The attendance was the 24th largest NCAA Regular Season crowd.

April 25, 2009

AMHERST, Mass. – Despite holding a 2-1 lead only 5:23 into the first quarter, the Syracuse men’s lacrosse team took over from there, scoring nine of the final 10 goals to hand #16/15 UMass a 10-3 nonconference defeat in front of a program record 13,722 at McGuirk Alumni Stadium on Saturday. Jim Connolly scored two goals while Ryan Marcus added the other. The Orange (11-2) defense stole the show, holding the Minutemen scoreless for a span of 38:20 after Marcus’ goal. Goaltender Doc Schneider was sensational once again with 17 saves, 12 coming in the first half to keep the Minutemen (8-5, 5-1 ECAC) within 4-2. UMass now looks ahead to a huge showdown next Saturday at Rutgers. A win would earn the team its first ECAC Title since 2005 and conference’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.

The crowd was also the 24th biggest for an NCAA regular season college lacrosse game and 18th largest in an on-campus facility. UMass’ former record of 12,143 was set on May, 1989, also against Syracuse.

The Minutemen used a fast start for the early advantage as Connolly and Marcus scored within the game’s first six minutes. After Connolly gave UMass a 1-0 lead at 11:39, Syracuse’s Stephen Keogh answered only eight seconds later on a fast break off the faceoff win.

Marcus added his tally with a short side shot on a delayed penalty. Patrick Perritt tied the score at two at 7:39, beginning a run of seven unanswered tallies.

Schneider impressed with seven second quarter saves to keep the Minutemen within shouting distance. The lone tally by either side came from Kenny Nims.

Syracuse used three goals within 5:18 of the second half to open up a 7-2 lead. Josh Amidon made it 8-2, but Connolly answered at the 1:18 mark with his second of the game off a rebound attempt to end the 38:20 scoreless drought.

Two Stephen Keogh goals, one a highlight-reel between the legs tally, marked all the fourth quarter scoring for the 10-3 final.

Final shots were 37-30 in favor of Syracuse. Orange goalie John Galloway matched Schneider save for save with 14 stops of his own. Syracuse was 19-for-25 on clears while UMass was 18-for-20 and faceoff wins were 9-8 in favor of the Minutemen.

The Minutemen travels to Rutgers next Saturday for a huge ECAC game. Faceoff is set for 1 p.m. A win would give UMass the ECAC Championship while a loss would give Loyola the conference title. The championship would be UMass’ first since 2005 and the team’s first NCAA Tournament berth since its magical run in 2006.

Syracuse vs #16 Massachusetts (Apr 25, 2009 at Amherst, Mass.)

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#16/15 UMass Hosts NCAA Champ #3/2 Syracuse At McGuirk, Saturday At 1:30 p.m.

Minutemen have won last four games against Orange, in Amherst.

#16/15 UMASS (8-4, 5-1) vs. #3/2 SYRACUSE (10-2)
Saturday, April 25, 2009 • 1:30 p.m.
McGUIRK STADIUM (17,000) • AMHERST, Mass.
TV: CBS College Sports (Jason Chandler & Paul Carcaterra)
Radio: WRNX 100.9 FM (Josh Maurer & Norm Smith)
Live Video, Audio & Gametracker: UMassAthletics.com

#16/15 UMass Hosts NCAA Champ #3/2 Syracuse At McGuirk
• McGuirk Stadium in Amherst will be the place to be this Saturday as the UMass lacrosse team hosts defending National Champion Syracuse at 1:30 p.m. It will be “Break The Record Day” as UMass seeks to draw a home record crowd at the regular home for Minuteman football. The record of 12,143 was set on May 6, 1989 in narrow 10-9 Syracuse win over UMass, also played at McGuirk. Saturday’s game will be pivotal for NCAA Tournament berths as the Minutemen (8-4 overall) enter the game in first place in the ECAC (5-1), standing 11th in the NCAA RPI. Syracuse, which captured its 10th NCAA title last spring, is 10-2 overall and is third in the NCAA RPI. According to the polls, UMass is 16th in the USILA Coaches Poll and 15th in the Inside Lacrosse/Nike Media Poll. The Orange are third according to the Coaches and second in the media poll.

• Saturday’s game will be broadcast live nationally on CBS College Sports with Jason Chandler and Paul Carcaterra calling the action. Radio coverage for the game will be in 100.9 FM (WRNX) with Josh Maurer and former UMass All-American Norm Smith calling the action. Live streaming video, audio and Gametracker will also be available on UMassAthletics.com.

• The lacrosse Minutemen will be playing at McGuirk Stadium for the first time in 12 years as the last time “The Gorillas” played in the 17,000-seat venue was on April 26, 1997 as 5,675 came out to watch Syracuse beat UMass, 9-4. Prior to that game, the last lacrosse game at McGuirk was on May 4, 1991, also against Syracuse as 5,631 saw SU beat UMass, 13-9.

