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The Fairfield University men's lacrosse team completes its regular season with a game at ECAC Lacrosse League foe #13 Ohio State. Fairfield is 8-5 overall and 4-2 in league play, while the Buckeyes are 9-3 on the season and also 4-2 in ECAC action.
Fairfield and Ohio State are meeting for the 12th time and for the third time in two seasons. The Stags are 5-6 in the series with an 8-7 win in the ECAC semifinals last season. That game came just says after the Buckeyes defeated the Stags 8-3 on Lessing Field to end a two-game series win streak for the Stags. As ECAC members, since 2009, Fairfield is 3-2 against the Buckeyes, while Ohio State had three wins in the five meetings as GWLL foes. The series began in 2000, when Fairfield was independent, with a 9-8 Buckeye win at Fairfield. The Stags first victory came two seasons later, 8-7 at home. The five goal margin of victory for Ohio State last season equaled the largest, 11-6 in 2009, while seven of the meetings have been decided by two goals or less.
The winner of the game between Stags and Buckeyes will most likely end up as the third-seed in next weekend's ECAC Tournament at Hobart College, while the loser will be the fourth-seed. A Fairfield win, coupled with a Denver loss to Michigan, would give the Stags the second-seed. The four teams are set for the tournament, with Fairfield, Denver, Loyola and Ohio State meeting May 2-4 for the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. All three games of the championship will be available on Fuel and Fox College Sports.
Fairfield earned its way into the tournament with its first-ever win over a #1 ranked team when they defeated Denver 10-9 on Saturday at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. Eric Warden scored four times, including all three second-half goals, to help Fairfield rally to force the extra period. Michael Roe was 12-22 at the X, winning five of the last six, including the opening face of overtime, to set up the game-winning goal from Sam Snow 56 seconds into the period. Jack Murphy made his 11th and final save as the clock expired in regulation to preserve the tie.
Fairfield had two players earn weekly awards following the win. Murphy was named the ECAC Defensive Player of the Week for the third time this season, while Warden was tabbed as the NEILA Player of the Week.
Ohio State has won three straight games entering the regular season finale and is 9-3 overall and 4-2 in league play. The Buckeyes are averaging 10.4 goals a game, while giving up just 8.3, and have assisted on 47 of 125 goals. Ohio State has converted 47.5 percent of its man-up chances, 19-40, while holding opponents to 35.3 percent (12-34).Logan Schuss is the offensive engine, leading the team with 31 goals, 20 assists and 51 points. Jesse King has 34 points, 19 goals, while Carter Brown has 32 points, also with 19 goals. Trey Wilkes has won 60 percent of his face-offs, going 126-610, and has a team-best 49 ground balls. Greg Dutton has played 594 minutes, with 10 starts, in goal, and enters Saturday's game with 94 saves, an 8.39 GAA and a .534 save percentage.
Fairfield, which has secured its fifth consecutive season of at least a .500 record, returned to the national polls, earning the #20 ranking in the USILA poll. The Stags have been as high as 13th this season, but have not earned votes in the five previous weeks.
Fairfield is 3-3 on the road this season and closes with a pair of road games. The Stags average 9.2 goals per game away from home, with a season-high 13 in the win at Hobart. Opponents are scoring 10 goals per game when the Stags visit, with Bryant and Denver not reaching double digits. Sam Snow is the Stags offensive leader on the road with nine goals and 14 points. Colin McLinden has a team-best eight assists in his road uniform. Jack Murphy has 61 saves and 27 ground balls on the road, while Michael Roe has 50 face-off wins and 24 ground balls.
Over the first seven games of the year the Stags won just 37.2 percent (54-145) at the face-off X. In only one of those games, Hofstra, did the Stags have a positive winning percentage, going 8-14, and reached double digit wins (11) just once, versus UMBC. Over the last six games the Stags have more than doubled their win total, with 74, and are winning at a clip of 55.6 percent, 74-133, with at least 11 wins in five of those games.
