Reed Dempsey

Contributing Writer

The men’s lacrosse team fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes 9-8 in a preseason scrimmage. While the Bison lost, the team remains confident about this season’s prospects.

“It is encouraging that [the game] was so close while we were not playing near our best,” Billy Eisenreich ’12 said.

With promising practices this past week, the team is ready to move into the regular season.

“The scrimmage did exactly what we needed it to, that is, expose some of our weaknesses,” goalie Kyle Feeney ’13 said. “We proved last year we are capable of doing big things.”

This year’s Bison return seven starters and 26 lettermen from the 2011 squad that recorded the most wins in school history (14), the highest national ranking in school history (No. 7), a defense that ranked fifth in the nation and a perfect record in Patriot League play, going 6-0 in the regular season followed by wins against Lehigh and Colgate to take the Patriot League crown. Heading into the 2012 campaign, the Bison are ranked No. 12 in the “Inside Lacrosse” preseason coaches’ poll and are a preseason favorite in the Patriot League.

Last year, the Bison were anchored by a strong defense and this year should be no different. While the Orange and Blue lost several defensemen to graduation, the current squad is ready to step up and continue to play at a high level.

“The defense may be a little different from the past two years, but I believe we can continue to dominate,” Feeney said.

On attack, the Bison return six of their top eight leading scorers from a year ago, including Eisenreich, who was recently selected 21st overall in the Major League Lacrosse Draft.

“We have a lot of potential,” Eisenreich said. “We want to take it all the way to the national championship, hosting and winning the Patriot League Championships along the way.”

Captain Charlie Streep ’12 is still sidelined from an injury he sustained last fall but is optimistic the team will be able to get the job done.

“Eisenreich is going to have an All-American season … he’s one of the most dangerous players to face because he’s impossible to prepare for,” Steep said. “On top of that, attackmen Chase Bailey and Todd Heritage have a natural chemistry that I’ve never seen.”

This Saturday, the Bison welcome the University of Delaware Blue Hens (1-0) to Lewisburg, for a 1 p.m. start at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.