University of Massachusets Athletics
Visit to Fairfield Up Next for Men's Lacrosse
April 15, 2016 | Men's Lacrosse
| University of Massachusetts Men's Lacrosse Game Notes | |
| Game 11 | Massachusetts (4-6, 0-2 CAA) at Fairfield (6-6, 2-0) |
| Date | Time | Saturday, April 16, 2016 | 1:00 p.m. |
| Location | Rafferty Stadium (3,500) | Fairfield, Conn. | Directions |
| Live Statistics | NeuLion |
| Watch | FairfieldStags.tv |
| Series History | Massachusetts leads, 8-3. Last meeting: UMass 9, #19 Fairfield 8; April 30, 2015 |
| Game Notes | Massachusetts  | Fairfield |
| Team Information | Massachusetts | Fairfield |
| Social Media | @UMassAthletics  | @UMassMLacrosse | Instagram
|
| Buy Tickets | Information available through the Fairfield University |
Scouting Fairfield Men's Lacrosse
Massachusetts men's lacrosse heads to Fairfield's Rafferty Stadium in search of its first CAA win of the season. The Minutemen will contend with a Stags squad that posted back-to-back conference wins in its opening two league matchups to get back to .500 at 6-6 on the year.
Freshman Colin Burke guides the attack as the highest scoring rookie in the league with 43 points through 31 goals and 12 assists. Charlie Schnider facilitates team-wide offense with 24 of his 32 points coming via assists. TJ Neubauer adds another threat to finish the play as he had 26 goals in 10 appearances.
The Stags started the year with three consecutive losses and sat at 2-5 overall midway through March. However, Fairfield changed its fortunes in the last three weeks with four wins in five games - the lone loss being to No. 6 Villanova. In those games, Burke (15 goals), Neubauer (14 G, one assist) and Schnider (1 G, 11 A) combined for 30 goals and 19 assists.
UMass ended No. 19 Fairfield's season in the CAA Championship Semifinal Round during the last meeting between the teams, when the Minutemen fought back for a 9-8 win. Massachusetts trailed by a slim margin in the first half, but turned a 3-1 deficit into a 9-5 lead with eight goals scored and stellar defense spanning five minutes left in the second quarter to five minutes remaining in the game. However, the Minutemen had to weather a late three-goal run by the Stags for the one-goal victory.
On Top Of The Tweet Game
Instant information about the men's lacrosse program, including an inside look at key points and statistics in each game as well as updates from practice and other team events can be found through the Twitter handle @UMassMLacrosse. Follow the Minutemen there and catch information about each UMass Athletic Department program through @UMassAthletics.
All Home Contests Available On UMass All-Access
UMass men's lacrosse will have each of its seven home games broadcast online through UMass All-Access, a CBS Interactive product. The link for each broadcast was accessible in each game preview to direct fans or other interest parties to the event page. All UMass men's lacrosse home contests will be broadcast on this platform free of charge.
UMass Men's Lacrosse To Honor 1976, 2006 Teams In April
The University of Massachusetts men's lacrosse program and head coach Greg Cannella welcomes back members of the 1976 and 2006 teams in tandem with the final two home games in April in celebration of their respective 40 and 10 year anniversaries. The 1976 team was recognized on Sat., April 9 at halftime of the game against Towson. The 2006 team's celebration follows on Sat., April 23 versus Hofstra.
In 1976, former head coach and recent IMLCA Hall of Fame inductee Richard F. Garber led the Minutemen to a 10-3 overall record and the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance. After suffering two losses in its opening three games, Massachusetts reeled off nine consecutive victories to earn the NCAA berth.
Led by Cannella, the 2006 squad became the first-ever New England-based team to reach the NCAA Championship Game. As an unseeded team, the Minutemen fought through the most difficult path to a lacrosse championship game in history, beating the second, third and fourth-ranked teams in the nation.
Minutemen Rank No. 1 In Nation For Strength Of Schedule
University of Massachusetts men's lacrosse head coach Greg Cannella continues a career-long trend of challenging his Minutemen against the top teams in NCAA Division I each year during 2016 as the Maroon and White rank No. 1 in the nation for strength of schedule through 10 games (April 13).
According to the USILA Top-20 Coaches Poll, UMass has faced seven ranked teams so far in No. 7 Brown, No. 7 Towson, No. 10 North Carolina, No. 11 Ohio State, No. 14 Harvard, No. 15 Albany and No. 20 Penn State. The Minutemen also played Army West Point when it was receiving votes for the top 20 and Hartford.
Since the 2001 season, the Minutemen appeared in the top-20 for strength of schedule in 10 of their 15 completed seasons, including the last three campaigns.
