LEWISBURG, Pa. – Senior Racheli Levy-Smith totaled 21 draw controls, two caused turnovers and two ground balls, but the Holy Cross women's lacrosse team was defeated by Bucknell 14-13 in the quarterfinal round of the Patriot League Tournament at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. The Bison improve to 10-6 on the year and move on to face Navy in the semifinals. The Crusaders finish the season at 7-10 overall.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
• Bucknell opened the game with an early 3-1 lead, before Holy Cross scored six of the next seven goals to go up by three (7-4) midway through the second quarter.
• After the Bison tied up the score at halftime (7-7), junior Annabel Brennan put the Crusaders back in front (8-7) with 11:45 left in the third quarter.
• Bucknell then ran off seven straight goals to take a 14-8 lead 11:39 left to play.
• Holy Cross refused to go quietly, scoring five consecutive goals, including one by Brennan with 4:00 remaining to make it a one-goal game. 
• But the Crusaders were not able to score again, as the Bison held on for the win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
• Brennan and sophomore Hadley Cepiel both finished the day with four points on three goals and one assist.
• Junior Kate Avitabile added a team-best five points on a goal and four assists.
• Senior Phoebe Matuch and junior Tess Prunier scored two goals each.
• Senior Mackenzie Creagh made seven saves in goal.
• Bucknell was led by Megan Krestinski with three goals and one assist.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
• Levy-Smith's 21 draw controls set a new Patriot League Tournament single-game record, bettering the mark of 18 held by Reagan Roelofs of Navy (against Army in the 2019 semifinals).
• The 21 draw controls also broke the school single-game record, which Levy-Smith had set with 20 against Boston University in 2025.
• Avitabile finished the year with 53 assists, breaking the Holy Cross single-season record of Isabela Miller (52 in 2025).
• Levy-Smith broke her own school single-season record for draw controls, concluding the year with 191 (her old mark of 171 was set in 2025).

UP NEXT:
• The 2025 season is now complete for the Crusaders.

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