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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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