• UMass is seeking its 18th NCAA Tournament berth in 2009. The Minutemen can officially lock up a berth next Saturday in their regular-season finale at Rutgers on May 3. UMass will clinch the ECAC automatic qualifier with a win in that game, giving them a 6-1 record. UMass could possibly clinch the berth on Saturday if Loyola loses to Hobart. The Minutemen beat the Greyhounds, 8-6 on March 21 to hold the important tie-breaker.

UMass Beating NCAA Champions
• The men’s lacrosse team is seeking to become fourth UMass team to knock off a defending NCAA Champion in the 2008-09 year. The men’s basketball team, most notably, beat Kansas, 61-60 on Dec. 13, 2008. The UMass hockey team dumped Boston College, 4-3 in overtime, on Nov. 22, 2008. Most recently, the UMass softball squad beat Arizona State, 1-0 on Feb. 22, 2009.

• Overall, UMass teams are 3-4 vs. defending champions in 08-09 as the men’s soccer team lost to Wake Forest and the women’s lacrosse team was defeated by Northwestern 22-5, one month prior to this Syracuse game on March 25, 2009 — also at McGuirk Stadium. The UMass hockey team also dropped two games to Boston College in addition to the win.

• The UMass men’s lacrosse team three times beaten the reigning NCAA champion — all three times beating Syracuse as the Minutemen knocked off the Orange in 2003 and 2005 (twice) after SU won the crowns in 2002 and 2004. Prior to the UMass had lost all 13 games against defending champions.

Recent Top Attendances
• With UMass seeking to draw its biggest home crowd, the Minutemen would break the record of 12,143 set on May 6, 1989, against Syracuse. All of the biggest crowds for UMass lacrosse have been against the Orange.

• The most recent lacrosse game at McGuirk Stadium on May 4, 1997 drew 5,675. The previous game at McGuirk on May 6, 1991 brought in 5,631.

• In the most recent games between UMass and SU, held at Garber Field, UMass has drawn many crowds of more than 4,000: 1993 (4,089), 1995 (4,178), 2001 (4,723), 2005 NCAA First Round (4,038) and 2007 (4,423).

• According to various sources UMass has had more than 8,000 fans at games at Garber Field in the 1980s, but no official records are available.

• The largest crowds ever to watch UMass play came in the 2006 NCAA Semifinal and Finals at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The 2006 Final Four, where UMass beat Maryland, 8-5, drew 49,562 on May 27. For the final against Virginia, 47,062 came out to watch on Memorial Day May 29.

The Series With Syracuse
• Syracuse holds a 27-8 lead in the all-time series with UMass. UMass has won seven of the 17 games in Amherst including the last four in a row. For games played in Syracuse, the Orange leads 16-1 including an 13-0 mark at the Carrier Dome.

• The teams played every year for the past 33 seasons consecutive times, dating to April 3, 1976, UMass’ only win ever at Syracuse, 22-13. The UMass win over Syracuse in 2003 was the Minutemen’s first over Syracuse in 20 years, spanning 22 games.

• In the last game in Amherst on April 28, 2007, UMass once again posted a memorable win against the Orange as the Minutemen handed SU a 9-7 loss at Garber Field to end Syracuse’s chances at an NCAA Tournament bid as they secured a losing record. That ended Syracuse’s 24-year streak of NCAA Tournament appearances as they had made every event since 1983.Back in 2005, the Minutemen ended Syracuse’s run of 22 consecutive lacrosse Final Fours with a 16-15 victory in the NCAA First Round at Garber Field.

• UMass has won four straight games against Syracuse at Garber Field including two in 2005. UMass became the first team since North Carolina in 1991 to beat the Orange twice in a season. The Minutemen downed Syracuse, 14-13 in overtime in the regular-season game on April 30, 2005 as All-American Jeff Zywicki scored on a rebound 50 seconds into overtime for his third goal of the game. In the NCAA First Round on May 15, UMass captured a thrilling 16-15 game with Zywicki tallying six goals and All-American Sean Morris netting the game-winner with 72 seconds left in regulation. Morris had six points in the game as UMass advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals and handing Syracuse its first loss in a First Round since 1981. UMass also won the 2003 meeting in dramatic fashion in a 14-13 overtime win on a Zywicki goal 1:10 into overtime. It marked the first time in 20 years UMass had beaten the Orange and signified the first time UMass defeated a defending national champion.

The Recent Meetings Between UMass-SU
• 2008: An undermanned UMass team lost 16-3 at the Carrier Dome to the No. 1 Orange. Tim Balise had a pair of goals for the Minutemen. Mike Leveille had three goals and three assists for six points for the Orange. Steven Brooks also had a hat trick as UMass fell to 0-13 at the Dome.

