University of Massachusets Athletics
Minutemen Open ECAC Play At No. 11 Loyola
March 22, 2007 | Men's Lacrosse
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UMASS (2-4, 0-0) at #11 LOYOLA (3-2, 2-0)
Saturday, March 24, 2007 • 1 p.m.
Geppi-Aikens Field (2,000)
Baltimore, Md.
Radio: WRNX 100.9 FM
Live Audio: UMassAthletics.com
Minutemen Open ECAC Play At No. 11 Loyola
• UMass begins play in the ECAC this Saturday at Loyola as the Minutemen and Greyhounds will face-off at 1 p.m. The game begins a seven-game package of Saturday broadcasts on 100.9 FM WRNX in Western Massachusetts. The Voice of the Minutemen Bob Behler and former UMass All-American Norm Smith calls the action. Live streaming audio and Gametracker will be available on UMassAthletics.com.
• The 2006 National Finalist Minutemen picked up an 11-4 victory over Sacred Heart on Tuesday afternoon at Garber Field to move to 2-4 this season. In the win, senior Brett Garber tied his career-high with four goals and sophomore Tim Balise has his second hat trick in three games. UMass' defense shutdown the Pioneers, blanking them in the second half as the Minutemen held them scoreless for the final 30:14 of the game. The last time UMass shutout an opponent in a half was also against Sacred Heart in 2004. The defense headed by Tewaaraton Trophy candidate goalie Doc Schneider (12 saves) was strong all game. Junior defensemen Brian Danvers, Sean Krygier and David Von Voigt along with redshirt freshman Jordan Hendry combined for 10 groundballs and seven turnovers in holding SHU to four goals.
• Loyola is 3-2 this season (2-0 in the ECAC) and riding a three-game winning streak. The Greyhounds picked up one of the biggest wins in college lacrosse this season knocking off then-No. 1 Duke back on March 10 in the First 4 Tournament held in San Diego. They began their win streak with a 10-9 ECAC-conference win over Penn State on March 3. They won their last game, 12-6 versus conference foe St. John's, last Saturday. The Red Storm are coached for former UMass assistant Jason Miller.
Close Calls
• UMass has played four games decided by one or two goals this season, losing to Hofstra (8-6), Yale (7-6) and No. 2 Albany (10-9 in OT). The Minutemen beat Harvard (11-10). At Hofstra, UMass found themselves tied at 6-6 with less than five minutes remaining in the game, but lost by a pair, 8-6. The situation was eerily similar the following week when UMass once again found themselves tied at 6-6. Yale prevailed, 7-6. At Harvard on March 10, the Minutemen were able to eek out their first win of the season by a goal, 11-10. On March 13 at Albany, UMass trailed 7-0 near halftime but rallied back to tie the game at 9-9, only to lose in overtime, 10-9 to the second-ranked Great Danes. It marked the fourth year in a row Albany beat UMass in a one-goal game.
• Of Loyola's five games, four have been decided by one or two goals. They lost their two of the season, 9-7 at No. 11 Notre Dame and 9-8 to Towson on Feb. 26. They rebounded to win one-goal games at Penn State (10-9) and the upset of top-ranked Duke (8-7). In the Duke game, they led throughout but the Blue Devils took a late lead at 7-6 only to have Loyola notch the win on a Greg Leonard goal with 38 seconds left in regulation.
Defense Stands Tall
• UMass' defense has been stellar early on this season. The Minutemen have a strong 7.66 goals against average which ranks 16th in the nation. Goalie Doc Schneider has 12 saves in four different games and is currently 14th in save percentage with a 58.6 mark.
• The defense has received great efforts from senior captain Dan Whipple, who leads the team with 20 groundballs in addition to seven caused turnovers.
• A trio of juniors have been stout on the close defense with Brian Danvers, Sean Krygier and David Von Voigt. Danvers leads the team in caused turnovers with 10 along with nine groundballs. Krygier has 11 GBs and four CTs while Von Voigt has eight groundballs and nine caused turnovers. Joining them with added playing time has been redshirt freshman Jordan Hendry.
The Series With Loyola
• UMass ended a nine-game losing streak against Loyola last season with a 14-9 win at Garber Field on March 25. Prior to that, Loyola had won all nine meetings including seven in Baltimore. With Loyola joining the ECAC in 2005, the teams will be playing for the third year in a row.
• Loyola won the last year in Baltimore, 6-5, on March 26, 2005. Four unanswered goals bridging the second and third quarters proved to be the difference as No. 11 UMass was upset by Loyola , 6-5, on Geppi-Aikens Field. The Loyola defense was the story in the game, led by goalkeeper Michael Fretwell, who made 16 saves on the afternoon, and defenseman Dan Gross shutdown UMass' Sean Morris, holding him to just a goal and an assist in the game limiting his possessions all game. UMass rallied back to tie the game at 5-5 early in the fourth quarter but Loyola Shane Koppens scored his third of the game with 3:59 for the game-winner. The Minutemen had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds as Gene Tundo's shot was stopped by Michael Fretwell for his 16th save of the game, securing Loyola's ninth consecutive win over UMass without a defeat.
• Loyola has won the first nine contests, dating all the way back to 1963. Prior to last season, Loyola had come to Amherst just twice, most recently in 1999 when the then-No. 1 Greyhounds beat UMass, 9-5.
• In 2000 UMass' Alex Racciopi scored a career-high three goals, but it was not enough the No. 3 Greyhounds defeated the Minutemen, 21-10, in Baltimore on April 15, 2000.
