University of Massachusets Athletics
#16/15 UMass Seeks To Inch Closer To ECAC Title At Fairfield On Tuesday
April 20, 2009 | Men's Lacrosse
Complete Release in PDF Format
#16/15 UMASS (7-4, 4-1) at FAIRFIELD (6-5, 3-2)
Tuesday, April 21, 2009 • 3 p.m.
Lessing Field (500) • Fairfield, Conn.
Radio: WMUA 91.1 FM (Josh Maurer & Jason Yellin)
Live Video, Audio & Stats: UMassAthletics.com
#16/15 UMass Seeks To Inch Closer To ECAC Title At Fairfield
• With two games left to play in ECAC Lacrosse action, the UMass Minutemen hold their postseason fate in their own hands. UMass, which is ranked 16th in the USILA Coaches Poll and 15th in the Inside Lacrosse Media Poll, stands 7-4 overall and 4-1 in the ECAC. The Minutemen will win the ECAC and the NCAA Tournament automatic qualifier with wins in their final two conference games starting with Tuesday's game at Fairfield (6-5, 3-2 ECAC). UMass comes into the game a half-game behind Loyola, which is 5-1 in the ECAC. Should UMass beat both Fairfield and Rutgers, in the regular-season finale on May 2, the Minutemen would finish 6-1 in the ECAC. Loyola has one conference game remaining vs. Hobart on Saturday. If the Minutemen and Greyhounds finished tied at 6-1 in the ECAC, UMass would win the tiebreaker by virtue of their 8-6 win in Baltimore on March 21. That would secure UMass' 18th NCAA Tournament berth and first since the 2006 NCAA FInals run.
• Tuesday's game is the first of two contests this week for the Minutemen. On Saturday, UMass hosts defending NCAA Champion Syracuse, ranked No. 3 in the USILA and No. 2 by Inside Lacrosse, on Saturday at McGuirk Stadium at 1:30 p.m. That game will be the backdrop for the "Break The Attendance Record" as UMass seeks to draw more than 12,143 fans, to break the record set in 1989.
• UMass saw its four-game winning streak end on Saturday as new No. 17 Georgetown, downed the Minutemen on Senior Day at Garber Field, 10-7. Prior to that game, the Minutemen had won four games in a row, all ECAC contests with an 8-6 win at Loyola (3/21), a 9-8 victory over Penn State (3/28), a 12-6 win over St. John's (4/4), and the 7-6 OT thriller at Hobart (4/11).
• Tuesday's game will be broadcast on WMUA (91.1 FM) with Josh Maurer and Jason Yellin calling the action. Live streaming video, audio and live stats will also be available on UMassAthletics.com.
The Series With Fairfield
• UMass and Fairfield play for the seventh time on Tuesday and fourth as conference foes in the ECAC. UMass holds a 6-1 lead in the all-time series, winning the first six match-ups. This will be the final game between the teams as conference mates as UMass will move to the CAA next season.
• UMass is 2-0 all-time at Fairfield, winning in 1997 and 2007. The Minutemen won the last game in Connecticut on April 24, 2007, 10-7. In that game, Andrew Recchione finally broke out for a big game as he posted his first hat trick of the season as UMass beat Fairfield. Goalie Doc Schneider was amazing all game, making 14 saves including many at point-blank range.
• This will be the first time UMass and Fairfield will be playing when UMass alums will not be coaching against each other. Fairfield's former coach Ted Spencer (UMass class of 1985) retired in the offseason after being stricken with cancer and was replaced by Andrew Copelan.
• UMass won the first six games including a 7-6 thriller at Garber Field in 2006 when UMass scored three goals in the final 1:03 of the game (in the span of 29 seconds) to cap a dramatic comeback. Prior to that, last meeting a 2002 NCAA First Round match-up in Providence, 17-4.
• UMass has outscored Fairfield 95-40 in the seven games for a 14-6 average score. But the margin is much closer since 2006, when Fairfield joined the ECAC, as UMass has won by an average of 9-8.
