Game Essentials Union 10, #6 Ithaca 9 (OT) – Wednesday, April 9th – After dropping a game in overtime on Saturday to Clarkson, the Dutchmen pulled together and pulled off an upset of the #6 Ithaca Bombers in dramatic fashion. Union trailed 5-2 before going on a three-goal run to tie it. Craig LePieane put Ithaca ahead at the half 6-5 with just 39 ticks left on the clock. Union notched the only two goals of the third quarter and the first one in the fourth to give themselves their first lead at 8-6. Ithaca would tie it, only to see Union go up with 2:14 left. Ithaca would send the game into overtime on a Nic Heckman goal with 1:11 remaining. Overtime was all Union. Kevin Rautenstrauch won the faceoff and Union managed to generate five shots. Ithaca’s Ben Connery came up with two saves in the extra period, but the Bombers couldn’t get the ball back. Finally, Chris Collison put in his fourth goal of the day and handed Union a huge upset and a 7-2 record, the most wins the program has had since going 8-6 in 2001. Messiah 12, Lycoming 11 (2 OT) – Wednesday, April 9th – In an important MAC game, the Messiah Falcons scored 41 seconds into the second overtime to take this game. Messiah was led by junior Jeff Ziegler who had six goals, including the game winner, and an assist. Lycoming senior attackman Daniel Cannon led the way in the losing effort with three goals and three assists, which contributed to his nation-leading 64 points and 5.8 points per game. Williams10, #13 Wesleyan 7 – Saturday, April 5th – Williams entered this game 2-4 and needing a win. Wesleyan attackman Grayson Connors scored three-straight goals in the first half and gave Wesleyan a 4-2 halftime lead. The lead held for a bit into the second half before Williams took over. Three-straight goals gave the 5-4 lead to Williams. Connors again found the back of the net and tied the game before Williams took over for good. The Ephs held off a Wesleyan comeback that brought the game to 8-7. Both teams had trouble holding on to the ball as they combined for more than 40 turnovers. On the fly 3 – The number of teams in the respective Regional Top 10’s for the NESCAC and Centennial Conference: Middlebury (#1), Tufts (#8), and Bowdoin (#10) in the North, while Gettysburg (#2), Washington (#3), and Haverford (#4) are all in a row in the South. 73% - The percentage that WNEC senior Travis Brown wins at the face-off circle for the Golden Bears. 2 – The number of players in the country averaging more than 10 groundballs a game: Lycoming’s Mike Doherty (112 gbs in 11 games for 10.18 gbs per game) and Trinity’s Connor Wells (90 gbs in 9 games for 10.00 gbs per game). 12.6 – The country-leading scoring margin that Lynchburg has been winning by en route to a #7 ranking and 9-2 record. Denison ranks second in this category with a +10.1 scoring margin, while Salisbury sits at third with a +9.6 scoring margin. .739 – The save percentage for Lasell’s goalie Mark DeMieri. The senior’s play in goal has been integral as the Lasers have already surpassed their win total in 2007 with their 7-2 record. In one-goal wins, DeMieri had 14 saves against Wheaton and Elizabethtown and 13 against Roger Williams. 1994 – The last year that Roanoke scored 30 goals in a game. A feat which they just accomplished as they dominated Hood, 31-2. 20 different players notched points for the Maroons as they scored 22 first-half goals, adding eight in the third quarter before really calling off the dogs with just one goal in the fourth. They also out shot Hood an astounding 70-to-8. Sea Gull Perch 14 – The average margin of victory over Mary Washington in five games since 2003. Last week the Sea Gulls only managed to top the Eagles 10-5. They had to overcome a 3-3 halftime score and needed the game’s final six goals to overcome a late 5-4 deficit. 6 – The number of goals the Sea Gulls ratcheted off in a row while holding #10 Villa Julie scoreless in the first quarter. It was also the number of goals that Villa Julie responded with in a row in the second quarter while holding Salisbury scoreless to force a 6-6 halftime tie. 13 – The number of saves Villa Julie junior Eric Fleegle had against his former team in their one-goal loss at home to the Sea Gulls. The current Salisbury goalies managed only eight saves between three of them versus the Mustangs. Junior Zach Krissoff started, making six saves while allowing nine goals in more than 37 minutes. Junior Mike Petti came in for roughly three minutes with no saves and two goals against, before junior Riley Clark came in and contributed two saves while only allowing one goal during the last 19:22 for the win. 3 – The number of Villa Julie players that were responsible for 15 of the Mustangs’ 21 points. Greg Furshman had five goals and an assist, Steve Kazimer found the back of the net once and helped on four others, and Nicola Bevacqua notched three goals and an assist. 3 (again) – The number of goals that Salisbury had to score in the fourth quarter to overcome a 12-10 deficit against Villa Julie to pull out a 13-12 win. 6 – The number of man-up goals that Villa Julie scored against Salisbury who was penalized 11 times for eight minutes overall. 100% - The success that Villa Julie had clearing the ball against the Sea Gulls, going 21-for-21. 95 and 76 – The number of overall Capital Athletic Conference games that Salisbury has won in a row and the number of CAC regular seasons games that Salisbury has won in a row, respectively. With the CAC playoffs beginning on April 14th, the Sea Gulls don’t have the top seed secured just yet. They host St. Mary’s in a night game on Friday. The Seahawks are 5-1 in the CAC and an upset would give them the top seed and a bye in the CAC playoffs. Games of the week