• 2007: Brett Garber made his final game on his grandfather’s field one to remember as he netted a hat trick in UMass’ 9-7 win over No. 12 Syracuse on April 28, 2006. The Minutemen ended Syracuse’s run of 24 consecutive NCAA postseason appearances. Goalie Doc Schneider made 19 saves to tie his career high. With the loss, Syracuse fell to 5-7 with one game remaining making it mathematically impossible for them to finish above .500 — a prerequisite for the NCAA Tournament at-large selection. The loss also ends Syracuse’s run of 31 consecutive year of finishing without a losing record. The Minutemen would not be denied on Saturday’s Senior Day in front of a crowd of 4,438 and a national-television audience on ESPNU. After Syracuse scored the game’s first goal just 25 second into the action, UMass controlled the game for much of the afternoon. • 2006: After jumping out to a 4-2 lead at the end of the first quarter, No. 9 Syracuse outscored No. 11 UMass, 10-3 for the remainder of the game to come up with the 12-7 victory at the Carrier Dome on April 29, 2006. All-American Sean Morris scored twice as did Brett Garber. Brian Jacovina had a career-high four assists in the loss. Syracuse’s offense was on display for much of the day as senior Brett Bucktooth scored three goals while Patrick Perritt and Brian Crockett each added two goals.

• 2005 NCAA First Round: UMass ended one of the greatest streaks in all of college sports with their dramatic 16-15 win over Syracuse in the NCAA First Round on May 15, 2005 at Garber Field. The Orange had been to 22 consecutive NCAA semifinals, dating to 1982 before falling in the first round this year. Tewaraaton Award Finalist Sean Morris scored the game-winning goal with 1:12 left in regulation to lift the Minutemen to the win. Morris finished with three goals and three assists while fellow attacker Jeff Zywicki scored a season-high six goals and added an assist for seven points.

• 2005 Regular-Season: As the rain pelted Garber Field on April 30, Jeff Zywicki tallied an overtime game-winner to defeat Syracuse, 14-13, 50 seconds into overtime. It was the second time in a row that when the two teams met on Garber Field, that UMass was victorious. Zywicki tallied three goals on the afternoon, while Sean Morris dished out three assists and found the back of the cage twice.  Chris Doyle, Pat Larmon, Gene Tundo, and Brett Garber also all hit the rain-soaked twine twice.

• 2004: UMass lost the matchup, 17-10, in the Carrier Dome.  Brett Garber tallied his first career hat trick and added an assist, and Chris Doyle found the back of the cage twice for the Minutemen, while Sean Morris dished out two assists.

• 2003: The No. 4 Minutemen defeated the Orange for just the fifth time ever, in a 14-13 overtime win. It marked the first time in 20 years UMass had beaten the Orange and signified the first time UMass defeated a defending national champion. Chris Doyle buried a hat trick, Gene Tundo scored twice and dished out an assist and Jeff Zywicki scored with 1:10 mark in overtime to claim the win.

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. 2 spot in the NCAA in save percentage with a 66.1 mark. He is also fifth in goals against average at 6.86. He leads the ECAC in goals against average and save percentage. Schneider has been sensational in ECAC play with a 72.4 save percentage mark and a 6.23 goals against average as UMass is 5-1.

• 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.

• Schneider has at least 15 saves in seven games this season and ranks second in the ECAC in saves per game with 13.0 per game. He has allowed six or fewer goals in seven of 12 games.

• He currently stands in second on the UMass all-time saves list with 704 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.

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 30 goals, 2.5 per game, which leads the ECAC and is 10th in the NCAA. Connolly has scored goals in every game this season. He leads UMass with 35 points, which is 2.92 points per game, third in the ECAC and 45th in the NCAA. Connolly has points in 20 games in a row which he has played.

• With hat tricks in three of the last five games and goals in each of the last 10 games, Tim Balise extended his point-scoring streak to 19 games with two tallies vs. Georgetown (4/18) and at Fairfield (4/21). That dates to the last seven games of last season and the first 12 this year. He is second on the team with 25 goals and 30 points. Balise is 29th in goals per game (2.09). Balise has 14 goals in the last five 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 55 of the Minutemen’s 122 goals (45 percent).

• Balise is also second in the ECAC with a team-best seven man-up goals.

• 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 has goals in nine of the last 10 games. He scored at Fairfield (4/21) after he scored for the eighth consecutive game against Hobart (4/11) after picking up his first multi-goal game vs. St. John’s (4/4). 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 13 points on 10 goals and three assists.

• Junior Bobby Hayes has points in 10 of 12 games this season after a career-high tying four-point game at Fairfield (4/21) with two goals and two assists. Hayes has eight multi-point games this season. He stands sixth in the ECAC with a team-best 13 assists (1.1 per game). He is third on the team with 23 points on eight goals and a team-high 13 assists.

• Senior Evan Blum is up to fourth on the team with 19 points on 13 goals, third on team, and six assists. He comes off his first-career hat trick at Fairfield (4/21). Blum has six multi-point games this season and four multi-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 two goals at Fairfield (4/21) and has points in nine of the 11 games he has played this season. Overall, he has 16 points on 11 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).

