| Date |
Saturday, March 3, 2018 (1 p.m.) |
| Matchup |
#1 Merrimack (1-0, 0-0 NE10)
#RV Lake Erie (7-8, 5-1 GMAC) |
| Location |
Merrimack Stadium
North Andover, Mass. |
| Multimedia |
Home: Live Stats // Video |
| Social |
@MerrimackMLAX // Instagram |
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – After starting the season with an impressive road win at eighth-ranked NYIT, the top-ranked Merrimack College men's lacrosse team will play not only its first home game of the season, but the program's first-ever contest within the friendly confines of brand-new Merrimack Stadium, as the Warriors welcome regional foe Lake Erie to town for a Saturday afternoon matchup. Game time is set for 1 p.m.
BEER GARDEN AVAILABLE FOR HOME GAMES
Merrimack is pleased to offer a Beer Garden
(must be 21 years or older) on the stadium patio for all home men's lacrosse games (opposite the press box side, closest to the Merrimack Athletics Complex). The patio opens one hour before faceoff and closes at the end of the third quarter. Light snacks are also available for purchase.
Inside the Series:
- Merrimack and Lake Erie are meeting for only the second time this weekend.
- The only prior meeting was early in the 2013 season, when the Warriors made the trek out to Lake Erie and came away with an 11-10 victory.
Last Time Out:
- Merrimack survived an early road test against eighth-ranked NYIT in its season opener, topping the Bears by a 16-14 score on Feb. 18 on Long Island.
- Merrimack roared out of the gate, scoring just 14 seconds into the contest on the way to building a 4-0 lead just past the 10-minute mark of regulation. But NYIT netted the last two tallies of the opening quarter to make it a two-goal game at the break.
- An early strike by the Warriors restored their three-goal lead, but the hosts would net the next three to tie the game. Merrimack temporarily went ahead before back-to-back strikes by the Bears gave NYIT its first lead of the afternoon. They had an opportunity to do even more damage after winning the ensuing faceoff, but a turnover led directly to a Merrimack goal with five seconds on the clock, sending the game into the half tied at 7-7.
- The third period was a seesaw of a battle that featured three lead changes, while the defining stretch not only in the quarter, but arguably the entire game, came in the final four minutes. Trailing by a goal, Merrimack stormed back with three uninterrupted markers – with the last one coming with only 13 seconds left – to send the Warriors into the final break ahead by two (13-11).
- NYIT got within one 3:30 into the final stanza, but the Warriors promptly capitalized on a man-up chance and then went ahead by three with 7:30 remaining. The two sides would trade goals from there on out, as Merrimack would hold on for an important regional victory to start the year.
Poll Watch:
- Merrimack, which earned its first-ever No. 1 national ranking in the USILA/Nike 2017 Division II Coaches' Poll last April, started the 2018 season in the No. 2 spot before rising to No. 1 in the first weekly poll of the nation's top-20 programs, and the Warriors have stayed there since.
- As is usually the case, the Warriors will face plenty of the nation's top programs this year, as seven other schools that are on Merrimack's schedule are also ranked in this week's poll.
- The Warriors have dispatched eighth-ranked NYIT, and are yet to face Le Moyne (2), Pace (4), LIU Post (10), Adelphi (12), Saint Anselm (18) and Southern New Hampshire (20).
'Mack Facts:
- Nine different players recorded at least a point for Merrimack in its season opener, led by rookie Sean Black, who went off for a game-high four goals and three assists.
- Black owns the team lead in scoring after one game with seven points (4g, 3a), while last year's lead scorer – sophomore Charlie Bertrand – also had four goals in that game and added two helpers.
- Senior Jack Trask also had a hat trick in that game, while rookie Christian Thomas enjoyed a strong debut with two goals and a helper.
- In net, senior Mitch Green made 12 stops for the Warriors to notch the win.
- Senior Blake Boudreau went 18-of-32 on the X (.562) for Merrimack and took all but one faceoff in that seasn opener.
- Merrimack has won the last 13 games it has scored 10 or more goals in; its last loss when posting a double-digit scoring total was in double overtime against Le Moyne (12-11) on March 18, 2017.
Scouting Lake Erie:
- Lake Erie finished last season with a 7-8 record but went 5-1 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC); the Storm lost to Seton Hill in the conference tournament semifinals.
- The Storm averaged only 9.27 goals per game last year, which ranked 48th nationally. The good news is that they bring back all seven of their leading scorers, including senior Mitchell Stokes, whohad 31 points on 20 goals and 11 helpers last spring.
- Junior Bret Swan was the primary faceoff man for Lake Erie last year, winning 189-of-317 on the draw, or 59.6 percent.
- Lake Erie also returns the services of five players who caused 10 or more turnovers last year, including lead defender Reed Hnidy, who had 34 disruptions last year for a team that averaged 9.0 caused turnovers per game (15th nationally).
- Junior Conor Sharkey is the goalie with the most experience on the roster after starting seven games last year, going 4-3 with a 7.89 GAA and .485 SV%.
Inside the Matchup:
| #1 Merrimack (15-4, 9-2 NE10) |
Category |
#RV Lake Erie (7-8, 5-1 GMAC) (2017) |
| 2/18 at #8 NYIT (W, 16-14) |
Recent Games |
-- |
| 16.00 (6th/NCAA) |
Scoring Offense |
9.27 |
| 14.00 |
Scoring Defense |
9.60 |
| 100.0% (1st) |
Man-Up Offense |
36.2% |
| 66.7% |
Man-Down Defense |
69.3% |
| 16/49 (.327) |
Goals/Shot Attempts (Sh. Pct.) |
139-526 (.264) |
| 25.00 |
Ground Balls/Game |
29.47 |
| 13.00 |
Turnovers/Game |
14.27 |
| 6.00 |
Caused Turnovers/Game |
9.0 |
| 57.6% (19th) |
Faceoff Pct. |
57.9% |
| 90.5% (7th) |
Clearing Pct. |
87.0% |
Up Next
Merrimack will stay at home as part of a season-long three-game homestand and take on another regional rival – LIU Post out of the East Coast Conference – next Saturday, with first whistle from Merrimack Stadium set for 12 p.m.
