FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Fairfield University Men's Lacrosse challenges a nationally-ranked opponent for the first time in 2018, traveling to Piscataway to meet #13/15 Rutgers on Saturday, Feb. 24. Faceoff from High Points Solution Stadium is scheduled for noon with all of the action set to broadcast live on BTN Plus (subscription required).
 
Fairfield's Last Time Out
Fairfield picked up its first win of 2018 last Saturday afternoon with an 11-6 victory at Saint Joseph's. Three Stags recorded three points on the day, including a hat trick for Brendan Quinn. To go along with Quinn's three goals – the first three of his career – Dylan Beckwith handed out three assists and Colin Burke notched three points by way of a goal and two helpers.
 
In addition to netting his first career goal, Will Fox was dominant at the faceoff X to keep the Fairfield offense on the field. The senior went 17-for-21 and collected 14 ground balls.
 
Defensively, Fairfield held the host Hawks to their lowest scoring output in 12 games dating back to last season. Sean McKee earned his first career win in goal with 12 saves.
 
Scouting Rutgers
Ranked #13 in the Maverik Media Poll and #15 in the USILA Coaches' Poll, Rutgers enters Saturday's game with a record of 2-1. The Scarlet Knights earned home wins over Robert Morris and St. John's prior to a 9-7 setback at #11/12 Army West Point last weekend.
 
Rutgers finished the 2017 campaign at 10-4 overall and 2-3 in the Big Ten and was noted as one of the first teams left out of the NCAA postseason field. Head Coach Brian Brecht's club has been projected to finish third in the Big Ten Preseason Coaches' Poll behind Maryland and Ohio State, the two teams that met in last May's National Championship Game.
 
The Scarlet Knights' attack has been led by 15 points (7g, 8a) from Preseason All-Big Ten pick Jules Heningburg. Christian Mazzone adds seven points (4g, 3a) and Casey Rose has potted five goals.
 
Rutgers has been defined by its defensive effort in recent years, led by a pair of 2017 All-Big Ten talents in senior All-America defenseman Michael Rexrode and senior goalkeeper Max Edelmann. Rexrode has collected seven ground balls with a pair of caused turnovers through three games of action, while Edelmann has played all 180 minutes in the cage en route to a 8.00 goals-against average and .538 save percentage. In his two prior appearances against the Stags, Edelmann is 2-0 with a .667 save percentage (8 goals allowed, 16 saves) in seven quarters of work.
 
Fairfield vs. Ranked Opponents
Saturday's visit to Rutgers is Fairfield's first meeting this spring with a nationally-ranked opponent. Following last April's win over #15 Towson at Rafferty Stadium, Fairfield has defeated at least one ranked opponent (in the USILA Coaches' Poll) in eight of Andy Copelan's nine prior seasons at the helm of the Stags.
 
Highlighted by an upset win at #1 Denver in 2013, the Stags have recorded 10 victories over ranked foes, including four wins over top-10 programs, during the Andy Copelan era (2009-present).
 
All-Time Series vs. Rutgers (Fairfield leads 4-3)
The Stags are 4-3 all-time in a series that dates back to 2004. Fairfield went 4-0 when the clubs were ECAC Lacrosse League foes from 2006-09, but the Scarlet Knights have won the three all-time non-conference meetings. Rutgers was ranked #14 in the USILA poll when the Stags knocked them off by a 10-7 count in New Jersey in 2008.
 
Scoring Streaks
After netting a goal in last Saturday's win at Saint Joseph's, Joe Rodrigues has rattled the cage in seven straight games dating back to last spring. That stretch includes five multi-goal efforts, highlighted by a career-best five markers last April at Drexel.
 
The longest active point streak for a Stag is a 13-game run for Dylan Beckwith. Beckwith, who posted at least one goal or assist in each of the final 11 games of 2017, kept the streak alive with a trio of assists against the Hawks.
 
The Trends
The Stags have started 1-1 in five of their nine previous campaigns led by Head Coach Andy Copelan. Fairfield improved to 2-1 in three of those seasons.
 
The Stags have won their first two road contests of the spring four times in the program's varsity history: 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2012. In 2006 and 2008, Fairfield's fast start away from home included a win at Rutgers.
 
'X' Marks the Spot
In addition to scoring his first career goal, Will Fox went 17-for-21 (.810) at the faceoff X at Saint Joseph's and collected 14 ground balls to match the known program record set by Fairfield and MLL faceoff standard bearer Peter Vlahakis '04. Fox's .810 win percentage at the X is the third-best single-game mark in the nation this season (min. 20 attempts) and the best by a Stag since Michael Roe '13 went 20-for-23 (.870) in a win at Vermont on March 11, 2012.
 
Up Next
Action returns to Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium on Tuesday, Feb. 27 when the Stags host in-state foe Hartford at 3 p.m. The Hawks lost their season opener last Saturday – a 14-12 setback at St. John's – and will host Bryant this weekend before visiting Fairfield.
 
Next Tuesday's game starts a six-game homestand for the Stags that will also feature contests with Stony Brook, Quinnipiac, #11/11 Yale, #15/16 Penn State and NJIT.
 
Fairfield Lacrosse fans can purchase a $40 LaxPass for admission to all eight remaining regular season home games. Single-game tickets are also on sale now at FairfieldStags.com/TIX.