Last Year's Game With Fairfield
• UMass attacker Tim Balise scored all five of his goals in the fourth quarter to rally UMass back from a four-goal deficit, but it was not enough as Fairfield's Ryan Mulford scored with 36 seconds left in regulation to give the Stags their first-ever win against UMass, 10-9 at Garber Field. Fairfield, which led 7-3 late in the third quarter saw its lead disappear as Balise took over scoring all five UMass goals in the final period as tied the game at 9-9 with 1:41 left in regulation.
• UMass freshman Zach Rodgers had his first-career hat trick and added an assist for his second four-point game in a row. Evan Blum had UMass' other goal. For Fairfield, Nick Lattimore had his first two goals of the season and Todd Baxter also scored twice the Stags' only multi-goal scorers.
• Fairfield scored six goals in a row bridging the second and third quarters to build that 7-3 lead as they dominated the third quarter, outscoring the Minutemen 5-1 in that stanza. Shannon Sturz tied the game at 3-3 just 2:22 into the third quarter. The run continued with goals by Lattimore, Dan Boudreau, Baxter and Chris Ajemian, who ended the run of six with a sensational goal with 5:06 left in the third.
5-Time ECAC Defensive POW, Doc Up For Tewaaraton
• Tewaaraton Trophy Final Nominee Doc Schneider earned his fifth ECAC Defensive Player of the Week honor on April 13 after the 21-save effort at Hobart (4/11). Schneider has also earned the ECAC's top weekly defensive honor four of the previous five weeks, winning it on March 2, 9, 23, 30.
• Schneider has risen to the No. 3 spot in the NCAA in save percentage with a 65.2 mark. He is also fifth in goals against average at 7.18. He leads the ECAC in goals against average and is second in save percentage to Penn State's Drew Adams. Schneider has been sensational in ECAC play with a 71.4 save percentage mark and a 5.52 goals against average as UMass has started 4-1.
• He picked up his fourth ECAC Defensive Player of the Week honor this week as he was honored after 15 saves in the 9-8 win over Penn State (3/28). Schneider racked up 12 saves in the pivotal second half.
• After his huge game at Loyola on March 21, Schneider was named the LaxNews College Beat National Player of the Week on March 22. He was also named the ECAC Co-Defensive Player of the Week for the third time this season. Schneider was sensational in Saturday's 8-6 UMass win at #12 Loyola with a season-high 17 saves. Schneider made 11 saves in the second half as the Greyhounds peppered him all game. Schneider allowed just six goals, the fourth time this season he has allowed six goals or less in a game.
Well-Rounded Offense
• The Minutemen have had well balanced scoring all season as 15 different players have scored goals. In all 14 games last season, UMass had 13 goal scorers.
• Senior Jim Connolly leads the charge with 28 goals, 2.55 per game, which leads the ECAC and is ninth in the NCAA. Connolly has scored goals in every game this season. He leads UMass with 32 points, which is 2.91 points per game, third in the ECAC and 45th in the NCAA. Connolly has points in 19 games in a row which he has played.
• With hat tricks in three of the last four games and goals in each of the last nine games, Tim Balise extended his point-scoring streak to 18 games with two tallies vs. Georgetown (4/18). That dates to the last seven games of last season and the first 11 this year. He is second on the team with 23 goals and 28 points. Balise is 29th in goals per game (2.09). Balise has 12 goals in the last four games including five points on four goals and an assist vs. St. John's (4/4).
• Seniors Balise and Connolly are forming an impressive duo at attack. They have combined for 51 of the Minutemen's 110 goals on the year (46 percent).
• Balise has three hat tricks in his last four games while Connolly has hat tricks in two of the last four games. Both Balise and Connolly tallied hat tricks in the wins over Penn State (3/28) and St. John's (4/4). Balise has four hat tricks this season and 10 in his career, most recently at Hobart (4/11) while Connolly now has 11 hat tricks overall, four in 2009.
• Freshman Art Kell scored for the eighth consecutive game against Hobart (4/11) after picking up his first multi-goal game vs. St. John's (4/4). His goal streak was ended against Georgetown (4/18). Kell scored single goals in six games in a row after being held scoreless in his first two collegiate contests. Overall, Kell is the highest scoring freshman with 12 points on nine goals and three assists.
• Junior Bobby Hayes has points in nine of 11 games this season after a goal and assist against Georgetown. Hayes has seven multi-point games this season. He stands seventh in the ECAC with a team-best 11 assists (1.0 per game). He is third on the team with 19 points on eight goals and a team-high 11 assists.
