team-high 12 singles wins. With the loss, Canibe finished the fall season with an even 6-6 record in singles play.

The team now enters its winter offseason training before its spring season begins in February. The squad will open the spring with a series of non-conference competitions before playing its first Patriot League opponent in March.

“We have a lot of talent and experience on this team,” Irwin Reibeisen ’14 said. “We need to continue working to maximize our potential as a collective unit. I have high hopes for this season–the Patriot League title is within reach.”

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Football Men Sports

Football fights for a 17-14 win over Dartmouth

Cooper Mead

Senior Writer

The football team defeated the Dartmouth Big Green 17-14 on Oct. 19 in Hanover, N.H. to bring its record to 2-4. Matt DelMauro ’16 and CJ Williams ’17 posted key touchdowns for the Bison, while Will Carter ’17 continued to be a factor as he tallied eight catches for 69 yards.

The Bison defensive front remained strong against the Big Green, as it held the potent Dartmouth offense (averaging about 500 yards per game) to just 252 yards. The Bison tallied a season-high seven sacks led by Tracey Smith ’14, who had eight tackles, 2.5 sacks, and a forced fumble.

On offense, quarterback Brandon Wesley ’14 returned to the field for the first time since his game against Cornell and connected on 11 of 21 passes for 127 yards. Most notably, his deep 42-yard throw to Josh Brake ’15 put him in first place for the Bison program’s career passing yard mark with 5,347 yards. On the ground, the Bison were led by DelMauro with 75 yards, and Williams with 68 yards.

The contest began as a defensive battle with neither team scoring during the first quarter, but Dartmouth capitalized on a costly Bison personal foul and took the lead at the beginning of the second quarter with a three-yard touchdown run to finish a 12-play, 73-yard drive. On the following drive, Wesley orchestrated a 13-play, 74-yard drive. The Bison were unable to capitalize on the following drive, as Williams was stopped just short of the end zone on fourth-and-goal.

The Bison went into the second half trailing 7-0, but would score on two consecutive drives to begin the half. The first was a 14-play, 51-yard drive that concluded with a 32-yard field goal booted by Derek Maurer ’15. On their next possession, the Bison, aided by a holding call deep in Big Green territory, put together an 84-yard, 10-play drive that was capped by a 15-yard touchdown by DelMauro to bring the score to 10-7. The Bison defense remained resilient as Smith jolted the ball out of Dartmouth’s grasp, which gave the Bison great field position and allowed Williams to power the ball into the end zone with 10:17 left in the game.

“Our team put together a full game in all three phases … This win on the road provides confidence for a young team that has worked hard in each game,” head coach Joe Susan said.

After a strong defensive stand, the Bison’s next possession stalled and Kyle Sullivan’s ’14 punt was blocked. Dartmouth then registered a 21-yard touchdown pass to bring the Big Green within three points at 17-14 with 44 seconds left on the clock. In a desperate attempt, the Big Green lined up for an onside kick, but it was recovered by Lee Marvel ’15 to seal the Bison victory.

“Overall we played a solid game in all aspects for 60 minutes and when you can do that, more often than not you’re going to be happy with the results. We faced adversity in the game, and that’s going to happen in football. It’s how you respond to that adversity that determines the outcome of the game. Moving forward we will do our best to learn from this success and use it against our future opponents. It’s a long season and we still have a lot of goals we’d like to get accomplished,” Sullivan said.

The Bison win marks the first victory over an Ivy League team since 2011, and a significant improvement on turnovers (one fumble) that were plaguing the Bison offense. In addition, the Bison dominated on third down as they converted eight of 19 third downs compared to three of 16 converted by the Big Green.

The Bison will return to Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium tomorrow at 1 p.m. as they hope to carry momentum from the win into the game against Lehigh on Homecoming Weekend.

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Cross Country Men Sports

McGowan leads Bison in final tune-up before PLC

Thomas Walter

Senior Writer

The Orange and Blue outran three Patriot League competitors on Oct. 19, as the team competed in the Leopard Invitational. In their final race before the Patriot Leagues, the Bison finished third behind American and Cortland State as Michael McGowan ’15 continued his stellar semester, leading the team by finishing inside the top 10.