Karaska's 50 Starts A Rare Feat
Kyle Karaska stepped into the starting position at close defense during his freshman season and has not relinquished the spot since as Karaska reached 50 starts as a Minuteman with the opening whistle of the game at Delaware.
Attackman Art Kell (2009-12) was the last Minuteman to reach 50 starts for his career (53) while current assistant coach and former goalie Doc Schneider was the last player to accomplish the feat on the defensive side of the ball (61). The most recent close defenseman to notch 50+ starts Jack Reid (59; 2003-06).
Man-Down Unit Stands Tall
UMass is among the most successful man-down teams in the nation through 10 games. The Minutemen rank ninth nationally with a 75.5 penalty kill percentage as the Maroon and White have only allowed 12 extra-man opportunity goals in 49 man-down situations.
It is the best penalty kill percentage for the number of man down situations faced across all NCAA Division I teams and is 12 more man down situations than any team ranked above the Minutemen.
The next-most successful team with 49 or more penalties called against it is NJIT (32nd; .662; 24-of-71). Massachusetts has only allowed more than one EMO goal in any individual game so far this season three times (No. 10 North Carolina, No. 15 Albany, No. 20 Penn State). The team averages only 1.2 man-up goals allowed per game in 4.9 man-down situations.
Paparo A Workhorse Out Of The Gate
Freshman Isaac Paparo provided an immediate boost at long-stick midfielder through 10 games with 20 groundballs, five caused turnovers and five points (two goals, three assists). Over the course of an entire season, it is the most points by a long-stick midfielder since Jake Deane (seven goals, two assists) in 2006 and the greatest number of groundballs and caused turnovers by a rookie LSM since Austin Spencer had 22 and 10 in 2014.
Goals From Assorted Long Poles
Four UMass long-stick midfielders or close defensemen sport one goal each this season in Isaac Paparo (LSM), Kevin Porzelt (D), Shane Rinkus (LSM) and Tyler Weeks (LSM).
Paparo and Porzelt scored against No. 14 Harvard while Weeks added his versus No. 10 North Carolina. Paparo added another in the game at Delaware and also has a trio of assists for five points on the year while Weeks owns two points courtesy of one goal and an assist. Rinkus added his first collegiate point and goal during the game against No. 7 Towson.
Meyer's Shows Power In Return To Keystone State
Freshman Tom Meyers made his return to Pennsylvania, his native state, with a 16-for-24 afternoon at faceoff as the lone UMass specialist to step to the X at No. 20 Penn State on March 19. It reset personal bests in faceoffs won and taken while Meyers tied his record for most groundballs (3) during the victory.
Meyers' dominance at the X sprung the Minutemen to sizeable advantages in three key team categories: total possessions (31-27), shots taken (41-21) and groundballs (31-21). He outdueled three Nittany Lions faceoff specialists: Josh Wellman (7-18), Chris Young (1-3) and Billy Lombardi (0-3).
Carr, Meyers Tabbed CAA Co-Player, Rookie Of The Week
Sophomore Buddy Carr and freshman Tom Meyers tallied CAA Co-Player and Rookie of the Week, respectively, on Mon., March 21. Carr scored three times - all in the second half - during the 11-9 win at No. 20 Penn State and provided the eventual game-winning goal in the process. Meyers went 16-for-24 at the faceoff X versus the Nittany Lions during his first game as the primary specialist. His ability to win plays away from Penn State helped the Minutemen to sizable margins in three team categories: total possessions (32-27), shots (41-21) and groundballs (31-21).
Muller Nets Two And Two Against Tar Heels
Redshirt junior midfielder Dan Muller totaled a career-high four points during the 14-9 win over No. 10 North Carolina. Muller scored twice and assisted on two more tallies. His pair of assists came during a crucial five-goal UMass run that turned a 7-6 advantage into a 12-6 margin. He scored once each in the second and fourth quarters.
Muller previously scored three points on four occasions, most recently in a 12-9 win over Drexel on April 18, 2015. His four-point game against UNC doubled his scoring output from the opening seven contests of the year when Muller totaled four points via three goals and an assist.
Man-Down Unit Stands Tall
UMass is among the most successful man-down teams in the nation through nine games. The Minutemen rank eighth nationally with an 76.6 penalty kill percentage as the Maroon and White have only allowed 11 extra-man opportunity goals in 47 man-down situations.
It is the best penalty kill percentage for the number of man down situations faced across all NCAA Division I teams and is 12 more man down situations than any team ranked above the Minutemen.
The next-most successful team with 47 or more penalties called against it is Vermont (40th; .642; 19-of-53). Massachusetts has only allowed more than one EMO goal in any individual game so far this season three times (No. 10 North Carolina, No. 15 Albany, No. 20 Penn State). The team averages only 1.2 man-up goals allowed per game in 5.9 man-down situations.