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 Greg Anderson on the backline.

• UMass is eighth in the NCAA in fewest goals allowed, giving up just 7.41 per game. The Minutemen have allowed less than 10 goals in eight games and less than seven in seven games.

• UMass also has seven stretches of holding opponents scoreless for more than 20 minutes with a season-long 29:01 at Loyola (3/21). They did it twice at Harvard (3/7) with marks of 22:15 and 21:54.

• 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 fifth in the NCAA in man-down defense, allowing just nine goals on 45 chances for its opponents (80.0). UMass did not give up a man-up goal in five chances at Fairfield (4/21). In six games this season, UMass has not allowed a man-down goal.

• Last year, UMass’ man down defense was also fifth in the country (.806).

Big Winners Over Last 8 Years
• UMass has established itself as one of the top programs in the nation. Since 2001, UMass has the seventh-most wins of any program in college lacrosse with 90 victories.

• The Minutemen have the ninth-best mark among all teams in the NCAA since 2001 with an 90-44 record for a 67.2 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 43 games in a row when scoring 11 or more goals after its 12-6 wins over Fairfield (4/21) and St. John’s (4/4) along with 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 is 32-1 in its last 33 games when scoring double-figures with a 4-1 mark this year. 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.
–

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#15/12 UMass Lacrosse Hosts Georgetown On 2009 Senior Day, Saturday At Noon

Minutemen and Hoyas have won or shared eight of nine ECAC titles.

April 14, 2009

#15/12 UMASS (7-3, 4-0) vs. GEORGETOWN (5-6, 1-3)
Saturday, April 18, 2009 • 12 Noon
Garber Field (5,000) • Amherst, Mass.
Radio: WMUA 91.1 FM (Mike Walsh & Norm Smith)
Live Video, Audio & Gametracker: UMassAthletics.com

#15/12 UMass Hosts G’town On Senior Day
• Undefeated in conference play, the No. 15/12 UMass lacrosse team hosts ECAC arch rival Georgetown on Saturday at 12 Noon. The Minutemen stand 7-3 overall with a 4-0 mark in conference while the Hoyas are having their toughest since 1989 with a 5-6 record, 1-3 in the league. Saturday will be Senior Day at Garber Field, as UMass’ class of nine will play their final regular-season game at Garber. The final regular-season home game against defending NCAA Champion Syracuse will be played at McGuirk Stadium on April 25 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.

• On Saturday’s Senior Day, UMass will honor a group that includes many players who helped UMass to the 2006 NCAA title game. Over the last four years, UMass has a 32-24 record. The Minutemen will recognize attacker Tim Balise, midfielder Evan Blum, attacker Jim Connolly, grad student attacker P.J. Hendrick, midfielder Dennis Lynch, defenseman Brennan Mack, midfielder Rory Pedrick, midfielder Joe Reale and goalie Doc Schneider.

• UMass comes off a thrilling 7-6 overtime win at Hobart, which was named the Inside Lacrosse Game of the Weekend. Jim Connolly scored the game-winner 23 second into overtime after Tim Balise tied the game with a tally as time expired in the fourth quarter. Doc Schneider made a career-high 21 saves to anchor the UMass stellar defense.

• The Minutemen have 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 Hobart thriller.

• Saturday’s game will be broadcast on WMUA (91.1 FM) with Mike Walsh and UMass All-American Norm Smith calling the action. Live streaming video, audio and GameTracker will also be available on UMassAthletics.com.

NCAA Save Pct. Leader, Doc Claims 5th ECAC Honor
• Tewaaraton Trophy Candidate Doc Schneider earned his fifth ECAC Defensive Player of the Week honor on Monday 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. 1 spot in the NCAA in save percentage with a 65.3 mark. He is also third in goals against average at 6.89. Both marks lead the ECAC. Schneider has been sensational in ECAC play with a 73.8 save percentage mark and a 5.23 goals against average as UMass has started 4-0.

• 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.

The ECAC’s Best
• UMass and Georgetown won or had a share of the ECAC title for the first eight seasons of the league since the league was formed in 2000 through 2007. Loyola broke through and won the league last season, the first time neither Georgetown or UMass did not take the crown. The Minutemen have claimed the crown in 2001, 2002 and 2005. Georgetown won the league in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007.

• The winner of the UMass-Georgetown game has won or shared the ECAC league title in seven of the nine years the league has existed including four of the last five years. Georgetown holds a 6-3 lead in the all-time series with UMass winning in 2002 (16-13), 2003 (11-8) and 2005 (13-12). The Hoyas captured the games in 2000 (19-18), 2001 (13-12), 2004 (12-10), 2006 (8-6) and 2007 (8-7). Only in 2003, did the winner not win the ECAC title.

