Game Notes
The Fairfield University men's lacrosse team continues its four-game road trip with a game at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County on Saturday at 3 p.m. at UMBC Stadium. The Stags enter the game at 3-0 and ranked 20th in the USILA Coaches National poll, while the Retreivers are at 1-1 on the year.
The Stags moved into the top-20 in this week's USILA Coaches Poll with 20 points, one point behind 19th ranked Penn and are listed as the top 'also receiving votes' team in the Nike/Inside Lacrosse Poll. In addition, Fairfield received 64 points in this week's NEILA Coaches Poll, to remain fourth.
Fairfield and UMBC are meeting for the third time, but the first time since a home-and-home series in 1998 and 1999. The Retrievers won both games, with a 13-5 win in Baltimore in the first meeting and a 10-8 win at Fairfield.
The 3-0 start is the Stags best start since the 2008 season got off to the same start. It marks the fifth time in the program's varsity history that Fairfield has begun a year with three consecutive wins. The best start in program history came in 2007 when the Stags opened with five consecutive wins.
Each of the Stags last two victories has needed multiple-overtimes, the first time in program history that the Stags have played multi-overtime games in consecutive outings. Fairfield defeated Bryant 9-8 in double-overtime on Saturday and then defeated Hofstra 10-9 in triple-overtime Tuesday night. Those are the second and third longest games in program history lasting 69:53 and 66:22. The longest game in program history was a 71:48, triple-overtime loss, to Rutgers in 2004
UMBC is 1-1, having fallen 10-8 in the opener to Robert Morris and defeating Rutgers, 11-7, on the road. The Retrievers are averaging 9.5 goals per game, while allowing 8.5 goals per game to their opponents. UMBC is 3-14 in man-up chances and have not allowed an opponent a man-up goal in its two man-down situations. The Retrievers have won 60.5 percent of the face-offs it has taken this season, 26-44, with Phil Poe taking them all. Zach Linkous has scored seven times in two games to lead the team in goals and points. Dave Brown has handed out a team-best four assists and is second with six points. Neill Lewnes leads the team in both ground balls, 12, and caused turnovers, three.
Charlie Cipriano became the second Stag in as many weeks to earn an ECAC honor, as he was named Defensive Player of the Week on Monday. The senior earned the honor after stopping 11 shots and picking up four ground balls, in the win over Bryant. He made a season-best 16 saves on Tuesday night, one shy of his career-high and enters the game with a .571 save percentage and an 8.25 GAA.
John Snellman extended his consecutive games with a goal to 13 games in dramatic fashion on Teusday night with a four-goal effort. It is the senior's second hat trick of the year and he has now scored in every game since the Stags 2011 home win over Air Force. Snellman's scoring streak is the seventh longest active streak in the nation, through games of Tuesday, February 28 and he is second on the team with eight goals.
Fairfield went 2-5 in one-goal games last season, but has started off this year with two victories in one-goal decisions. Fairfield has now won four of the last five games decided by that margin. In the four seasons Andy Copelan has been at the helm, the Stags have played 16 games that were decided by a single-tally, going 8-8. In that time frame there have been 29 games that have been decided by two or fewer goals and the Stags are 18-10 in those games.