“Considering we went out pretty slow, I thought we ran a good race. We ran in a strong pack, but the team was generally conservative throughout the day,” McGowan said.

In an effort to learn the course, which will serve as the site of the Patriot League Championship, the team had an extended cool down after the race and ran the course again. This extra studying will be only one part of its strategy, as the team seeks a balanced performance in order to contend at the championship.

“Our top guys are most likely going to be at the top of the race. What makes a team good is their depth so we hope to get really strong performances from our three, four, and five guys,” McGowan said. “If they can get it done, and everyone has a strong day, we can challenge for first. I think top three is a very realistic goal.”

This season, McGowan earned Patriot League Male Runner of the Week, an Honorable Mention for Patriot League Runner of the Week, and Bison Athlete of the Week.  Perhaps that is why he has set himself some lofty goals for the Patriot League Championship. 

“My individual expectation is to be First-Team All League. I think on an off-day I still should be All League, but you can’t control how other people run,” McGowan said. “My preparation is going to make sure to take my runs easy. I need to be recovering and ready to go in two weeks.”

McGowan and the team’s season will come to a head at the Patriot League Championship on Nov. 2 at Lafayette.

Categories
Men Soccer Sports

Men’s soccer digs deep in pair of overtime games

Ajan Caneda

Copy Editor

The men’s soccer team played its first double overtime games of the season two weeks ago. The first was a 1-1 tie at American on Oct. 12. After the draw, Mayowa Alli ’14 capitalized on a golden goal opportunity that lifted the Bison to a 1-0 victory at Rutgers on Oct. 15. In their third game of the week, Austin Lenart ’17 had an early goal that failed to contain Navy, as the Orange and Blue fell 2-1 at home on Oct. 19. The team’s overall record stands at 8-4-1 (2-2-1 Patriot League).

Andrew Leischner ’17  had his first collegiate goal, which forced an overtime against an American squad that nailed an early goal to put pressure on the Bison offense. The Eagles initiated the scoring in the 13th minute, which was the lone goal in the first half.

The Bison equalizer came in the 84th minute when Leischner’s follow-up attempt eluded the goalkeeper after his first shot was ruled short of the goal line. The Orange and Blue controlled the ball in Eagle territory but could not come up with the game winner. Mike Lansing ’16 continued his exceptional goalkeeping, blocking six shots to protect the draw. Both teams combined for six overtime shot attempts. Joe Meyer ’14 earned his first career Brine Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week award after his performance.

“American is a very skillful team that does a great job possessing the ball in the midfield, so it takes a lot of hard work to shut them down,” Meyer said. “Since I have been at Bucknell, we haven’t come away from American’s home field with any points, so to come back from being down most of the game really shows a lot of character.”

The Bison played another extended game against Rutgers, but this one ended in their favor. In the second overtime, Connor Willings ’16 threw the ball into the box and found Alli, who broke away from his defender and headed the ball past the Scarlet Knight goalkeeper. Alli and the rest of the Bison defense hounded Rutgers, limiting the team to four shots on target. This game raised the Bison’s road record to 5-0-1.

“We knew that if we scored a goal during OT the game would be over, so I wanted to draw most of my energy towards the defensive effort and provide support for the offensive players when we were in possession of the ball,” Alli said.

The fatigue from the previous two games carried over against Navy. Lenart’s first career goal in the sixth minute gave the Bison early momentum. Patrick Figgie ’16 dished the ball to Jesse Klug ’16, who found Lenart 25 yards in front of the goal. After the ball was misdirected, Lenart calmly took control and blasted it into the upper right corner. This goal ended Navy’s six-game shutout streak.

“There is no better feeling than scoring a goal, and for it to be my first one of the season was truly a great moment,” Lenart said.

Unfortunately, Navy struck about 10 minutes into the second half after a corner kick attempt led to a headed goal for the Midshipmen. Navy took the lead in the 72nd minute and did not let up. Alli’s pair of late header attempts could not force a third straight overtime game.

Navy’s victory ended the Midshipmen’s 12-year winless streak against the Orange and Blue.

The Bison will remain at home for a match against Colgate tomorrow at 4 p.m.