• Senior Evan Blum is up to fourth on the team with 16 points on 10 goals, third on team, and six assists. Blum has five mulit-point games this season and three two-goal games after none in his career. Blum tallied a pair on Senior Day against Georgetown. He also had two against Sacred Heart (2/14) and Hofstra (2/21).
• Rory Pedrick scored his most recent goal against St. John's (4/4) and has points in eight of the 10 games he has played this season. Overall, he has 14 points on nine goals and five assists. He had two goals in the first two games of the season against Sacred Heart (2/14) and Hofstra (2/21).
Schneider A Super Senior
• Senior goalie and Tewaaraton Trophy Candidate Doc Schneider in the midst of a stellar senior season and will go down as one of the best stoppers in program history. He has been named to the Inside Lacrosse Preseason All-American Team as an honorable mention selection. Schneider was also named to ESPN Quint Kessenich's Preseason Top 5 Goalies.
• Schneider has been named the ECAC Defensive Player of the Week five times on March 2, 9, 23, 30 and April 14. He also was named the LaxNews College Beat Player of the Week on March 22.
• Schneider stands SECOND in save percentage (65.2) and fourth in the nation in GAA (7.18).
• Schneider has at least 15 saves in seven games this season and ranks second in the ECAC in saves per game with 13.1 per game.
• He currently stands in second on the UMass all-time saves list with 692 only trailing great Sal LoCascio who recorded an unworldly 931 stops which is the most in NCAA history. He passed Don Goldstein (622) for second all-time with a season-high 17 saves at Loyola (3/21) and moved by Tom LoPresti (562) for third with eight saves at Hofstra (2/21). He became the third goalie in UMass history with 600 career saves vs. Brown (3/14) when he had 14 stops.
• Schneider was named an Inside Lacrosse/Face-Off Magazine preseason honorable mention All-American prior to the season. It marks the second All-American honor bestowed upon Schneider. The first came prior to the 2007 campaign after he led the Minutemen to a magical run to the National Title Game in his freshman year (2006).
• In his first three seasons in Amherst, Schneider was one of the top goalies in UMass lacrosse history. As a true freshman in 2006, he led the Minutemen to a 13-5 record and an appearance in the National Finals after NCAA Tournament wins over Cornell, Hofstra, and Maryland. His stellar 15 save performance against the Terrapins sent the Minutemen into the Title Game where he made 17 saves against an undefeated Virginia squad. For the effort, he was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team.
Defense's Shuts Down Top Guns
• Backstopped by senior goalie Doc Schneider UMass' defense has been stellar at shutting down some of the top scorers in the NCAA. Along with Schneider, the close defense featuring senior Brennan Mack and junior All-ECAC performer Diogo Godoi have done a great job against some of the top attackmen. They have been joined by sophomore Travis Tripucka and freshman starter Greg Anderson on the backline.
• UMass is eighth in the NCAA in fewest goals allowed, giving up just 7.55 per game. The Minutemen have allowed less than 10 goals in seven games and less than seven in six games.
• Against five of the nation's top 35 point scorers #4 Corey Small of Albany (4.0 PPG), #7 Andrew Feinberg of Brown (3.77 PPG), #16 Shane Koppens of Loyola (3.4 PPG), #34 Jeff Cohen of Harvard (3.0) and #25 Michael Karwoski of Yale (3.0) UMass has allowed just six points (two goals and four assists) -- a goal and assist for Karwoski and Small as well as assists by Cohen and Feinberg -- for a group that averages more than 18 points total.
• Against Loyola (3/21), Godoi kept Greyhound attacker Shane Koppens pointless, after he came into the game scoring 4.4 points per game. Koppens was limited to just one shot on goal. Also in that game, Mack kept Loyola's Collin Finnerty to just one goal on a broken clear.
• Most recently, Godoi shutdown Georgetown's top scorer Craig Dowd, holding him to just one assist. Dowd came into the game averaging 2.4 points per game. • Also notable, Mack, kept Brown's Andrew Feinberg, their top scorer, without a goal in the UMass win on March 14. Feinberg is currently seventh in the NCAA in points per game (3.77) including just a single assist against UMass. Feinberg, who is sixth in goals per game (2.7) was blanked by UMass.
