University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
Towson
No. 18 Men's Lacrosse Hosts No. 15 Towson in Regular Season Finale
4/25/2024 6:02:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware men's lacrosse team gets set for its biggest test to date as the Blue Hens host No. 15-ranked Towson on Friday night in Delaware Stadium for the regular season finale and decide who is the outright regular season champion. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
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Delaware Stadium will certainly be buzzing Friday night, as the back-to-back CAA champs will celebrate their alumni with a halftime recognition ceremony. This year is the 40th anniversary of the 1984 Delaware men's lacrosse team's run to the program's first ever NCAA tournament appearance. Led by former head coach Bob Shillinglaw, the 1984 version of the Blue Hens went 12-4 and captured the East Coast Conference title to advance to the NCAA Tournament. The Hens fell to eventual national champion Johns Hopkins in the opening round in Baltimore.
ABOUT THE HENS
- Delaware enters Friday night's game on a five game win streak with an 8-3 overall record and 6-0 in CAA play.
- The Hens come off a 13-6 win over Drexel back on Saturday, April 20.
- Delaware leads the nation in least amount of turnovers committed at 12.27 per game.
- The Blue Hens are third nationally in both man-up offense scoring percentage (.621) and scoring defense (8.55 goals allowed).
- The Hens are seventh in the nation in saves per game (13.82).
- UD is fifth in the country in scoring margin at +4.91, averaging 13.45 goals per game.
- The Blue & Gold is 13th in scoring offense, 14th in points per game (21.36), and 15th in win percentage (.727).
- Delaware leads the conference in shots per game (47.09), man-up goals per game (1.64), and power play percentage.
- The Hens are also No. 1 in the CAA in saves percentage at .621.
- Senior goaltender Kevin Ellington leads the nation with a .615 save percentage, is third nationally in goals against average (8.74), and is seventh in saves per game (13.36).
- Ellington was named this week's CAA Defensive Player of the Week after his 17-save performance against Drexel on April 20.
- JP Ward is 12th in the nation in points per game (4.73) and 13th in assists per game (2.64).
- Ward's marks in points and assists are good for second and third in the CAA.
- Mike Robinson is currently 13th in the country in goals per game at 2.91, good for second best in the CAA.
- Matt Acchione has been a key contributor in Delaware's success in man-up opportunities, scoring six individual man-up goals this season.
ABOUT THE TIGERS
- Towson enters Friday night's contest winners of its last six in a row with a 10-3 overall record and 6-0 in CAA action.
- The Tigers most recent win was a 17-2 drubbing over Monmouth on April 20.
- Towson is in the top-10 in 10 national statistics categories.
- The Tigers are ranked second in scoring defense (8.54 goals allowed per game)
- Third in scoring margin at +5.92, averaging 14.4 goals per game, good for eighth in scoring offense.
- Fourth in clearing percentage (.909).
- Fifth in caused turnovers per game (10.69).
- Sixth in points per game (23.85).
- Seventh in ground balls per game (35.38).
- Tenth in man-up offense.
- Nick DeMaio is 10th in the nation in assists per game (2.77) and 11th in points per game (4.77), good for second and first in the CAA, respectively.
- Bode Maurer is tied for 10th in the country in shot percentage at .467.
- The Tigers lead the CAA in goals per game, points per game,, and assists per game.
- They are second in man-up goals per game (1.62) and power play percentage (.467).
- Mikey Weisshaar is fourth in the league in goals per game, averaging 2.69.
SERIES HISTORY
- One of Delaware's oldest rivalries, dating back to May of 1961, with the Blue Hens taking the first matchup 6-3.
- Saturday's meeting between the two schools will be the 70th in the rivalry.
- Towson leads the all-time series 45-24, but the Blue Hens are 5-5 in the last 10 matchups.
- Delaware won the previous contest 11-8 last season in the CAA Championship semifinal.
- The Blue Hens are 11-19 all-time at home against the Tigers.
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