DU WOMEN’S LACROSSE NEWS - Leggio Scores Six but DU Drops Second Consecutive OT Game, 12-11

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Tuesday, February 28, 2006
DU WOMEN’S LACROSSE NEWS - Leggio Scores Six but DU Drops Second Consecutive OT Game, 12-11
DU had leads of 6-5, 9-7 and 11-9 in loss

NEWARK, Del. – Junior newcomer Kristie Leggio (Bay Shore, N.Y.) scored six goals, but it was not enough as the Denver Pioneers dropped a 12-11 overtime decision to the University of Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens on Tuesday night at Fred P. Rullo Stadium. The Pioneers’ second consecutive overtime loss drops them to 2-2. The Fightin’ Blue Hens improve to 1-1.

Delaware scored five of the game’s first seven goals to take an early 5-2 lead with 14:17 remaining in the first half. DU scored the next four goals, two by sophomore Victoria Baines (Parker, Colo.), to take a 6-5 lead with 8:01 left in the half. The Fightin’ Blue Hens netted the half’s final goal to tie the score at 6-6.

After trading goals to being the second half, Leggio scored twice to give DU a 9-7 advantage with 21:43 remaining in the game. Delaware and DU would exchange goals again, with Leggio scoring twice more to put the score at 11-9 at the 8:17 mark. The Fightin’ Blue Hens tallied the game’s next two goals to send the game into overtime.

Delaware’s Debbie Sloan scored the lone goal in overtime to give the Fightin’ Blue Hens the 12-11 win.

Sophomore Becky Childs (Phoenix, Md.) made nine stops in the cage for the Pioneers. Jess Dibelka and Jessica Cerveny combined to make 16 saves for Delaware.

Leggio was the only Pioneer with more than two goals. Casey McCrudden and Sloan scored three goals each for Delaware.

Up next, DU returns to the friendly confines of Barton Stadium to host Hofstra on Sat., March 4 at 11 a.m.

JOSH WALDMAN
Assistant Director of Media Relations
DENVER PIONEERS
2201 E. Asbury Ave.
Denver, CO 80208
303-871-7555
fax 303-871-3890
www.denverpioneers.com

Air Force Travels To UMBC For Non-Conference Match-Up (2/28/06)

The Air Force lacrosse team (0-3) heads out to Baltimore, Md., this weekend, March 4, as they visit UMBC for a 12:00 p.m. (ET) contest.


Last Time Out...
Air Force took part in Denver’s Pioneer Face-Off Classic last weekend, first matching up against 13th-ranked North Carolina before taking on Manhattan on the final day of the tournament.

On Saturday, the Falcons used a pair of scores by freshman Griffin Nevitt to take a 3-2 lead at the half against the Tar Heels, but North Carolina rattled off six unanswered goals in the third period to take the lead. Although Air Force outscored UNC 3-0 in the fourth quarter, it was not enough as the Tar Heels held on for the 8-6 victory.

Air Force again had an early lead in its game on Sunday, going up 3-0 at intermission against the Jaspers. Manhattan responded by scoring the next four goals to go on top, before the Falcons’ Justin Kuchta notched an unassisted goal with 27 seconds remaining to knot the score at 4-4. However, Manhattan’s Brian Murray tallied his fourth goal of the contest just 13 seconds later to seal the 5-4 victory for the Jaspers.

Two Falcons were named to the All-Pioneer Face-Off Classic team for their performance on the weekend. Nevitt was one of the midfielders chosen to the team, while junior Daniel Breiding was a defensive selection on the all-tournament team.


Head Coach Fred Acee...
Air Force head coach Fred Acee is in his ninth season at the helm of the Falcons’ program and his 39th season overall as a collegiate lacrosse coach.

A 1963 graduate of Cortland State, Acee coached at SUNY-Farmingdale, a two-year college on Long Island, for 30 years, compiling an overall mark of 312-119-1 and advancing to the NJCAA Final Four 25 times. Since Acee’s arrival at the Academy in the fall of 1997, the Falcons have yearly played top notch Division I schedules, compiling a record of 26-79.


Scouting the Retrievers...
UMBC, receiving votes in the latest media poll released by Inside Lacrosse magazine, enters this weekend with a 1-0 record after defeating Brown, 6-4, in its season opener Saturday.

