CENTER VALLEY, Pa. — The Patriot League announced its weekly awards for its first week, ending Feb. 5, in men’s lacrosse. Bucknell’s Sean O’Brien was named the Corvias Offensive Player of the Week, and Lehigh’s Craig Chick was named the Corvias Defensive Player of the Week. Boston University’s Christian Carson-Banister was named the Corvias Goalkeeper of the Week, and Lehigh’s Conor Gaffney was named both the Corvias Faceoff Specialist and Rookie of the Week.
CORVIAS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
SEAN O’BRIEN, BUCKNELL Jr., M, Bethesda, Md.
O’Brien helped the Bison overcome a five-goal deficit after the first half and defeat Delaware 14-13 in their season opener on the road Saturday. The junior set a new career-high of six goals, scoring three in the fourth quarter including the game winner. He also tallied an assist on a goal in the first half that tied the game at 4-4 and picked up two groundballs.
CORVIAS DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
CRAIG CHICK, LEHIGH So., LSM, Edgewater, Md.
Chick posted an all-around strong effort in the Mountain Hawk’s 15-5 season-opening win over NJIT on Saturday. Marking a new career-high, the sophomore scored two of Lehigh’s first seven goals. He also finished the game with two groundballs and one caused turnover, while helping the defense limit the Highlanders to just 20 shots.
CORVIAS FACEOFF SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK
CONOR GAFFNEY, LEHIGH Fr., M/FO, Mount Laurel, N.J.
Gaffney made his collegiate debut winning 19-of-22 faceoffs as the Mountain Hawk’s defeated NJIT 15-5 in their season opener on Saturday. The freshman’s 19 faceoff wins were the most by a Lehigh player in eight seasons. He also picked up 16 groundballs, which were the most by a player in a single game under 10-year head coach Kevin Cassese.
CORVIAS GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK
CHRISTIAN CARSON-BANISTER, BOSTON UNIVERSITY Sr., GK, Dallas, Texas
Carson-Banister made 16 saves in the Terriers’ 8-7 double overtime season-opening win at Providence on Saturday. The senior faced 41 shots, saving three in the fourth quarter and one from close range in the first overtime, and finished the game with a .696 save percentage. He only allowed seven goals in 64:09 minutes of action.
CORVIAS ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
CONOR GAFFNEY, LEHIGH Fr., M/FO, Mount Laurel, N.J.
Gaffney made his collegiate debut winning 19-of-22 faceoffs as the Mountain Hawk’s defeated NJIT 15-5 in their season opener on Saturday. The freshman’s 19 faceoff wins were the most by a Lehigh player in eight seasons. He also picked up 16 groundballs, which were the most by a player in a single game under 10-year head coach Kevin Cassese.
HONORABLE MENTION
HAYDEN RUIZ, BOSTON UNIVERSITY Jr., M, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.
Ruiz played a role in the Terriers’ final four goals, as the team came back from a 7-4 deficit to defeat Providence 8-7 in double overtime on the road in their season opener Saturday. His first goal of the game, with 1:33 left in regulation, sent the game to overtime, before scoring the game winner in the second extra frame. He finished with two goals, two assists, and one groundball.
MATT GILRAY, BUCKNELL Jr., LSM, Oshawa, Ontario
Gilray helped limit Delaware to just four second-half goals en route to a 14-13 comeback, road win on Saturday. The junior totaled three groundballs and helped the Bison defense hold the Blue Hens scoreless from stretches of 7:52 and 13:51 in the second half.
JARETT WITZAL, BUCKNELL So., M/FO, Bethesda, Md.
Witzal won 17-of-28 faceoffs in the Bison’s season-opener, a 14-13 come-from-behind road win over Delaware on Saturday. The sophomore won 5-of-6 six faceoffs in the fourth quarter to help Bucknell claim the one goal victory. He also picked up nine groundballs.