The Series With Georgetown
• UMass and Georgetown have met each of the last nine years as members of the ECAC Lacrosse League. The Hoyas hold a 6-3 overall edge in the series. The teams have split four games in Amherst, in odd years. The Hoyas are 4-1 in games played in D.C., coming in each of the even numbered years.

• The nine games have been decided by a total of 18 goals, 2.0 per game. That includes four one-goal affairs.

• The series has been close, as three of the last four games were decided by one or two goals, including one-goal affairs in 2005 and 2007. The last four games have been decided by two goals or less and a total of four goals.

• In the nine all-time meetings, no team has won by more than four goals – last season.

• This will be the first meeting since 2001 that UMass has a higher ranking than the Hoyas, who are the first among teams “others receiving votes” this week.

• Last season, UMass goalie Doc Schneider made a then-career high 20 saves (passed last weekend at Hobart with 21) to keep the undermanned Minutemen in the game in a 12-8 loss in Washington, D.C. The Hoyas outshot UMass 61-28.

• In the last game in Amherst, No. 6 Georgetown held off a rally by UMass to win, 8-6 on April 21, 2007. No. 7 Georgetown beat No. 8 UMass, 8-6 in Washington on April 22, 2006. UMass downed Georgetown, 13-12 on April 23, 2005. The first meeting was a 19-18 thriller won by the Hoyas on April 22, 2000.

Recent Games With Georgetown
• LAST YEAR’S GAME (April 19, 2008): No. 5 Georgetown shot early and often but, UMass’ Doc Schneider was sensational all afternoon, as the Minutemen lost to the Hoyas, 12-8 on a sunny day in our nation’s capital. UMass’ junior goalie made a career-high 20 saves as the Hoyas mounted a 61-28 shots advantage. The Minutemen saw their three-game winning streak come to an end. UMass freshman Zach Rodgers had two goals and two assists and junior Tim Balise had two goals. The Minutemen’s other goals came from Ryan Bagnasco, Fred Federico, Christian Hain and Paul Manesis. Georgetown was led by All-American Brendan Cannon, who had four goals and Andrew Baird, who tallied three goals.

• LAST GAME AT GARBER (April 21, 2007): The UMass men’s lacrosse team rallied from a four-goal deficit in the third quarter to tie the game at 6-6, but were done in by a pair of Craig Dowd extra-man goals late, in an 8-7 loss to No. 6 Georgetown. With the win, the Hoyas (9-2, 5-0 ECAC) clinched at least a share of the ECAC title. After Georgetown had built a 6-2 lead just 44 seconds into the second half, UMass went on a tear to tie the game and excite the Garber Field faithful. Brett Garber tallied twice in the run including the goal to make it 6-6 with 7:33 left in regulation. He fired home a feed from fellow Brian Jacovina, who set up the final three goals in the run. Jacovina previously connected with Andrew Recchione to make it 6-5 with 12:43 left regulation. Prior to that Garber scored his first of the game with 12:12 left in the third as the Hoyas still led 6-4. Evan Blum started the run with a goal 1:58 into the second half.

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 26 goals, 2.6 per game, which leads the ECAC and is 10th in the NCAA. Connolly has scored goals in every game this season. He leads UMass with 30 points, which is 3.0 points per game, third in the ECAC and 38th in the NCAA. Connolly has points in 18 games in a row which he has played.

• With hat tricks in each of the last three games and goals in each of the last eight games, Tim Balise extended his point-scoring streak to 17 games. That dates to the last seven games of last season and the first 10 this year. He is second on the team with 21 goals and 26 points. Balise has 10 goals in the last three 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 47 of the Minutemen’s 103 goals on the year (46 percent).

• Balise has three hat tricks in a row while Connolly has hat tricks in two of the last three 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). 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 had points in the first eight games before being held pointless in the last two games. Hayes is third on the team with 17 points on seven goals and a team-high 10 assists.

•  Rory Pedrick scored his most recent goal against St. John’s (4/4) and has points in eight of the nine 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 FIRST in save percentage (65.3) and fourth in the nation in GAA (6.89).

• Schneider has at least 15 saves in six games this season and ranks second in the ECAC in saves per game with 11.22 per game.

• He currently stands in second on the UMass all-time saves list with 674 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 freshman starter Travis Tripucka and freshman Greg Anderson on the backline.

• Against three of the nation’s top 25 point scorers #5 Corey Small of Albany (4.0 PPG), #6 Andrew Feinberg of Brown (3.9 PPG), and #25 Shane Koppens of Loyola (3.2 PPG), UMass has allowed just one goal — by Small — for a group that scores 10-plus goals on average.

• 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.

• Also notable, Mack, kept Brown’s Andrew Feinberg, their top scorer, without a goal in the UMass win on March 14. Feinberg is currently sixth in the NCAA in points per game (3.9) including just a single assist against 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 2.8 points per game.