Friday, April 11, 2008

St. Mary’s @ #1 Salisbury – It’s been awhile since Salisbury looked as human as they do know. They’re not used to having competition in the CAC; they’re not used to not being set on a goalie, and they’ve already had three one-goal games this season. A strong win here can be good motivation for the Sea Gulls; a loss could be devastating.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Ursinus @ #2 Gettysburg – The Bullets all but have a Centennial playoff spot locked up. Ursinus might only be 5-7, but they’re in a three-way tie for third in the Centennial. The Bears have been up-and-down, but have the ability to pull off an upset. They beat McDaniel a couple weeks ago, who just hung tight with Gettysburg before losing by two. While Gettysburg traditionally stomps Ursinus, it might not be that easy this year.

Trinity @ #3 Middlebury – 11-10, Trinity last year. Anything can happen in the NESCAC.

#5 Washington College @ Dickinson – Not too long ago, Dickinson was 6-1, but with four losses in a row, their backs are up against the wall if they want to make the Centennials. They’ve had the Shoremen’s number in the regular season, beating them the past two years. The Shoremen are winning by 4.6 goals a game now and aren’t likely to let up.

#6 Ithaca @ Hartwick – The Bombers need to develop some sort of consistency if they want to make a late May run.

#7 Lynchburg @ Virginia Wesleyan – Lynchburg has set themselves up as the frontrunner in the ODAC after less than stellar out-of-conference games by ODAC teams. Now they all get to beat each other up in-conference. This isn’t the same Virginia Wesleyan that got thumped by the Hornets 17-3 in 2007.

F&M @ # 8 Haverford – Haverford’s won the last two, but Todd Cavallaro has F&M moving in the right direction. Both are tied at 3-2 in the Centennial and don’t want to give any ground with only three more Centennial games left. That’s especially true for the Diplomats as Washington and Gettysburg loom on the horizon.

Colby @ #13 Wesleyan – Last year the Cardinals won by a goal. Three was supposed to be Wesleyan’s spot in the rankings, not the amount of losses they have at this point in the season. Colby has already tripled their win total from a year ago. Who knows what to expect in the wide open NESCAC.

#16 Nazareth @ Stevens Tech – Nazareth needs this game a bit more as another loss would put them on the bubble for the Empire 8 playoffs, whereas a win puts them in a tie with Stevens in the overly competitive conference. Both are trying to keep St. John Fisher out of the picture.

#19 Bowdoin @ Tufts – Another pick’em in the NESCAC. Depends on which team shows up.

Sunday,April 13, 2008

RPI @ #12 St. Lawrence – This was the preseason favorite to be the Liberty League championship. Some teams have come out of the woodwork to muddy the situation, but these two are still very much in the hunt and playing pretty good lacrosse now.

Monday, April 14, 2008

CAC First Round – Who knows if any of these teams stand a chance at actually winning the CAC, but it’s playoff time and the CAC is finally generating some excitement from teams not named Salisbury.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

#15 Western New England College @ #17 Endicott – WNEC doesn’t look as untouchable as a year ago and has dropped three games to tough teams. Endicott is two two-goal games away from a perfect 10-0. Both are undefeated in the Commonwealth Coast and still very much on the path to another showdown in a few weeks in the CCC Championship game.

#18 Keene State @ Williams – Gives a chance to see how good Keene State is with their relatively weak schedule. Williams is just coming off solid wins over Wesleyan and Skidmore and a one-goal loss to Middlebury. They’re arguably the most dangerous four-loss team in the country.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Skidmore @ #3 Middlebury – If you hadn’t heard, Skidmore is quietly 7-3 and tied for eleventh in the North Region. But they did just drop a one-goal game to Williams. These two teams don’t have much history playing each other which adds to the interest.

W&L @ #7 Lynchburg – The Generals are still in line for the ODAC despite a disappointing out of conference run. With Roanoke slumping, this might be an ODAC championship preview.

#9 Cabrini @ #8 Haverford – These neighbors have both lived up to their preseason hype. Cabrini won a close one in the fall. Expect this one to be close as both jockey for South NCAA positioning.

#20 Clarkson @ #12 St. Lawrence – Yet another meaningful mid-week match-up that adds to the charm of DIII. A competitive 6-10 record a year ago with some tough losses sent Clarkson as a relative unknown into this season that’s seen them go 6-2 so far with wins over Bowdoin, RIT, and Union. Both are undefeated in Liberty play.

Colby @ #19 Bowdoin – Neither wants another loss in conference as they vie for positioning for the NESCACs.

Maritime @ Montclair State – 8-2 and 7-3, respectively, frontrunners in the Skyline Conference. Even though you might not have heard of the conference or the teams yet, they’re still very much playing for an NCAA bid.