• Against Albany, UMass limited the Great Danes' Corey Small to just a goal and assist. For the year, he is eighth in the NCAA with 4.0 points per game.
• The Minutemen also kept Harvard's Greg Cohen without a goal in the win on March 7. Cohen averages 2.4 goals per game, 14th in the NCAA
Man Down Defense Dominant
• The Minutemen are ranked 11th in the NCAA in man-down defense, allowing just eight goals on 36 chances for its opponents (77.8). UMass did not give up a man-up goal in four chances vs. St. John's (4/4). The Minutemen were not penalized at Loyola (3/21). Prior to that, UMass was a perfect 6-of-6 in killing off man-up opportunities against Brown (3/14). In four games this season, UMass has not allowed a man-down goal.
• Last year, UMass' man down defense was fifth in the country (.806).
Gorillas At Home
• Since the 1960s, UMass has been known as the Garber Gorillas in honor of head coach Dick Garber and his first big time recruit from New York, Kevin O'Connor (1967-69). UMass has won 30 of the last 40 games spanning six years, dating back to 2004. UMass finished this season 4-2 at Garber Field, playing the final home game at Garber Field on April 25. UMass won 14 games in a row at home from 2004 through 06.
• In 2005, 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 it went 6-0 that season.
• Since the start of the 2001 season, UMass is 54-15 at Garber Field, winning nearly 80 percent of the games at the friendly confines.
Big Winners Over Last 8 Years
• UMass has established itself as one of the top programs in the nation. Since 2001, UMass has the eighth-most wins of any program in college lacrosse with 89 victories.
• The Minutemen have the ninth-best mark among all teams in the NCAA since 2001 with an 89-44 record for a 67.0 win percentage mark. That includes five seasons with 12 or more wins including a school record 13 wins in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006. The Minutemen were second on the list coming into the 2007 season.
Lucky Number 11
• UMass has won 42 games in a row when scoring 11 or more goals after its 12-6 win over St. John's (4/4) and a 18-6 win over Yale (2/28). Last season, UMass had one game with more than 11 games, a 13-8 win at St. John's. The Minutemen had four wins in 2007 with 11 goals or more, beating Harvard (11-10), Sacred Heart (11-4), St. John's (11-7) and Hobart (17-12). The streak goes back over the last seven years -- meaning the last four senior classes have 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 had won 29 games in a row when scoring 10 or more goals, but that streak was snapped with a 11-10 loss to Hofstra on Feb. 21. The Minutemen were 29-0 when scoring 10 or more goals over the last six years. Prior to the loss at Hofstra, the last loss when scoring 10 goals came on May 1, 2004, a 17-10 loss at Syracuse.
Balise For Lowe's Sr. Class Award
• UMass senior captain Tim Balise has been named a candidate for the 2009 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. Balise was selected from the pool of NCAA Division I senior lacrosse athletes for his excellence in four areas: the classroom, his character, the community, and the field of competition.
• Balise not only led the Minutemen in scoring with 39 points on 33 goals last season, but also earned ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American, ESPN The Magazine All-District First Team, and ECAC All-Conference Second Team. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages those leaders to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact on their circle of influence.
UMass To Join CAA In 2010
• The Colonial Athletic Association announced back in June that it will add UMass and Penn State as associate members in the sport of men's lacrosse. beginning with the 2010 season. UMass and Penn State join the University of Delaware, Drexel University, Hofstra University and Towson University to form a competitive six-team conference whose champion will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship.
• A realignment of men's lacrosse conferences nationally - spurred by the Big East Conference and Northeast Conference's new sponsorship of the sport - led to the changes in CAA membership. Current members Sacred Heart and Robert Morris will move to the NEC. and Villanova will move to the Big East following the 2009 campaign.
Godoi Preseason All-ECAC Team
• UMass men's lacrosse redshirt junior defender Diogo Godoi has been named to the preseason All-ECAC team. Godoi had the strongest season of his career in 2007 when he scooped up 27 ground balls while causing a team-leading 17 turnovers. He played in all 14 games, starting 12 of them.