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 29 of the last 38 games spanning five years, dating back to 2004. UMass finished 3-4 in 2008 after going 4-3 in 2007 and 7-1 in 2006. It 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 54-14 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 seventh-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 89-43 record for a 67.4 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.

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#14 UMass Heads To Hobart For ECAC Battle

Two of the nation’s top goalies set to meet.

#14 UMASS (6-3, 3-0) at HOBART (5-4, 1-3)
Saturday, April 11, 2009 • 1 p.m.
McCooey Field (1.500) • Geneva, N.Y.
Radio: WMUA 91.1 FM (Sam Bingham & Norm Smith)
Live Video, Audio & Gametracker: UMassAthletics.com

#14 UMass Heads To Hobart For ECAC Battle
• The ECAC’s first-place team and highest-ranked squad #14 UMass heads to Hobart for a pivotal battle in the league on Saturday at McCooey Field. The Minutemen (6-3, 3-0 ECAC) and Statesmen (5-4, 1-3) will face-off at 1 p.m. in Geneva, N.Y., with a lot on the line. UMass has won three games in a row, all conference games with wins over Loyola (8-6), Penn State (9-8) and St. John’s (12-6). Hobart started the year 5-0 and was ranked in the top 15 in the polls, but has lost four games in a row.

• Saturday’s game pits two of the top goalies in the nation in UMass’ Doc Schneider and Hobart’s Max Silberlicht. Schneider is fifth in the NCAA in goals against average (6.99) and fourth in save percentage (63.3). The Statesman goalie stands sixth in GAA (7.11) and fifth in save pct. (62.4).

• UMass comes off a dominating performance in the win over St. John’s last Saturday Garber Field. A first-half scoring outburst coupled with a stifling defensive effort was all that the team would need as it downed the Red Storm. One season after netting six goals against the Red Storm, Tim Balise led the UMass offense once again, this time finishing with five points on four goals and an assist. Fellow senior Jim Connolly chipped in with his 11th career hat trick while Doc Schneider made nine saves on 11 shots faced for a career-low in goals allowed (2).

• Balise was named the ECAC Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after his performance, the fourth time in his career he earned the honor.

• Saturday’s game will be broadcast on WMUA (91.1 FM) with Sam Bingham and UMass All-American Norm Smith calling the action. Live streaming video, audio and GameTracker will also be available on UMassAthletics.com.

The Series With Hobart
• Saturday’s game marks the tenth all-time meeting between UMass and Hobart with the Minutemen holding a 7-2 edge. Since the Statesmen joined the ECAC in 2005, the Minutemen have won all four games, including two high-scoring affairs in Genvea in 2005 (14-12) and 2007 (17-12). This looks to be last meeting between the teams for a while as UMass is leaving the ECAC to play in the CAA.

• The rivalry between UMass and Hobart was restarted five years ago when the Statesmen joined the ECAC in 2005. That 2005 game marked the first time in 20 years UMass and Hobart matched up.

• The last time UMass lost to Hobart was on May 4, 1985 in Geneva, N.Y.

• Hobart won the first meeting, 13-2 in 1972 in the USILA Semifinals.

Recent Games With Hobart
• LAST YEAR’S GAME (April 12, 2008): Freshman Peter McNichols scored the game-winning goal 1:19 into overtime to cap a huge comeback by the UMass lacrosse team and giving the Minutemen an 8-7 victory over Hobart. UMass scored two goals in the final 1:19 of regulation including Tim Balise’s game-tying goal with 7.3 seconds left to send the game to overtime. UMass has won three games in a row to even its record at 5-5 and is 3-1 in the ECAC. Hobart saw its two-game winning streak end as the Statesmen are also 5-5 and 2-3 in the ECAC. McNichols tallied a hat trick. Balise scored two to give him 23 this season. Bobby Hayes had four points on a goal and three assists.

• UMass’ defense was stellar all afternoon as the Minutemen held Hobart’s top three scorers without a point. Goalie Doc Schneider made 10 saves as he backstopped a defense keyed by seniors Brian Danvers, Sean Krygier and David Von Voigt along with junior Brennan Mack and sophomore Diogo Godoi. Hobart’s attack was scoreless as Daryl Veltman saw his consecutive point-scoring streak end at 25 games and Jamie Kirk lost his 24-game scoring streak.

• LAST GAME AT HOBART (April 14, 2007):Eleven different Minutemen scored as UMass busted out for its biggest offensive output of the season with a 17-12 win at Hobart’s McCooey Field. Jim Connolly tied his career high with five goals including an amazing over-the-head goal in the second quarter while sitting on the ground. Tim Balise added two goals and Brett Garber tallied a pair as well. Brian Jacovina and Rory Pedrick each handed out three assists and scored once for four points, apiece.