The Retrievers never trailed against the Bears, getting out to a 3-0 lead, before Brown eventually tied the score at 4-4 in the third period. However, two more UMBC goals sealed the season-opening victory for the Retrievers for the first time since 2003. Evan Kay, Drew Westervelt and Andy Gallagher all scored twice each for UMBC, while freshman goalkeeper Jeremy Blevins finished with nine saves.

UMBC is coached by Don Zimmerman (Johns Hopkins, ‘76), who has compiled a 81-79 mark in his 13th season at the helm of the Retrievers’ program and a career record of 154-95 (20th year).


In the Series...
UMBC holds a 7-1 advantage in the all-time series versus Air Force. The teams last met in 1988, with the Retrievers handing the Falcons a narrow 9-8 loss. Air Force’s lone victory over UMBC came in 1971, when the Falcons’ only loss came in the NCAA Quarterfinals. That year Air Force picked up an 11-3 win over the Retrievers.


Pavoni Moves Up In the Record Books...
With 26 saves through the first three games of the season, senior Justin Pavoni has moved from ninth to seventh place on the career saves list at the Academy with 332 total saves, and needs 135 saves to move past Chris Cicere into sixth place.

Most impressive about Pavoni’s feat is not only that he has accomplished it against a rigorous Division I schedule (many of Air Force’s teams in the first 25+ years of the program played Division II and III teams), but he has also made his mark in just over two full years of play, as Pavoni did not see action as a freshman.


Up Next...
The Falcons open the 2006 home slate next week, Friday, March 10, as they play host to Sacred Heart in a 3:00 p.m. contest.

---------------------------------
Melissa McKeown
U.S. Air Force Academy
Assistant Athletic Media Relations Director
719.333.9025 (office)
719.333.3798 (fax)
719.331.8321 (cell)

DU WOMEN’S LACROSSE NEWS - DU Unable to Hold Early Lead in OT Loss

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Sunday, February 26, 2006
DU WOMEN’S LACROSSE NEWS - DU Unable to Hold Early Lead in OT Loss
Leggio nets hat trick for Denver

BLACKSBURG, Va. – Virginia Tech’s Lindsay Pieper scored with four seconds remaining in overtime as the Denver Pioneers dropped an 11-10 decision to Virginia Tech on Sunday afternoon at Virginia Tech Lacrosse Stadium.

Pieper netted both the game-tying and game-winning goals in the game.

The Pioneers (2-1) scored five consecutive goals to take a 6-2 lead. Senior Tanya Fuchs (Bay Shore, N.Y.) scored the final goal in the stretch at the 7:56 mark of the first half.

Tech’s (2-0) Natasha Fuchs, younger sister of DU’s Tanya Fuchs and Kady McBrearty netted the final two goals of the half to cut DU’s lead to 6-4.

DU scored three of the second-half’s first five goals to extend the lead to 9-6 with 18:43 remaining in the game. The Hokies rallied back, scoring four of the final five goals in regulation. The Hokies cut the margin to 9-8 before Tanya Fuchs scored DU’s last goal of the day with 4:09 left to put the score at 10-8.

VT scored the game’s final two goals including Pieper’s game-tying tally with just 47 seconds on the clock.

Sophomore Becky Childs (Phoenix, Md.) made nine stops in the cage for the Pioneers, while Carrie Hill made 14 saves for the Hokies. Each goalie made two key saves in the overtime period.

Junior newcomer Kristie Leggio (Bay Shore, N.Y.) had three goals to lead DU. For Tech, Natasha Fuchs and Pieper scored three goals each.

Up next, DU returns to action with a 5:30 p.m. MT matchup at Delaware on Tuesday.

JOSH WALDMAN
Assistant Director of Media Relations
DENVER PIONEERS
2201 E. Asbury Ave.
Denver, CO 80208
303-871-7555
fax 303-871-3890
www.denverpioneers.com

Air Force Falls To Manhattan, 5-4, At Pioneer Face-Off Classic (2/26/06)

Air Force Falls To Manhattan, 5-4, At Pioneer Face-Off Classic

Denver, Colo. - Giving up the game-winning goal with just four seconds remaining, the Air Force lacrosse team lost a 5-4 decision to Manhattan on day two of the Pioneer Face-Off Classic, hosted by Denver. The Falcons fall to 0-2 on the season with the loss, while the Jaspers move to 1-1.

