FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Fairfield University Men's Lacrosse opens the 2018 Colonial Athletic Association schedule at Delaware this Saturday in Newark. Opening faceoff between the Stags and Blue Hens is slated for noon.
Fairfield's Last Time Out
Trailing 12-10 with just 88 seconds to play at #7/8 Villanova, Fairfield got back-to-back goals from Joe Rodrigues and Dylan Beckwith to tie the Wildcats, 12-12, and force overtime. However, it was the nationally-ranked hosts who struck in the extra session to escape with 13-12 decision.
Travis Ford matched his career high with four goals for the Stags. All of his tallies came in the second half. Fellow sophomore Beckwith had a five-point day with two goals and three assists.
Colin Burke also handed out three assists, moving into 10th place on the Fairfield Lacrosse all-time list with 48 career helpers.
Not Settled in Sixty
Fairfield's 13-12 overtime loss at #7/8 Villanova was the 24th overtime contest in the Stags' varsity history. Fairfield is 13-11 all-time when a game goes beyond 60 minutes and 8-5 under Head Coach Andy Copelan. Six of the Stags' last seven overtime games have been against USILA nationally-ranked teams.
Rising to the Challenge
Travis Ford's four-goal day against #7/8 Villanova matched his career high established in last spring's double overtime loss at #15 Yale. In total, 13 of Ford's 25 career goals and 15 of his 29 career points have come against nationally-ranked competition.
Goals by the Dozen
Fairfield has scored at least 12 goals in each of its last three games, the first time the Stags have reached a dozen in three consecutive contests under Head Coach Andy Copelan.
The Stags last reached the 12-goal mark in three straight games in 2007 in victories over Rutgers, #11 Bucknell and Harvard. Fairfield has not scored at least 12 goals in four straight games since 1999, and netted 12 or more markers in a program-best seven straight outings during the 1996 campaign.
Scouting Delaware
The Delaware Blue Hens begin the CAA slate with a record of 3-5. Since beginning the campaign with wins over Mount St. Mary's, NJIT and Monmouth, Delaware has fallen to Villanova, Mercer, Binghamton, Johns Hopkins and Rutgers.
Charlie Kitchen and Bryce Reid lead the Blue Hens' attack with 18 goals apiece. Kitchen has also distributed a team-best nine assist to cap his 27 points to date. Will Hirschmann and Dean DiSimone each add 16 goals to the offensive effort.
Jake Hervada has handled the majority of the workload at the dot, where he is 75-for-139 (.540) with 41 ground balls. Joe Lenskold has been an effective second option on the draw, posting a 24-for-37 mark (.649).
The cage has been protected by Matt DeLuca for all but 81 seconds of the 2018 season. DeLuca owns a .522 save percentage and 10.76 goals-against average.
All-Time Series vs. Delaware (Fairfield leads 5-3)
After losing three straight meetings with the Blue Hens from 1995-98, the Stags have won the first most recent encounters to take a 5-3 advantage in the series. Fairfield is 3-0 in CAA action against Delaware.
Up Next
Fairfield continues CAA action under the lights of Shuart Stadium with 7 p.m. faceoff at Hofstra on Saturday, April 7. The Stags return to Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium to host Drexel on Saturday, April 14 at noon as the front-end of the annual Fairfield Lacrosse Military Appreciation Day doubleheader.
