CARLISLE, Pa. - Coming off of back-to-back Centennial Conference Championships the Dickinson men's lacrosse team readies for battle this weekend in the NCAA Tournament as they take on the John Carroll University Blue Streaks on Saturday at high noon in the second round. The other contest in Carlisle will start around 3 p.m. featuring the Ducks of Stevens Institute of Technology against the Kenyon College Owls.
Game Information
Opponent - John Carroll University Blue Streaks
Date - Saturday, May 13th
Time - 12:00 p.m.
Location - Carlisle, Pa. (Biddle Field)
Media Links (All Games) - Live Stats | Live Video | Digital Program
Tickets
Tickets will have to be purchased at the gate on the day of the game. Sales will be cash only and are $5 for adults, $3 for students and children (3 & older), and free for kids (2 & under). Dickinson College students are free of charge by presenting their STUDENT ID at the gate!
Weather Advisory!
Saturday looks to be a wet and rainy affair so be prepared with your rain gear as we want RED DEVIL NATION to be out in full support and voice as they were last weekend! Umbrellas will be permitted inside the stadium, but must not be infringing upon another spectator's view of the action.
Inside the Devils Den (15-3, 7-1 Centennial)
Repeat Champs
The Red and White became the first team to repeat as Centennial Conference champion since Gettysburg College was able to accomplish that feat from 2015-2016. The last time Dickinson claimed back-to-back league titles was when they "three-peated" between 2011-2013.
All-Conference Honors
For the second season the Red and White secured the Defender of the Year as senior goalie Chris Brandau received the honor. Four other Devils joined Brandau on the First Team as classmate Will Farrell joined juniors James Isaacson, Seamus McCloskey and John McKee. Sophomore Capp Reynolds and senior Skyler Schluter racked up Second Team selections, while Owen Porter and Ben Tomick garnered Honorable Mention.
Brutal Schedule
The Red and White will come into the tournament certainly feeling that they are battle-tested having squared off against five nationally-ranked teams (at the time of playing them): #13 Cabrini (W, 16-11), #3 Christopher Newport (L, 12-13), #16 Swarthmore (W, 17-4), #6 Gettysburg (W, 12-7) and #14 Swarthmore (W, 13-7). They have also faced-off with six other teams that were receiving votes: Stevens Institute of Technology (W, 13-6), Roanoke (W, 14-13), Stevenson (L, 14-15 OT), Muhlenberg (L, 10-11), Franklin & Marshall (W, 14-8), and Ursinus (W, 15-10).
50-Point Club
The duo of Isaacson and Schluter have combined for 114 points with Schluter posting 60 and Isaacson having 54. Isaacson leads the team in goals with 38 and has chipped in 16 assists, while Schluter has 22 markers with a team-high 38 helpers.
The Rest of the Attack
Dickinson has eight other players that have notched ten or more goals on the season led by Porter with 33 followed, Farrell (26), Sam Campbell (20), Lee Dunn (19), Ethan Gess (18), Matt Thurston (17), Sascha Gannon (14) and Griffin Moore (13).
Sharing the Rock
Three players have double-digit assists on the season paced by Schluter with his 38, while Isaacson and Gess have added 16 and 14 respectively. Farrell has also added nine, while Dunn, Gannon and Moore all have seven.
Strong Defensive Backbone
The Red Devils defense has been extremely solid as six players have forced ten or more turnovers on the campaign. Evan Karetsos leads the Red and White with 36, while Cole Schwartz 27 and Reynolds is third on the team with his 22. The trio of Xander Usich, McCloskey, and Tomick have combined to cause 51 opponent miscues.
Strong at the Dot
McKee is the top faceoff man in the Centennial for the season as he has gone 245-397 for a 61.7% win percentage, which ranks 44th in the nation. Ben Trucksess has also aided at the X posting a .540 win percentage thanks to his 47 wins.
The Keepers of the Cage
Brandau has continued to be solid between the pipes in his second and final season with the Red and White posting a .541 save percentage to go along with a 9.15 goals-against average and an outstanding 15-3 record. Dickinson also has a very capable backup in Patrick Scarborough who holds .733 save percentage and an 6.50 GAA in just under 37-minutes played.
