LEWISBURG, Pa. (4/23/2006)—Colgate University outscored Bucknell University 6-3 in the second half to capture a share of the Patriot League regular season title and the top seed in the Patriot League Tournament for the first time in program history.  The 8-6 victory pushes the Raiders’ record to 11-2 overall and 5-1 in Patriot League play. The 11 victories tie the record for wins in a season held by the 1964 squad that went 11-1.

 

Colgate will take on No. 4 seed Army in the Patriot League semifinal at Tyler’s Field on Friday, April 28 in a time to be determined. Second-seeded Navy will play No. 3 Lehigh in the other semifinal with the winners meeting in the championship game with the NCAA automatic berth on the line on April 30.

 

Senior Robert Trasolini (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) led all Raiders with three goals, while sophomore Matt Lalli (Princeton Junction, N.J.),  Brendan Hurley (West Islip, N.Y.), and freshman Brandon Corp (Chittenango, N.Y.) all contributed a goal and an assist apiece.

 

Bucknell (6-8, 2-4 PL) got the scoring started 1:46 in the game when freshman Joe Mele picked up a rebound and fired it past Colgate goaltender Andrew Jarolimek (Silverthorne, Colo.).

 

The Raiders responded 22 seconds later when Trasolini came around the right post and fired a shot into the lower left corner for a man-down score.

 

Mele put the Bison back in front at the 4:42 mark of the first quarter, mirroring his first tally as he picked up another loose ball for the score. Mele struck again midway through the second quarter when Greg Sowryda found the rookie attacker streaking down the middle of the field for his third score of the game and a 3-1 Bison lead.

 

Lalli pulled Colgate within one with 51 seconds left in the half after finding himself wide open after a quick reset on an offsides call against Bucknell. The Bison got a good look at the goal in the final seconds, but Jarolimek made a key save to take the Raiders into halftime trailing by one. 

 

After a scoreless opening five minutes in the third quarter, Hurley fed Trasolini for his second goal of the contest at the 9:29 mark to tie the game, 3-3. Fifty seconds later, Hurley found the back of the net with a blistering shot past Bucknell goalie Matt Baran.

 

The Bison responded with a tally from Steve Case just over a minute later to tie the game at four. That would be as close as Bucknell could get as the Raiders scored three unanswered to clinch the victory.

 

Senior Brian Robinson (Denver, Colo.) got in on the action with 2:27 remaining in the third quarter off a quick dump pass from Corp, putting Colgate in front for good, 5-4.

 

Trasolini one-timed a Jeff Hiller (Wantagh, N.Y.) pass with 41 ticks on the clock to give the Raiders a two-goal cushion, 6-4, heading into the final frame.

 

Junior Chris Eck (Fairfield, Conn.) won the opening faceoff in the fourth and fired a shot off the pipe. Freshman Will Planer (Rumson, N.J.) picked up the rebound 10 yards from goal and beat Baran to register his first career goal and what proved to be the game-winner.

 

Bucknell’s Kirk Klett capitalized on a two-man advantage at the 10:52 mark to make it a two-goal game again, 7-5.

 

After nearly six scoreless minutes, Corp intercepted a pass in the Bucknell defensive end and dropped the ball in the empty net, giving Colgate an 8-5 lead with under three minutes left.

 

The Bison came down right away with an unassisted goal from Case at the 2:22 mark, but the Raider defense stood strong in the closing minutes, including a great stop by defenseman John Dunn (Troy, Mich.) when he stepped in behind Jarolimek to stop a shot with 1:35 left on the clock.

 

Jarolimek made an impressive five saves in the fourth quarter and 11 for the game, earning his 11th victory of the season and 32nd of his career. Eck went 10-of-18 at the faceoff circle.

 

Baran made 13 stops for the Bison and picked up seven groundballs.

 

The Bison held a 41-30 advantage on shots and won the groundball battle 31-24. Colgate was 3-of-5 on man-up opportunities, while Bucknell was 1-of-5.