Air Force looked to be in control early on, taking a 3-0 lead at the half with a trio of scores by Max Miller (Sr., Dublin, Ohio), Kevin Crumrine (So., Edgewater, Md.) and Justin Kuchta (Jr., Ridgefield, Conn.). However, Manhattan regrouped in the second half, scoring four unanswered goals to go on top 4-3 with 7:17 remaining in regulation.

Neither team was able to score for most of the remainder of the period, before Crumrine notched an unassisted score with just 27 seconds left in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 4-4. Air Force won the ensuing face-off, but a turnover gave the Jaspers the ball, and with just four seconds left in the contest, Brian Murray recorded his fourth goal of the game to give Manhattan the 5-4 victory.

The Falcons dominated several facets of the game, outshooting the Jaspers 32-15, scooping up 37 ground balls to 27 for Manhattan and winning 9-of-13 face-offs. However, John Geagans was impressive between the pipes for the Jaspers, getting 14 saves on the afternoon.

Kuchta led the Falcons with three points on the afternoon, adding two assists to his one goal, while Crumrine notched two goals. Also adding an assist for Air Force was junior Michael Weber (Wantagh, N.Y.). For the Jaspers, Murray led the team with four goals, while Greg Lewis added a goal and an assist.

Two Air Force players were named to the All-Pioneer Face-Off Classic Team for their performance on the weekend. Freshman Griffin Nevitt (Charlotte, N.C.) was one of three midfielders named to the all-tournament team, while senior Daniel Breiding (Pittsburgh, Pa.) was an all-tournament defender.

The Falcons return to action next Saturday, March 4, when they travel to Baltimore, Md., to take on UMBC in a 12:00 p.m. (ET) contest.

Manhattan 5, Air Force 4
Manhattan Scoring: Goals: Brian Murray 4, Greg Lewis. Assists: Nick Crowley, Greg Lewis, Jeremy Marrano, Rob Sitar.
Air Force Scoring: Goals: Kevin Crumrine 2, Justin Kuchta, Max Miller. Assists: Justin Kuchta 2, Michael Weber.

---------------------------------
Melissa McKeown
U.S. Air Force Academy
Assistant Athletic Media Relations Director
719.333.9025 (office)
719.333.3798 (fax)
719.331.8321 (cell)

Falcons Fall To No. 13 North Carolina In Pioneer Face-Off Classic

Feb. 25, 2006

Falcons Fall To No. 13 North Carolina In Pioneer Face-Off Classic

Denver, Colo. - Giving up six unanswered goals in the third period, the Air Force lacrosse team dropped a close 8-6 decision to 13th-ranked North Carolina in the first game of the Pioneer Face-Off Classic, hosted by Denver. With the loss, the Falcons fall to 0-2 on the season, while the Tar Heels improve to 2-0.

North Carolina got out to a 1-0 lead in the first five minutes of the contest, but Air Force was able to tie the game as sophomore Peter Krasco (Medford, Mass.) scored off the assist by Justin Kuchta (Jr., Ridgefield, Conn.) with just under two minutes remaining in the opening period. The Tar Heels regained their advantage midway through the second period as Michael Burns connected on the assist from Ryan Blair, but a pair of scores by Air Force freshman Griffin Nevitt (Charlotte, N.C.) gave the Falcons a 3-2 lead at the half.

While the first half was low scoring for both teams, North Carolina exploded offensively in the third quarter, notching six straight scores to take an 8-3 advantage. Although Air Force responded by outscoring the Tar Heels 3-0 in the final period, including a pair of man-up goals, it was not enough to pull off the upset over the 13th-ranked team in the 8-6 loss.

Air Force was able to keep the game close with a solid defensive effort against North Carolina, which outshot the Falcons 43-19 for the game, including 25-7 in the first half alone. Leading the Air Force defense was senior goalkeeper Justin Pavoni (Park City, Utah), who recorded 14 saves and five ground balls between the pipes for the Falcons. Air Force also held a slight edge on face-offs, winning 10-of-18 in the game, led by senior midfielder John Smith (Merion, Pa.), who won 6-of-9 face-offs taken.

