CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Harvard Lacrosse will open its home schedule this weekend with a Saturday afternoon tilt against the Bucknell Bison. The Crimson (0-1, 0-0 Ivy) will host the Bison (1-2, 0-0 Patriot) in the first contest of its three-game homestand that begins a six games schedule at Jordan Field. 
 
Harvard went 6-0 at Jordan Field during the 2022 season and has won its past seven games on its home turf dating back to 2020. Coach Byrne is also undefeated on his home turf, posting a 7-0 record since her took over the Harvard program in 2019. In those seven games, the Crimson outscored its opponents 102-69 and averaged 14.6 goals per game.
 

QUICK HITS

 
- Harvard (0-1, 0-0 Ivy) fell in its first game to No. 1 Virginia, 25-21. combining for - unofficially - the most goals in NCAA Lacrosse history (due to the NCAA record 49 faceoffs taken).
- Harvard's 21 goals is the most scored by an opponent on Virginia's home turf since 1978 (NC State, 22)
- Harvard's 21 goals in the season opener against Virginia was the second-most by a Harvard team in the first game of the season, the first coming in 1961 (23 vs. CCNY).
- The 21-goal total is also the highest number of goals allowed by Virginia to a nonconference opponent since 1997 (Syracuse, 22 goals).
- Gerry Byrne is undefeated at Jordan Field, with a 7-0 record since the 2019 season. Harvard has outscored opponents 102-69 in those games.
- Sam King (9P, 7G, 2A) set a new career high in goals scored and tied his career high with nine points. Owen Gaffney (5G) and Andrew Perry (6P, 4G) also set career highs in the outing.
- Harvard has not lost at Jordan Field since the 2019 season, posting a 6-0 record on its home turf in 2022. The 2022 feat is the first time the Crimson has gone undefeated at home since 1999.
- After its first game, Harvard's offense ranks No. 1 in points per game (37), assists per game (16) and man-up offense (5-for-6).
- According to lacrosserefernce.com, Harvard ranks second in shooting percentage (42.0), fourth in offensive efficiency (40.4) and fifth in of- fensive pacing (22.7s).
- The Crimson's adjusted strength of schedule ranks tenth in the nation according to Lacrosse Reference.
- Harvard sports the deepest roster in the nation according to lacrosse reference, with its top-10 players accounting for 70.8-percent of total contributions. The team's raw depth (number of players who contribute per game) ranks fifth in the nation at 29.0 after the opener.
- Harvard is 50-30 in home openers dating back to the 1940 season.
 

THE MATCHUP

 
SCOUTING BUCKNELL- Bucknell comes into the matchup with a 1-2 record and is coming off a 5-18 loss to Richmond in its last contest. The Bison previously defeated Mercer 20-6 in their season opener before falling 9-12 to Robert Morris. Bucknell is ranked No. 37 in the nation in both scoring offense and scoring defense, scoring 11.33 goals per game and allowing 12 goals per game. One thing the Bison have excelled at so far in 2023 is cause turnovers. The Bison are ranked fourth in the nation with 14 caused turnovers per game as a team. Additionally, it's man-up offense is operating at a highly efficient rate thank to first-year Michael Meyer, who currently leads the country with five man-up goals. According to lacrossereference. com, the Bison are the second weakest team in the nation in terms of strength and is 38th and 35th in offensive and defensive efficiency through three games in 2023, respectively.
 
HARVARD vs BUCKNELL- The Crimson and the Bison have met only four times before, - the last coming in 2005 - as the series sits at 2-2 all-time. Harvard has faced off with many of Bucknell's Patriot League rivals over the past 10 years, going 11-5 in those matchups. The Crimson has been outscored by the Bison, 28-43, in all four contests that took place from 2002-2005.
 

NEWS AND STORYLINES

 
HARVARD TO SUPPORT ONE LOVE FOUNDATION ON SATURDAY – Harvard men's and women's lacrosse have teamed up to support the One Love Foundation and its mission to end relationship abuse. The teams will host their second annual One Love games this weekend during the women's matchup with Georgetown (12 PM) and the men's tilt with Bucknell (4 PM).
 
The One Love Foundation is a national non-profit organization with the goal of ending relationship abuse. It empowers young people with the tools and resources they need to see the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships and bring life-saving prevention education to their communities.

LAST TIME OUT - Harvard went toe-to-toe in its season opener last Saturday at No. 1 Virginia, falling 25-21 in a high-scoring affair. The 46-goal total is unofficially the highest combined total in NCAA history as the teams set a new NCAA record with 49 faceoffs in the contest. A host of Crimson players set new career highs in the outing including Sam King who led the team with seven goals.
- Harvard's 21 goals is the most scored by an opponent on Virginia's home turf since 1978 (NC State, 22) - The 21-goal total is also the highest number of goals allowed by Virginia to a nonconference opponent since 1997 (Syracuse, 22 goals).
- It is also the most goals scored by Harvard lacrosse in a season opener since 1961 (23 vs. CCNY)
 
CRIMSON TRIO LANDS ON NEILA ALL-NEW ENGLAND TEAM - Three Harvard men's lacrosse players received preseason All-New England team honors from the NEILA this afternoon, the most nominations the Crimson has received since 2018. Sam King and Miles Botkiss landed on the First-Team attack and midfield, respectively, while Campisi was voted into the LSM slot on the second team.
 
Additionally, the Crimson was ranked as the T-3 best team in New England, receiving one first place vote from the region's head coaches. Harvard was ranked ahead of 2023 opponents Vermont (Mar. 4), Brown (Mar. 18) and was tied with Boston University, who the team will face on March 21.
 
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH – 34 of the 37 points in Harvard's first game were registered by first or second year players. 10 first-years and sophomore combined for that output, giving the Crimson one of the youngest cores in the country. Additionally, 22 of the 29 active play- ers in the game were also first-years or sophomores.
 
10 first years were heavily featured in the Crimson lineup during the 2022 season, playing over 50-percent of the team's games. That total was tied with Yale for the most in the Ivy League. Harvard is set to return 20 of its 25-player core which equals...
- 80-percent of its goal-scoring
- 78-percent of its total scoring (goals and assists) - 85-percent of its caused-turnovers
- 75-percent of its ground balls *From Field Players*
 
Harvard also had the second deepest core of players in the Ivy League in 2022, averaging 24 contributors (percentage of players that are involved in at least one play) per game. That total was also 14th best in the nation.
 
RUN N' GUN – Harvard Lacrosse came in hot to the 2023 season with its scoring output against Virginia. After just one game, a host of players rank in the top 10 across the nation in a number of metrics.
 
Category – Player – Total – Rank
Points per game – Sam King – 9.0 – 1
Goals per game - Sam King – 7.0 – 2
Goals per game – Owen Gaffney – 5.0 - 4
Assists per game – Lucas Hilsenrtah – 3.0 - 6
Shot percentage – Sam King - .700 - 6
Shot percentage – Andrew Perry - .667 - 7
Man-up goals – Owen Gaffney – 2 - 9
 

UP NEXT

Harvard will continue its three-game home stand next Saturday afternoon when it welcomes the Vermont Catamounts to Jordan Field. The 2022 America East Champion will take on Harvard at 1 PM in Cambridge and on ESPN+.