• Despite allowing a season-high 12 goals, UMass’ defense was solid in holding two of nation’s leading scorers at bay most of the afternoon. Daryl Veltman, who came into the game fourth in the nation in goals per game, didn’t score until the fourth quarter. Jamie Kirk, who was sixth in the nation in points coming into the game, had two goals and two assists.

Playing The Best In The Nation
• UMass is playing seven teams in this week’s USILA Coaches Poll with wins over two of them: No. 15T Harvard and No. 15T Loyola. Only six schools in the nation play more ranked teams than UMass: No. 9 Johns Hopkins (10), No. 6 Syracuse (9), No. 8 Duke (9) No. 2 Princeton (8), No. 10 North Carolina (8), and Georgetown (8). Seven of UMass’ 14 opponents are ranked: No. 5 Hofstra, No. 6 Syracuse, No. 11 Brown, No. 15T Harvard, No. 15T Loyola, No. 18 Albany and No. 19 Georgetown.

• According to LaxPower.com, UMass is playing the eighth-toughest schedule in the nation with the seven games against ranked foes.

• UMass is 2-3 against the teams in this week’s poll, beating current No. 15T Harvard, which was No 11 when the Minutemen beat them 7-3 on March 7 and No. 15T Loyola, who was No. 12 when they fell to UMass. The Minutemen have lost to No. 5 Hofstra and No. 11 Brown by a goal apiece and a 12-9 defeat at No. 18 Albany.

Doc Claims 4th ECAC Honor
• Tewaaraton Trophy Candidate Doc Schneider 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. He has been named the ECAC Defensive Player of the Week on March 2, 9 and 23.

• After his huge game at Loyola on March 21, UMass senior goalie Doc 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 14 different players have scored goals. In all 14 games last season, UMass had 13 goal scorers.

• Senior Jim Connolly leads the charge with 25 goals, 2.78 per game, which leads the ECAC and is ninth in the NCAA. Connolly has scored in every game this season. He leads UMass with 28 points, which is 3.22 points per game, second in the ECAC and 28th in the NCAA.

• With goals in each of the last seven games, Tim Balise extended his point-scoring streak to 16 games, dating the last seven games of last season and the first nine of this year. He is second on the team with 18 goals and 23 points. Balise piled up five points on four goals and an assist against St. John’s (4/4).

• Seniors Balise and Connolly are forming an impressive duo at attack. They have combined for 43 of the Minutemen’s 96 goals on the year (45 percent). • In each of the last two games, both Balise and Connolly tallied hat tricks in the wins over Penn State (3/28) and St. John’s (4/4). Balise has three hat tricks this season and nine in his career while Connolly now has 11 hat tricks overall, four in 2009.

• Freshman Art Kell scored for the seventh consecutive game against St. John’s (4/4), when he had his first-career multi-goal game. Kell scored single goals in six games in a row after being held scoreless in his first two collegiate contests.

• Connolly’s hat trick at Albany (3/10), was his second of this season and ninth of his career. Connolly and Balise have UMass’ only three hat tricks this season. Balise had four goals vs. Yale (2/28).

• Six different players, including Zach Rodgers who scored his first of the season, scored at Albany (3/10).

• At Harvard (3/7), the first five goals were scored by five different players – Bobby Hayes, Jim Connolly, Tim Balise, Rory Pedrick and Art Kell.

• In the 18-6 win over Yale (2/28), Ryan Bagnasco and Kell netted their first goals of the season (and the first of Kell’s career). The 18 goals were the most scored by the Minutemen since scoring 18 vs. Penn State on Apr. 2, 2005.

• In the 11-10 loss to Hofstra (2/21), the seven first-half goals were scored by seven different players. In the second half, Evan Blum, Rory Pedrick and Joe Reale added their second goals of the game.

• In the opening win over Sacred Heart (2/14), six players scored two goals in the win as Balise also added two assists for four points. Blum, Connolly and Pedrick each added an assist for three-point games. Hayes and Ryan Marcus also scored twice. It was the first time since April 30, 2005 that UMass had six multi-goal scorers in a game when the Minutemen accomplished the feat in a 14-13 overtime win over Syracuse.

•  Rory Pedrick had a goal vs. Brown and picked up another multi-point game with a goal and assist against Albany. He has points in all seven games he’s played this year.

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 four times on March 2, 9, 23 and 30. He also was named the LaxNews College Beat Player of the Week on March 22.

• Schneider stands fifth in the nation in GAA (6.99) and also fourth in save percentage (63.3).

• Schneider has at least 14 saves in five games this season and ranks second in the ECAC in saves per game with 11.22 per game.

• He currently stands in second on the UMass all-time saves list with 653 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 freshman starter Travis Tripucka and freshman Greg Anderson on the backline.

• Against three of the nation’s top 10 point scorers #4 Andrew Feinberg of Brown (4.0 PPG), #8 Corey Small of Albany (4.0 PPG) and #10 Shane Koppens of Loyola (3.63 PPG), UMass has allowed just one goal — by Small — for a group that scores 10-plus goals on average.