Senior tri-captain Max Miller (Dublin, Ohio) led the Falcons with three points (one goal, two assists), while Nevitt notched two goals for the second straight game. Also scoring for Air Force were Conrad Lochocki (Jr., Chalfont, Pa.) and Michael Weber (Jr., Wantagh, N.Y.) while Will Meister (Jr., Denver, Colo.) added another assist for the Falcons.

The Tar Heels were led by Burns with three goals, while Blair added a goal and two assists.

The Falcons are back in action tomorrow, Feb. 26, when they play Manhattan on the second day of the Pioneer Face-Off Classic at the Barton Lacrosse Stadium. The game is slated to begin at 11:00 a.m.

North Carolina 8, Air Force 6
North Carolina Scoring: Goals: Michael Burns 3, Ryan Blair, Brian Connors, Ryan Walterhoefer, Stephen McElduff, Kyle Henderson. Assists: Ryan Blair 2, Sean Link, Bobby McAuley, Andrew McElduff, Nick Tintle.
Air Force Scoring: Goals: Griffin Nevitt 2, Max Miller, Conrad Lochocki, Michael Weber, Peter Krasco. Assists: Max Miller 2, Justin Kuchta, Will Meister.

---------------------------------
Melissa McKeown
U.S. Air Force Academy
Assistant Athletic Media Relations Director
719.333.9025 (office)
719.333.3798 (fax)
719.331.8321 (cell)

No. 20 DU Men’s Lacrosse Team Stuns No. 13 North Carolina, 11-8 in Final Game of 2006 Pioneer Face-Off Classic

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February 25, 2006
MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

No. 20 DU Men’s Lacrosse Team Stuns No. 13 North Carolina, 11-8 in Final Game of 2006 Pioneer Face-Off Classic
Senior Geoff Snider named MVP; Ryan Zordani, Rory Shepard and Jeb Hollingsworth named to All-Tourney team

DENVER- In front of a crowd of 2,051 at Peter Barton Stadium, the No. 20 Denver Pioneers snapped a five-game losing streak to the No. 13 North Carolina Tar Heels with an 11-8 victory this afternoon in the final game of the 2006 Pioneer Face-Off Classic. The Pioneers improve to 2-1 (0-0 GWLL) on the season while the Tar Heels fall to 2-1 (0-0 ACC). Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) led DU with three goals and Jeb Hollingsworth (Darien, Conn.) made 17 saves in 60 minutes of action. In other tournament action the Manhattan Jaspers picked up their first win of the season defeating Air Force, 5-4. The Falcons fall to 0-3 on the season, while Manhattan improves to 1-1.

“This was a great win for us,” head coach Jamie Munro said. “It was a back and forth game and for our team to take charge the way that they did in the fourth quarter really says a lot about the caliber of our players. Our juniors and seniors led the way for us. Ryan Zordani and Geoff Snider really stepped up down the stretch and gave us the opportunity to win the game. It was a match-up of two very evenly match teams and for us to come out on top is great for us.”

The Pioneers came out hitting on all cylinders forcing North Carolina to play an up-tempo game on both sides of the field. Zordani put DU on the board at the 13:56 mark of the first period with a rocket that went right past UNC’s Trey Sheain. The Tar Heels answered right back less than a minute later with a Michael Burns goal that tied the game at 1-1. Brandon Barcus (Dublin, Ohio) scored his fifth goal of the season to take the one goal advantage but Burns answered right back with a man-up goal to keep the game notched at two all. DU began to work the clock on each possession and at the 2:52 mark of the first period Barcus found Mike Goltra (Washington, N.C.) for the quick score to push DU ahead, 3-2. The second period belong to the Tar Heels as they scored four unanswered goals to take a 6-3 lead, before Adam Goodwin (Columbus, Ohio) put the ball past Sheain to cut the lead to 6-4, heading into the break.

Zordani started the second half much like he started the game, firing in the first score of the period just 16 seconds in. The third period was evenly played and while both teams had scoring chances UNC held a 14-8 shots advantage in the period but Hollingsworth stymied most of their shots on goal. Still down by two goals heading into the fourth and final period the Pioneers turned to their upperclassmen. Adam Miller (Columbus, Ohio) cut the Tar Heel lead to one with his first goal of the season and Barcus scored the equalizer at the 6:38 mark. Todd Ruport (Colorado Springs, Colo.) scored the go-ahead goal with 2:54 left on the clock and Ryan Shaughnessy (Columbus, Ohio) added to the tally with a goal of his own. North Carolina would score one more to cut the DU lead to 9-8 but the Pioneer defense held and Snider and Zordani each scored goals in the final two minutes as the Pioneers held on for the 11-8 upset victory.

