Massachusetts Men's Lacrosse To Close Out Regular Season At High Point On Friday

Game 13	Massachusetts (6-6, 2-2 A-10) at High Point (8-6, 2-2 A-10)
Date \| Time	Friday, April 26, 2024 \| 3:00 p.m.
Location	Vert Stadium \| High Point, N.C.
Live Statistics	Sidearm
Watch	ESPN+
Series History	Massachusetts leads 1-0 Last: Massachusetts 12, High Point 10 Garber Field \| Amherst, Mass. \| April 1, 2023
Twitter	@UMassAthletics \| @UMassMLacrosse
Instagram	UMass Men's Lacrosse

AGAINST HIGH POINT

- Massachusetts and High Point met for the first time last season in the teams' first-ever Atlantic 10 contests, which the Gorillas won 12-10 on Garber Field on April 1. , Mike Tobin posted his first hat trick of the season and added an assist for a four-point afternoon. Shane O'Leary had two goals and an assist, while Cater Castillo and Mason Bregman logged two goals each, as well. Caleb Hammett grabbed a game-high nine ground balls and won 15 of 23 (.652) over X. Goalkeeper Matt Knote finished with 14 stops for Massachusetts, surpassing the 500-save mark for his career.

LAST TIME OUT

- In a game of runs, University of Massachusetts men's lacrosse's fourth quarter rally came up just short in a 14-12 setback to No. 15/14 Richmond last Saturday at Garber Field.
- Mason Bregman scored a game-best five goals and paced the UMass offense with six points, both career highs for the senior, as four of his tallies came in the second quarter. Mike Tobin contributed five points on two goals and three assists, Shane O'Leary added two goals and two assists for four points and Conor Foley logged three points (2g, 1a). Caleb Hammett won 14-of-28 faceoffs (50%) and picked up three ground balls, Jack Wittmaack grabbed two caused turnovers and five ground balls and Zach Auble contributed four ground balls and three caused turnovers. Matt Knote made 12 saves in the cage for UMass

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS

- Senior Mason Bregman has 34 points (22g, 12a) in 12 games to lead the team lead thus far this season. Bregman surpassed his career high in points, 19, set in 14 games last season. He posted 21 points over the first 18 games of his career prior to 2024. Bregman has at least one point in 11 of 12 games this season with multi-point performances in 10 of 12, including a career high in goals (5) and points (6) against Richmond.

OH BROTHER!

- When Michael Tobin logged his 100^th career point against UAlbany, he joined his brother Kevin '22 (39g, 82a, 160p) as the 45^th member of the Gorillas' 100-point club. They are the first set of brothers in program history to make the list.
- Tobin currently has 33 points (20g, 13a) in 12 games and has a 65-56-121 line for his career over 57 contests.

WHERE THEY STAND

- Heading into the final game of the regular season, UMass ranks fourth in the nation in man-down defense (.794), second in the Atlantic 10, the Gorillas are 28th in saves per-game (12.67), second in the conference.
- The Gorillas are top-20 in scoring defense (10.25), 20th, third in the A-10.
- UMass is 27th in scoring margin at 2.00 and 13th in the nation in shot percentage (.324).
- Individually Jack Wittmaack sits 19th nationally in caused turnovers per-game, first in the A-10 with a 1.83 clip. Matt Knote is 14^th nationally in save percentage (.557), second in the A-10 and the A-10 leader in saves per-game (12.58), 15th nationally and 17^th nationally in goals-against average (10.15).

CAPTAINS NAMED FOR 2024

- Graduate students Matt Caddigan, Jake Dulac, Matt Knote and Mike Tobin were selected as the team captains for the 2024 season. Both Knote and Tobin also served as captains for the Gorillas in 2023. The four individuals have combined for 219 career games played in their time at UMass.

KNOTE-WORTHY

- Graduate student goalkeeper Matt Knote returns for his final season of eligibility with the Gorillas. On the back of an impressive 2023 campaign, he racked up the pre-season honors heading into 2024. Knote was named to the first Tewaaraton Watch List, tabbed an honorable mention Inside Lacrosse Preseason All-American and a USA Lacrosse 2024 Division I Preseason All-America Third Team selection.
- In 2023 Knote collected All-America honors from three organizations, was crowned the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year and earned spots on the NEILA All-New England First Team, Atlantic 10 All-Conference First team, All-ECAC, the A-10 All-Academic team and the CSC Academic All-District At-Large Team. His A-10 all-conference honor was his third of his career after also being named to the CAA First Team in back-to-back seasons in 2021 and 2022.
- The goalkeeper ended the 2023 campaign as the national leader in save percentage (.593) and was tops in the A-10 in goals against average (9.33, fourth nationally) and saves per-game (13.43, 10th nationally). He finished 8-6 on the year after starting all 14 games and has 188 saves to his credit in 829 minutes, 35 seconds between the pipes with 31 ground balls. The Speonk, New York native is currently third in program history in career saves (721) and holds a career 10.35 goals against average and a .552 save percentage over 57 career contests.