• 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.

• Also notable, Mack, kept Brown’s Andrew Feinberg, their top scorer, without a goal in the UMass win on March 14. Feinberg is currently fifth in the NCAA in points per game (4.0) including just a single assist against 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 4.00 points per game. • The Minutemen also kept Harvard’s Greg Cohen without a goal in the win on March 7. Cohen averages 3.0 points per game.

Man Down Defense Dominant
• The Minutemen are ranked eighth in the NCAA in man-down defense, allowing just seven goals on 34 chances for its opponents (79.4). 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 29 of the last 38 games spanning five years, dating back to 2004. UMass finished 3-4 in 2008 after going 4-3 in 2007 and 7-1 in 2006. It 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 54-14 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. The Minutemen have the ninth-best mark among all teams in the NCAA since 2001 with an 88-43 record for a 67.2 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.

Connolly’s Last-Minute Goal Give No. 14 UMass 9-8 Win Over Penn State

Minutemen senior attackers Connolly and Balise each tally hat tricks in win.

March 28, 2009

Box Score

AMHERST, Mass. – Jim Connolly’s wraparound goal with 55.2 seconds remaining in regulation gave the UMass men’s lacrosse team a thrilling 9-8 win over Penn State in an ECAC classic on Saturday afternoon at Garber Field. Connolly and fellow senior Tim Balise each netted hat tricks while Doc Schneider stood tall with 12 of his 15 saves coming in the second half, stopping a Nittany Lion onslaught dead in its tracks. The Minutemen improve their record to 5-3, 3-0 in conference play while Penn State is 3-5, 0-3 in the ECAC.

The Nittany Lions battled back from a 6-4 halftime deficit to tie the score at six, seven, and eight, but were never able to take the lead. Freshman Art Kell broke a 7-7 deadlock with a wraparound on the left side to beat Penn State goalie Drew Adams, who finished the afternoon with 13 saves. Matthew Mackrides scored only 13 seconds later to tie the score once again, 8-8.

Connolly’s sensational individual effort on the right side stood as the difference and Schneider stopped one last desperation shot from Chris Hogan with 30 seconds remaining to preserve the victory.

The Minutemen took a 1-0 lead barely over a minute into the game as Mike Fetterly netted his first-career goal, a man-up tally at 13:48. Balise scored his first of the day at 8:43, taking a Bobby Hayes pass before dodging a defender and releasing a bullet.

Penn State answered with three straight goals bridging the first and second quarters, but Connolly answered on an unsettled situation to make it 3-3. The Nittany Lions took a 4-3 lead at 9:41 off Jack Forster’s second of the game, but the Minutemen scored three consecutive spanning the final 7:49 of the first half for a 6-4 halftime advantage.

The Nittany Lions dominated the early stages of the third quarter, but were never able to take a lead. Balise scored UMass’ first goal of the quarter coming with only 19 seconds remaining to give the Minutemen a 7-7 advantage, setting up the thrilling fourth quarter finish.

The UMass defense was stout once again, as Diogo Godoi (career-high 5 GB) and Brennan Mack (4 GB) headed up a defense that held its opponent in single digits for the sixth time this season.

Final shots were 48-39 in favor of Penn State while the Nittany Lions won the faceoff battle, 11-10. Penn State was 2-for-2 on the extra man and UMass was 1-for-5. UMass was 21-for-24 on clears while Penn State was 21-for-28.

The Minutemen return to action in one week as they host former assistant coach Jason Miller and his St. John’s Red Storm at 1 p.m. on Garber Field. Follow all the action on UMassAthletics.com live streaming video and WMUA 91.1 FM Radio.

Minutemen face Penn State, Saturday at 12 Noon. 

March 23, 2009

After the big 8-6 win at then-No. 12 Loyola, the UMass men’s lacrosse team has risen to No. 14 in the USILA Coaches Poll. The Minutemen are also No. 14 in the Inside Lacrosse Media Poll. Catch the Minutemen this Saturday at 12 Noon as UMass hosts Penn State in an ECAC clash.

The Minutemen have been ranked for five of the last six weeks. No. 14 is the second-highest of the season, as UMass was No. 13 the week of March 9.

The Minutemen continue take on one of the toughest schedules in the nation as seven opponents are ranked in this week’s USILA Poll: No. 2 Syracuse, No. 6 Hofstra, No. 11 Harvard, No. 13 Brown, No. 15 Loyola, No. 17 Hobart and No. 20 Albany. Also St. John’s, Georgetown and Fairfield are listed in “Others Receiving Votes.”

From the Inside Lacrosse Poll, the same seven opponents are ranked: No. 2 Syracuse, No. 8 Hofstra, No. 11 Brown, No. 13 Harvard, No. 15 Loyola, No. 18 Albany and No. 19 Hobart. Similarly Georgetown, St. John’s and Fairfield are in “Others Receiving Votes.”