In an evenly match game, North Carolina held a slight 40-39 edge in shooting and committed 21 turnovers to DU’s 22 while the Pioneers collected seven more groundballs than the Tar Heels and collected 12-of-21 face-offs. Snider took all of the DU face-offs and collected eight groundballs in the victory. Zordani and David Hahn (Aurora, Colo.) each picked up five groundballs.

The Pioneers continue their four-game home-stand with a game against the Colgate Red Raiders on March 4. The game is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. at Peter Barton Stadium.

2006 Pioneer Face-Off Classic All-Tournament Team

MVP:
Geoff Snider: Denver

Attack:
Ryan Zordani: Denver
Michael Burns: North Carolina
Ryan Blair: North Carolina

Midfield:
Nick Tintle: North Carolina
Greg Lewis: Manhattan
Griffin Nevitt: Air Force

Defense:
David Breiding: Air Force
Stephen McElduff: North Carolina
Rory Shepard: Denver

Goalkeeper:
Jeb Hollingsworth: Denver

Long Stick Midfielder:
Billy Staines: North Carolina



— www.DenverPioneers.com —


Jessica Poole
Media Relations Assistant
University of Denver
Work Phone: 303-871-3392
Home Phone: 734-216-1678
Fax: 303-871-3890
Email: jpoole3@du.edu

GO PIONEERS!

DU WOMEN’S LACROSSE NEWS - DU Women’s Lacrosse Takes Undefeated Record to Virginia Tech

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Friday, February 24, 2006
DU WOMEN’S LACROSSE NEWS - DU Women’s Lacrosse Takes Undefeated Record to Virginia Tech
Sisters Tanya and Natasha Fuchs square off

BLACKSBURGH, Va. – The University of Denver women’s lacrosse takes is undefeated 2-0 record to Virginia Tech for a 2 p.m. MT matchup on Sun., Feb. 26.

Denver is 2-0 on the season with wins over Longwood (18-4) and Duquesne (9-7). Senior Tanya Fuchs (Bay Shore, N.Y.), older sister of Tech sophomore Natasha Fuchs, leads Denver with six goals, three assists and 16 ground balls.

Virginia Tech, which returns 11 of 12 starters from the 2005 campaign open the 2006 season today with UAB.

JOSH WALDMAN
Assistant Director of Media Relations
DENVER PIONEERS
2201 E. Asbury Ave.
Denver, CO 80208
303-871-7555
fax 303-871-3890
www.denverpioneers.com

Men’s Lacrosse Welcomes Air Force, Manhattan and No. 14 North Carolina to Sixth Annual Face-Off Classic

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February, 24 2006
MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

Men’s Lacrosse Welcomes Air Force, Manhattan and No. 14 North Carolina to Sixth Annual Face-Off Classic
Pioneers take on Manhattan Saturday and face the Tar Heels Sunday

DENVER-The University of Denver men’s lacrosse team ranked No. 20 in the latest Inside Lacrosse Media Poll, welcomes No. 13 North Carolina, Manhattan and Air Force to Barton Lacrosse Stadium for the 2006 Pioneer Face-Off Classic. Saturday’s games feature Air Force taking on North Carolina at 11 a.m. and DU facing Manhattan at 1:30 p.m. On Sunday Air Force will take on the Manhattan Jaspers at 11 a.m. and DU will face North Carolina at 1:30 p.m.

The Pioneers enter the weekend with a 0-1 record after dropping their season-opener to No. 3 Virginia, 13-7 in Charlottesville Feb. 20. In Monday’s game against Virginia senior Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta) led the way tallying two goals and one assist in the loss. Snider was 11-of-21 in face-offs and picked up a team leading 11 groundballs. Also scoring goals for DU were Brad Richardson (Langley, B.C.), Todd Ruport (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Adam Goodwin (Columbus, Ohio), David Hahn (Aurora, Colo.) and Brandon Barcus (Dublin, Ohio). Richardson and Adam Miller (Columbus, Ohio) also tallied one assist apiece.