Gone Blue Streakin' (15-2, 8-1 Ohio Athletic Conference)
John Carroll arrives in Carlisle as the seven-time defending Ohio Athletic Conference champion after claiming a slim 6-5 win over Baldwin Wallace University in the tournament title game. The Blue Streaks enter Saturday's contest with one NCAA Tournament game under their belt after picking up a dominating 23-2 win at home over Lake Forest College on Wednesday afternoon. They currently ranked inside the Top-10 nationally in scoring defense (2nd - 6.24), scoring margin (3rd - 10.00), and man-down defense (7th - .816). JCU bring a strong offensive attack into the game with four 20-plus goal scorers and nine double-digit scorers. Morgan Morrell paces the group with 61 goals, followed by Matt Berdysiak (46), Colin Morrissey (39), Tanner Gill-Snow (22), Josh Lombardo (18), Vinny Fiorella (16), Ian Venard (12), Max Cook (11) and Aidan Dugan (11). Nicholas Yemma is their best faceoff man going 234-367 for a .638 win percentage, in addition to being the top groundball man at 91. Eleven players have racked up 20 or more loose balls, with Bendan Hein (60), Jon Gaglio (52) and Camden Uchic (43) leading that group. Gaglio has gone 15-2 between the pipes for the Blue Streaks with a .625 save percentage allowing just 6.51 goals per game. John Carroll is coached by John Rautenstrauch in his seventh season.
In the Owls Nest (15-2, 7-1 North Coast Athletic Conference)
Kenyon comes into the second round of the tournament after earning an at-large bid. The Owls fell just short of capturing the conference title by falling 14-13 to Denison University in the conference final. They currently ranked inside the Top-10 nationally in scoring defense (T-9 -7.88) and faceoff win percentage (3rd - .688). Kenyon will rely mainly on their defense to get the job done, but does have a solid offense as well with four 20-plus goal scorers and nine with double-digits. David Chintala is the top goal-getter with 52, followed by Jack Giuffre (34), Rollins Heath (21), Colin McCarthy (21), Gavin Gumucio (18), Chase MacCartee (18), Joe Boesel (16), Evan Bongers (15) and Rowan Goldin (15). Teams this weekend will be tasked with slowing down Thomas Nelson at the "X" as he is 238-328 on the season posting an outstanding .726 win percentage. Not surprisingly Nelson leads the Owls in grounballs with 166, while his next closest chasers are Finn Murray (54), Will Jordan (36), and Heath (33). Adam Hall has started all 17 games in the crease for Kenyon finishing with a 15-2 record on an 8.40 goals-against average to go along with a .577 save percentage. Kenyon is led by Doug Misarti in his 16th season.
The Duck Pond (17-2, 8-0 MAC Freedom Conference)
Stevens is the only familiar face for the Red Devils this weekend as the Ducks make their second trip to Carlisle for the NCAA Tournament is the last two years after going down to the Red and White 20-6 in the Second Round at Biddle in 2022. Stevens earned their spot by securing the MAC Freedom title with a 26-15 win over DeSales University in the championship game. They currently ranked inside the Top-10 nationally in scoring margin (1st - 11.26), points per game (3rd - 31.68), and assists per game (5th - 11.95). Stevens has a dominant offensive trio that will need to be contained for two days as Matthew Pergola has 64 goals on the season, while Kevin Crowley and Jack Savarese have notched 54 and 53 respectively. Five other Ducks have double-digit goals: Keegan Hughes (42), Jake Wright (21), Shea Grant (16), Joseph Grippo (14) and Blake Creamer (13). The Ducks have relied on a tandem at the "X" with Andrew Muller going 139-241 (.577), while Conner Park has posted a .602 percentage thanks to winning 106 of 176 draws taken. Bryan Creamer has led a group of six Stevens players to 50 or more groundballs with 86, followed by Joseph Cawley (71), Nicolas Accardo (58), Luke Lesizza (53), Ryan Leahy (52) and Park (50). Leahy has started all 19 games in net for the Ducks going 17-2 with a.602 save percentage and allowing 8.40 goals per game. Stevens is coached by Gene Peluso in his 14th season.
Rest of the Weekend
The winners of the two games will square off back at Biddle Field on Sunday afternoon at 3pm with a spot in the quarterfinals on the line.