Last Season: March 25, 2006, UMass 14, Loyola 9
A well-balanced effort of offense and defense lifted No. 10 UMass to 14-9 win over No. 19 Loyola in ECAC Lacrosse action at Garber Field. The win was UMass' first-ever against the Greyhounds having lost the first nine meetings. Freshman goalie Doc Schneider made a career-high 19 saves. Five Minutemen scored two goals: Sean Morris, Pat Larmon, Brian Jacovina, Jim Connolly and Andrew Recchione.
UMass broke open a 4-4 early in the third quarter with five consecutive goals including the first four in a span of just 1:43, to take a 9-4 lead with 5:02 left in the third quarter. Loyola would never get closer than three goals the rest of the way.
Lucky Number 11 & 10
• UMass has won 36 games in a row when scoring 11 or more goals. The Minutemen have two wins this season with 11 goals, beating Harvard (11-10) and Sacred Heart (11-4). The streak goes back over the last five years -- meaning this year's senior class has never lost when scoring 11 or more goals. UMass' last loss when they had more than 11 came in the 2002 NCAA Quarterfinals, a 13-12 loss at Johns Hopkins.
• UMass is also 2-0 this season when scoring 10 goals this season and 24-0 over the past three years when reaching double-figures. The last loss when scoring 10 goals came on May 1, 2004, a 17-10 loss at Syracuse.
Big Winners Over Last Seven Years
• With the 13-5 record last season, UMass is now 72-28 over the last seven seasons for a 72.0 win percentage, which is tied for the fifth-best mark of any school in the country behind Johns Hopkins, which has won 82.6 percent of its games with a 76-16 record. Georgetown is second at 75.5 (71-23). Virginia (73.0, 73-27) and Maryland (72.8, 75-28) are just ahead of UMass and Syracuse, which is also 72-28 for a 72.0 win percentage.
Schneider On Tewaaraton Watch List
• UMass sophomore goalie Doc Schneider has been named to the 2007 Tewaaraton Preseason Watch List, awarded college lacrosse's top player. The Long Island native helped lead the Minutemen to the NCAA Championship game in 2006 and was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team. He posted a 8.13 goals against average and 13-5 record as a freshman.
• Last season, attackman Sean Morris was the national runner-up for the Tewaaraton Trophy as the sport's best college player. Jack Reid was also on the preseason watch list.
• The Tewaaraton Award Foundation announces the Spring 2007 Men's Preseason Watch List. These players are considered early season indicators of who to watch as the 2007 lacrosse season begins. This list will be voted upon by coaches and narrowed as the season progresses, ultimately reaching a final list of five players who constitute the award's finalists.
2006 Season Of History
• The Minutemen played in the NCAA Championship game for the first time in school history in 2006. UMass also reached the Semifinals after 10 unsuccessful tries in the NCAA Quarterfinals. The Minutemen had been to the most tournaments (17) of any school without a berth to lacrosse's final four. The Minutemen have been to the eighth-most NCAA Tournaments. UMass was the third team from New England to make the NCAA Semifinals. Yale (1990) and Brown (1994) are the only others. The Minutemen are the only one of the three to make the championship game.
• UMass posted a 13-5 record playing for USILA National Coach of the Year Greg Cannella. They were ranked No. 10 in both the USILA Coaches Poll and Inside Lacrosse Media Poll. UMass captured its 21st New England Championship in 2006 while finishing second in the ECAC with a 5-2 record.
Four Minutemen Named Preseason All-Americans
• UMass has four players on Inside Lacrosse/Face-Off Magazine's Preseason All-American team. Senior midfielder Brian Jacovina has been named to the preseason third team. Sophomore attacker Jim Connolly, sophomore goalie Doc Schneider and senior defensive midfielder Dan Whipple have been named honorable mention All-Americans.
Gorillas at Home
• Since the 1960s, UMass has been known as the Garber Gorilla's in honor of head coach Dick Garber and his first big time recruit from New York, Kevin O'Connor (1967-69). UMass has won 20 of the last 23 games at home after the loss to Albany on March 14. UMass went 7-1 at home last season. They were riding a 13-game home winning streak spanning three seasons to the last home loss, also to Albany on March 16, 2004.
• Two years ago, UMass posted a perfect 8-0 record at home tying its record for best home record without a loss at 8-0, which was set in 1981. It was the first time since 1992 UMass went undefeated at home, as they went 6-0 that season.
• Since the start of the 2001 season, UMass is 44-8 at Garber Field, winning 85 percent of the games at the friendly confines.
UMass-Syracuse Game To Air On ESPNU
• The April 28 men's lacrosse game between UMass and Syracuse will be televised nationally on ESPNU. The game has been moved to a 3 p.m., start to allow for a live national telecast from Garber Field. As of now, it is the only schedule TV appearance for the 2006 National Finalists as they head into the season.
WRNX 100.9 To Air Seven Games This Spring
• Seven UMass men's lacrosse games will be aired live on WRNX 100.9 FM in Western Massachusetts. The games will be part of the UMass Sports Network with the "Voice of the Minutemen" Bob Behler calling the action with former All-American Norm Smith. The final seven Saturday games will air live starting with the March 24 game at Loyola. Every regular-season game will be available online at UMassAthletics.com. Postseason action will also air on 100.9 FM WRNX. Here is the tenative schedule, which is subject to change.
WRNX 100.9 FM Men's Lacrosse Radio Schedule Saturday, March 24 at Loyola, 1 p.m. Saturday, March 31 vs. Penn State, Noon Saturday, April 7 vs. St. John's, 1 p.m. Saturday, April 14 at Hobart, 1 p.m. Saturday, April 21 vs. Georgetown, 1 p.m. Saturday, April 28 vs. Syracuse, 3 p.m. Saturday, May 5 at Rutgers, 1 p.m.
