University of Massachusets Athletics
Men's Lacrosse Game Notes for Wednesday at Rutgers
May 01, 2001 | Men's Lacrosse
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
THE ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST RUTGERS
Today's game marks the 20th all-time meeting between the University of Massachusetts and Rutgers University. The Minutemen lead the series 12-7. The first time the two schools met was on April 16, 1977, with UMass winning 12-11. UMass has won the last nine meetings with the Scarlet Knights, including a 16-11 victory last season in Amherst. The two schools played each other every year from 1977 to 1994, but then did not resume the series until last season with both schools being in the ECAC Lacrosse League.
THE SCOUTING REPORT ON THE SCARLET KNIGHTS
Rutgers enters the game with a 5-6 overall record and a 2-3 record in the ECAC. Rutgers has lost its last three, including two straight league losses to Georgetown (15-7) and Penn State (18-9). The other loss in the streak was a 13-8 defeat to Syracuse. The Scarlet Knights opened the season with victories over Manhattan (16-4) and Delaware (13-8) before falling to Notre Dame (9-4), Navy (11-9) and Princeton (14-5). Rutgers then defeated UMBC (10-7), Albany (19-2) and Stony Brook (12-11). Rutgers is led offensively by All-American Keith Cromwell, who has scored 25 goals and 26 assists for 51 points through 11 games. Mike McLaughlin (20g, 17a) and Scott Massey (17g, 3a) are also threats to score. The defense is anchored by goaltender Dan Shaivitz. He has a .621 save percentage and a 9.65 goals against average while recording a 5-5 record. The Scarlet Knights have scored on 19 of 56 (.339) extra man opportunites, while killing off 45 of 57 (.789) man down situations. Rutgers has been outshot on the season 429 to 366.
TURNING (HAT) TRICKS
Nine different Minutemen have registered hat tricks thus far this season. Rich Kunkel (5), Marc Morley (4), Kevin Leveille (3), Don Little (2), Jeremy Guski, Neil Lundberg, John Madigan, Dan Paccione and Alex Racioppi have each had games with three goals or more. Kunkel has scored six goals in a game, and both Little and Leveille have each scored five goals in a game. The Minuteman offense has scored 176 goals through 12 games and are second in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 14.67 goals per game.
THE SPECIAL TEAMS
UMass has been effective in both its extra-man opportunities and man-down situations thus far. The Minutemen have converted on 19 out of 47 (40.4%) extra-man opportunities this season, and have killed off 57 of 66 (86.4%) penalties through 12 games. The Minutemen rank fourth in the nation in man-up offense and second in the nation in man-down defense.
KUNKEL: MAKING HIS POINT(S)
Rich Kunkel is two goals shy of cracking into the all-time top 15 career goal scoring list at UMass. He currently has 82 goals and 34 assists for 116 career points. Through 12 games this season, he has scored 28 goals and 12 assists for a team-high 40 points. The 28 goals ties a personal season-high which he set last year. The senior attackman has recorded a team-leading five hat tricks this season, and has scored a goal in all but one game. He netted a season-high six goals in the victory over Yale on April 14. His other hat tricks were against Albany, Boston College, Vermont and Syracuse. Kunkel has scored a goal in 17 of the last 19 games the UMass has played.
THERE'S A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
Last Saturday's, 9-8, loss to No. 2 Syracuse marked a lot of firsts for UMass this season. It was the first time the potent UMass attack was held to less than 10 goals in a game. It also marked the first time UMass did not score the game's first goal. Sophomore defenseman Tom Fallon scored his first career goal, and John Madigan and Kevin Leveille were each held scoreless for the first time this season.
STARTING OFF QUICKLY
The Minutemen have benefited all season long by getting off to quick starts. UMass is outscoring opponents 49 to 18 in the first quarter, and the Minutemen have scored the game's first goal in 11 of the 12 contests this season. UMass is outshooting opponents by a 160 to 89 margin in the opening quarter.
HEAD COACH GREG CANNELLA
Greg Cannella is in his seventh season as head coach of the Minutemen after serving as an assistant coach at UMass for two years. He recorded his 50th career coaching victory against Harvard on April 18, as UMass defeated the Crimson, 11-5. Cannella has compiled a 50-40 (.556) record in his tenure in Amherst, and led UMass to its 13th NCAA Tournament appearance in 1997, advancing to the quarterfinals before falling to eventual national champion Princeton. Cannella graduated from UMass in 1988 where he played under legendary Hall of Fame coach Richard F. Garber.
STEPPING UP THE PRODUCTION
Through 12 games this season a number of Minutemen have already surpassed their previous career highs in points. Player This Season Previous High Chris Fiore (11-7--18) (3-1--4) 2000 Jeremy Guski (12-10--22) (9-12--21) 2000 Kevin Leveille (19-15--34) (10-7--17) 2000 Don Little (19-3--22) 8 points twice Marc Morley (20-6--26) (8-10--18) 2000 Dan Paccione (12-3--15) (6-0--6) 2000 Jeff Seals (8-2--10) (6-0--6) 2000
UMASS IN THE NATIONAL STATISTICS
The Minutemen are in the top 10 nationally in each of the seven team stats that the NCAA compiles. Category Rank Stat. Scoring offense 2nd 14.67 Scoring defense 10th 8.00 Face-off winning % 7th .594 Man-up offense 4th .404 Man-down defense 2nd .864 Scoring margin 2nd 6.67 Winning % T-6th .833