FIRST TIMERS

- Against Army in the season opener on Feb. 10, Matthew Cargiulo registered his first collegiate goal, while Caelin Lewis picked up his first two points in a UMass uniform and Conor Foley scored his first goal at UMass.
- Cargiulo and Blaise New both made their collegiate debuts against the Black Knights.
- Charles Kurtz logged an assist in his collegiate debut for his first career point vs. UMass Lowell on Feb. 17 and picked up his first career goal against Marist on Feb. 20.
- Lewis logged his first collegiate hat trick on Feb. 20 vs. Marist.
- Versus Merrimack, sophomore Brian Jackman and senior John Crehan both netted their first collegiate goals and sophomore Aiden Drunsic registered his first career assist.
- Graduate student Matt Knote posted his first collegiate point with a goal vs. Vermont on March 9.
- At St. Bonaventure on April 13, Jack Wittmaack registered his first career assist and Ryan Mazzariello made his collegiate debut.

YEAR 30 FOR THE MAN IN CHARGE

- University of Massachusetts head coach Greg Cannella enters his 30^th season at the helm for the Gorillas and his 36^th year in coaching overall. He currently holds a record of 247-173 (.588) and ranks sixth among active Division I head coaches in wins. The UMass alumnus is the third-longest tenured among active Division I men's head coaches and the most tenured coach at one institution in Division I lacrosse (both genders).

DRIPPING WITH FACEOFF EXPERIENCE

- Senior faceoff specialist Caleb Hammett is back for another season in the faceoff circle for the Gorillas and has earned a spot on the Atlantic 10 Men's Lacrosse Preseason All-Conference Team.
- Hammett, who was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference Second Team and to the All-Academic Team in 2023, appeared in all 14 games last season for UMass. He ranked second in the A-10 and 20th nationally with a .565 faceoff winning percentage, going 157-278, while team-best 81 ground balls. The Hanover, Massachusetts native posted his first two points of his career last season with a goal and an assist. The 2022 CAA Second Team and All-Rookie Team honoree won 60.2% of his faceoffs in A-10 play (68 of 113) in 2023.
- Hammett had a pivotal performance over X against UMass Lowell, going 15-of-21 (71.4%) and was 14-for-18 (77.8%) with 12 ground balls against Merrimack. Currently on the season he is 134-277 (48.4%) with 72 ground balls.

RETURNING SCORING

- UMass returns 2/3rds of its goal scoring from last season four of its top five point-getters from a year ago. Mike Tobin, back for a fifth year with the Gorillas led UMass with 38 points (21g, 17a) in 2023, while classmate Carter Castillo was third with 29 (14g, 15a), Shane O'Leary followed in fourth with 20 (16g, 4a) and Mason Bregman was fifth with 19 (15g, 4a). Tobin was an Atlantic 10 All-Conference Second Team attackman last season and earned a spot on the All-New England Second Team as well.

NEW LOOK DEFENSE

-The Gorillas graduated both close defensemen who saw the bulk of the playing time for the squad last season in Chris Campbell and Ryan Sharkey. Campbell was an All-New England First Team and A-10 First Team All-Conference after transferring to UMass from LIU. Fifth year d-man Jake Dulac, who played in all 14 games last season is back for his final season, while Jack Wittmaack saw action in every contest in 2023 returns for 2024 as does classmate Owen Quinn who played in 10 games as a junior. Current junior Matthew Petitto will see time for UMass in the back this season as well after appearing in 11 contests as a sophomore.
- Captain Matt Caddigan continues his role as the primary defensive midfielder for the Gorillas. The Smithtown, N.Y. native caused 11 turnovers in 2023, the second most out of returning Minutemen. Caddigan played in 14 games last year, dishing out a pair of assists and scooping up 14 ground balls.

WELCOME TO THE TROOP

- The Gorillas have added 11 first-year players to their roster for 2024: midfielders Matthew Cargiulo (Manhasset, N.Y.), Max Crane (Bay Shore, N.Y.), Jimmy Elliott (Boonton Township, N.J.), Michael Finnerty (Melville, N.Y.), Chris Grimaldi (Corning, N.Y.), Dylan Johnson (Pomfret, Conn.), Blaise New (Bedford, N.Y.) and Jack Peters (Nashua, N.H.), attackmen Charles Kurtz (Cheshire, Conn.) and Zack Waxman (Sharon, Mass) and defenseman Luke Robinson (Wilbraham, Mass.).
- UMass has also brought in two transfers: midfielder Caelin Lewis of Sammamish, Washington, who played his previous two years at Syracuse and defenseman Chance Cook of Haslett, Michigan who played two seasons at Canisius prior to coming to Amherst.

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