Blue Hens Head to CAA Newcomer Fairfield Saturday Seeking First League Win

4/17/2015 10:05:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse

By: Delaware Athletics

Delaware (4-9, 0-3 CAA) vs. #rv Fairfield (7-5, 2-1 CAA)

Date: Saturday, April 18, 2015
Time: 1 p.m.
Location: Rafferty Stadium, Fairfield, Conn.
Video: www.fairfieldstags.com (Fee)
Live Stats: www.fairfieldstags.com
Twitter Updates: twitter.com/udmenslacrosse
All-Time Series: Delaware leads the all-time series 3-2 but Fairfield has won two straight, including wins of 18-8 last year and 10-9 in 2009. Delaware's last win was a 16-7 victory in 1998. In last year's game at snowy Delaware Stadium, Fairfield's offensive attack was too much as the Blue Hens dropped an 18-8 decision. Fairfield got five goals apiece from Eric Warden and Tristan Sperry. Dan Keane and Paul Major each scored twice for Delaware.

Bob Shillinglaw (North Carolina '74), 37th year at UD (297-283); 40th overall (321-300). Shillinglaw ranks No. 5 among all active NCAA Division I head coaches with 321 overall victories and his 621 games coached is an all-time all divisions NCAA record. He needs three victories to reach 300 for his career at Delaware. He has led the Blue Hens to six NCAA Tournament appearances and is a two-time USILA national Coach of the Year.
Fairfield: Andy Copelan (Bucknell '04), 7th year at Fairfield (62-40); 9th overall (80-55)

STATISTICS
• Complete Delaware Statistics
• Complete Fairfield Statistics

LAST TIME OUT
Delaware - Delaware fought back with four goals in the fourth quarter to send the game into overtime, but the rally went without a reward Saturday afternoon as Drexel came away with an 9-8 Colonial Athletic Association men's lacrosse victory over the Blue Hens at Vidas Field. Down 5-3 at halftime and trailing 7-5 heading into the final stanza, Delaware (4-9, 0-3 CAA) sent the game into overtime on a goal by senior attackman Tom Holland with just six seconds left in regulation, but the Hens could not complete the comeback as Drexel's Cole Shafer scored just under two minutes into the extra session to clinch the victory. Holland led Delaware with three goals.
Fairfield - The Stags had a five-game win streak snapped as they dropped an 8-7 decision to No. 16 ranked Towson at Rafferty Stadium. Fairfield scored twice in the final 10 minutes but it wasn't enought to rally back. Seven different players scored goals for Fairfield

PROBABLE DELAWARE STARTERS
Attack: #7 - Elijah Conte (Sr.); #15 - Tom Holland (Sr.); #20 - Beau Jones (Sr.)
1st Midfield: #32 - Jeff Heath (Sr.); #44 Brian Kormondy (Sr.); #42 - Jackson Finigan (So.)
2nd Midfield: #22 - Steve DeLargy (So.); #41 - Zach Runberg (Fr.); #30 - Connor Frisina (Jr.)
Defense: #33 Brandon Worrall (Sr.); #38 - Connor Lalley (Fr.); #43 - Jared Horoski (So.)
Goalkeeper: #1 - Brett Anton (Sr.)
Faceoffs: #8 - Tyler Barbarich (Sr.)
Defensive Midfield: #12 - John O'Connor (Jr.); #6 - Chris Colaneri (Jr.)
Longstick Midfield: #23 - Joey Prieto (So.); #9 - Matt Matsko (Sr.)

STORYLINES
• Delaware will be looking to snap a four-game losing streak and post its first Colonial Athletic Association victory of the season
• Hens will be looking to end the regular season on a high note as they head to Fairfield Saturday and to UMass next Friday looking to gain one of four spots in the CAA Tournament
• Delaware has not lost four straight games since midway through the 2013 season and have not lost five straight since finishing the 2003 season with five straight setbacks
• Delaware is 1-3 on the road this season with the lone victory an 11-10 win Feb. 24 at Mt. St. Mary's
• Delaware plays three straight road games to end the season following a seven-game homestand
• CAA Standings: 1. Towson (9-3/3-0 CAA); 2. Fairfield (2-1/7-5); Drexel (2-1/6-6); 4. Hofstra (1-2/4-8); UMass (1-2/3-8); 6. Delaware (0-3/4-9).
• Senior defender Brandon Worrall's notched his 48th career caused turnover in last week's 8-7 overtime loss at Drexel and moved into a tie for No. 2 all-time at Delaware in that category with Dom Sebastiani (48 in 2009-13). Fairfield, Conn. native Pat Dowling (Ludlowe HS) holds the UD career record with 59 in 2008-11.
• Senior midfielder Brian Kormondy and senior attackman Tom Holland each scored his 50th career goals vs. Drexel last Saturday.
• Senior faceoff specliast Tyler Barbarich won 13 of 20 faceoffs vs. Towson on Apr. 4 and 11 of 21 vs. Drexel last Saturday. He ranks No. 5 all-time at Delaware with 426 faceoff victories (.559 winnning pct.) and No. 12 with 210 career groundballs
• Delaware ranks No. 1 in the CAA in saves per game (10.69) and No. 3 in man-down defense (.634) and shot pct. (.280)
• Individually, Beau Jones leads the CAA in shot pct. (. 410) while GK Brett Anton is No. 3 in save pct. (.527) and saves per game (8.92) and No. 4 in goals against average (9.43/28th in NCAA)