University of Delaware Athletics
CAA Tournament Berth at Stake as Hens Host Fairfield in Regular Season Finale Friday Night
4/29/2016 3:40:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
Delaware (5-9, 2-2 CAA) vs. Fairfield (7-7, 3-1 CAA)
📅 DATE: Friday, April 29, 2016
🕕 TIME: 7 p.m.
📍 LOCATION: Delaware Stadium, Newark, Del.
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STORY LINE
It all comes down to this.
The University of Delaware men's lacrosse team (5-9, 2-2 CAA) can punch its ticket to the upcoming Colonial Athletic Association Tournament tonight as the Blue Hens play host to Fairfield in the regular season finale here at Delaware Stadium.
If the Hens can knock off the league-leading Stags (7-7, 3-1 CAA), the Hens would earn one of four berths in the CAA Tournament set for May 5 (semifinals) and May 7 (final) at the site of the highest seed. The Hens would also advance if Drexel falls tonight at home to UMass (6 pm in Philadelphia).
Delaware missed out on its chance to wrap up a tournament berth last Saturday here at Delaware Stadium as the Hens dropped a 6-5 overtime verdict to rival Drexel. The Hens jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opening half and still led 5-4 with 2:38 left in regulation before Drexel sent the game into overtime and then scored with 39 seconds left in the extra session to win it.
Fairfield is coming off an 18-11 loss at Towson last Saturday that snapped a three-game winning streak. The Stags, who bounced back after a 0-3 start this season, have already clinched a spot in the CAA Tournament but could earn the top seed with a win tonight and a win by Hofstra over Towson Saturday.
LAST TIME OUT
NEWARK, Del. (Apr. 23) -- Yet another Delaware-Drexel men's lacrosse came down to the wire Saturday afternoon at Delaware Stadium.
Unfortunately for the Blue Hens, the result was more of the same in this hard-fought rivalry.
Delaware led until the final minutes but Drexel tied it up with 2:37 left in regulation and then scored the game-winner with 39 seconds remaining in overtime to post a 6-5 Colonial Athletic Association victory and put the Hens' post-season hopes on hold.
The Blue Hens (5-9, 2-2 CAA), coming off a huge 10-7 upset win over Towson a week ago, could not keep the momentum going and fell to the Dragons (5-8, 1-3) for the fifth straight time and for the second straight year in overtime.
Delaware goalkeeper Parker Ferrigan was brilliant in goal, turning back 11 Drexel shots, including a point-blank offering just 17 seconds left in regulation that would have won the game. Dean DiSimone and Andrew Romagnoli each added an assist and Connor Frisina, Paul Major, and Chris Colaneri provided the other goals.
HEN SCRATCHINGS
• A special welcome tonight to the nearly 50 Blue Hen alums who have returned to campus this weekend for a golf outing earlier today and for tonight's game. Thanks to all the alumni for their outstanding contributions to Delaware Men's Lacrosse
• Delaware will be looking to advance to the CAA Tournament for the second time in three years (2014) and for the ninth time since 2004
• Hens have won CAA titles in 2005, 2007, 2010, and 2011
• Delaware ranks No. 21 in the NCAA in caused turnover per game (7.5)
• GK Parker Ferrigan ranks No. 39 in the NCAA in goals against average (10.24) and No. 49 in save percentage (.478)
• Co-captain Steve DeLargy had a nine-game point streak snapped vs. Drexel but Paul Major and Dean DiSimone have each scored in five straight gams entering tonight
• UD freshman LSM Austin Haynes ranks No. 3 among all NCAA I freshmen in caused turnovers (15) and No. 12 among all freshmen in groundballs (42)
DELAWARE LEADERS
Scoring: Paul Major (24 goals-8 assists); Andrew Romagnoli (19-10); Steve DeLargy (14-6); Dean DiSimone (12-7); Joe Eisele (7-4); Anthony Disanzo (7-3); Connor Frisina (9-1); Chris Colaneri (4-4); Campbell Parker (4-2); Will Hirschmann (4-1); Jake Levine (3-1); John O'Connor (2-2); Matt Olbrich (1-3)
Faceoffs: Sam Walsh (79 of 151, .523, 25 GB); Jake Hervada (58 of 116, .500, 22 GB, 1 G); Tyler Mardian (13 for 29, .448, 5 GB)
Goalkeeping: Parker Ferrigan (14g, 13s, 767:25 min., 10.24 GAA, 120 saves, .478 save pct., 5-8 W-L); Conor Peaks (2g, 1s, 76:35 min., 12.54 GAA, 10 saves, .385 save pct., 0-1 W-L)
Groundballs: Austin Haynes - 42; Ferrigan - 33; O'Connor - 31; Olbrich-27; Walsh - 25; Major - 25
Caused Turnovers: Haynes - 15; O'Connor - 13; Carson Scott - 11; Kevin Sheahan - 10; Ferrigan - 8
SERIES INFORMATION
Delaware and Fairfield meet for the seventh time with the series knotted at 3-3...Delaware won the first three meetings by scores of 23-2 in 1995, 15-9 in 1996, and 16-7 in 1997 but the Stags have come back to wins the last three - 10-9 in 2009, 18-8 in 2014, and 12-11 last season in double overtime on a goal by Tristan Sperry just one minute into the second extra session...Delaware had rallied with five goals in the fourth quarter...Sperry had two goals for Fairfield while Beau Jones had a goal and five assists for the Hens...the series is tied 1-1 in games here in Newark with UD winning 23-2 in 1995 at Rullo Stadium and Fairfield winning 18-8 here at Delaware Stadium in 2014.
• Andy Copelan (Bucknell '03), is in his eighth season at Fairfield (71-48) and his 10th season overall (89-63)
FAIRFIELD LEADERS
Scoring: Colin Burke (37-14); Charlie Schnider (9-28); TJ Neubauer (27-2); Charlie Horning (9-13); Drew Murray (10-5); Jake Knostman (12-2); Joe Rodrigues (11-1); Nico Panepinto (7-1); Conor Dalton (4-1); Dave Fleming (2-3); Matt Borda (1-0); Liam DaRos (1-0); Joe Guidarelli (0-1)
Goalkeeping: Tyler Behring (14g, 14s, 9.98 GAA, 162 saves, .551 save pct., 7-7 W-L); Brad Nordstrom (4g, 0s, 12.84 GAA, 5 saves, .333 save pct., 0-0 W-L)
Faceoffs: Will Fox (122 of 224, .545, 42 GB); Joe DeLasho (39 of 74, .527, 18 GB)
Groundballs: Neubauer - 49; Fox - 42; Behring - 31; Horning - 28; Borda - 24; DeLasho - 18; JB Smith - 18
Caused Turnovers: Borda - 7; Behring - 6; Logan Williamson - 6; Spencer Noonan -5; Andrew Eidenshink - 5
FAIRFIELD NOTES
• Fairfield captured the CAA regular season title in its first year in the league in 2015
• Fairfield ranks No. 18 in the NCAA in man-down defense (.684), No. 26 in man-up offense (.385), No. 26 in faceoff pct. (.528), and No. 34 in turnovers per game (13.4)
• Fairfield freshman Colin Burke, the front-runner for CAA Rookie of the Year honors and a potential Player of the Year candidate, ranks No. 15 in man-up goals (6) and No. 17 in goals per game (2.6).. He leads the CAA in goals, points, and shots
• Charlie Schnider ranks No. 17 in assists
• GK Tyler Behring ranks No. 9 in saves per game (11.6) and No. 14 in save pct. (.551)