Air Force will once again be making the trip up from Colorado Springs to participate in the Face-Off Classic. The Falcons have appeared in the Pioneer Face-Off Classic each year of its existence. Air Force finished the 2005 season with a 4-8 record and tied for fifth in the Great Western Lacrosse League. The Falcons enter the weekend with a 0-1 record after falling to Villanova, 11-6 Feb. 18.

Manhattan will be making its second trip to the Mile High City and will open their 2006 season at the Pioneer Face-Off Classic. The Jaspers received votes in the Inside Lacrosse Preseason Poll and received a third-place nod in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. Senior defender Pat Farrelly earned All-MAAC Preseason honors. In addition to Farrelly, juniors Chris Oppito, Justin Henry, and Brian Murray headline Manhattan's returnees. Oppito, who tallied 14 goals and 11 assists last season at midfield, and Henry, who posted a 9.68 goals against average in net, were both part of the 2005 All-MAAC Second Team. Murray, who was recently selected to play for Team Ireland at the 2006 World Games, finished with 12 goals and 12 assists last year.

North Carolina will be making its first appearance in the Face-Off Classic this season. The Tar Heels enter the weekend with a 1-0 record and a No. 13 ranking after recording a 14-5 victory of Ohio State on Feb.18. The Tar Heels were led by freshman Michael Burns and Bart Wagner who recorded three goals apiece. The Tar Heels were ranked No. 18 in the Lacrosse Magazine Preseason Poll, No. 20 in the Lax.com Preseason Poll and No. 14 in the Inside Lacrosse Preseason Poll. The Tar Heels finished the 2005 campaign with a 5-8 record and a fourth place regular-season Atlantic Coast Conference finish.

The Pioneers return to action March 4 when they begin a two game homestand. DU squares-off with Colgate on March 4 and hosts Sacred Heart on March 12.

— www.DenverPioneers.com —


Jessica Poole
Media Relations Assistant
University of Denver
Work Phone: 303-871-3392
Home Phone: 734-216-1678
Fax: 303-871-3890
Email: jpoole3@du.edu

GO PIONEERS!

No. 20 DU Men’s Lacrosse Team Downs Manhattan,19-2 in Home Opener

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February 24, 2006
MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

No. 20 DU Men’s Lacrosse Team Downs Manhattan,19-2 in Home Opener
Freshman netminder Austin Konkel earns his first career victory

DENVER- Brad Richardson (Langley, B.C.) and Brandon Barcus (Dublin, Ohio) each scored three goals as the No. 20 Denver Pioneers defeated the Manhattan Jaspers, 19-2 this afternoon in game two of the 2006 Pioneer Face-Off Classic. DU improves to 1-1 on the season (0-0 GWLL) while the Jaspers fall to 0-1 (0-0 MAAC). In other tournament action No. 13 North Carolina defeated Air Force, 8-6 in the first game of the Pioneer Face-Off Classic. The Pioneers improved to 6-2 in home openers during head coach Jamie Munro’s tenure.

Adam Goodwin (Columbus, Ohio), Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) and Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta) each added two goals and two assists in the Pioneer victory, while goalkeeper, Austin Konkel (Aurora, Colo.) recorded four saves in 60 minutes of action.

Manhattan came out strong in the first period with Greg Lewis tallying the first goal of the game at the 13:47 mark but Snider rallied the Pioneers and recorded the first DU goal at the 12:08 mark sparking a 5-0 scoring run for the Pioneers. Manhattan’s Brian Murray got the Jaspers back on the board with a goal through the right side of the net with just under four minutes remaining in the first period. After dropping the first goal of the period DU recorded 18 shots to the Jaspers six, while collecting 12 more groundballs through the period.

The Jaspers wouldn’t get any closer than 5-2 in the first half as the second period featured more pressure by DU which resulted in ten Manhattan turnovers in the second and five Pioneer scores. Through the first half the Pioneers out-shot the Jaspers 31-8 and collected 24 more ground balls.

The second half featured more of the Pioneers high pressure defense which led to more chances on the offensive side. Richardson let loose in the second half tallying all three of his scores, while newcomers Clayton Millice (Denver, Colo.) and Jon Paulson (Flemington, N.J.) each added a goal in their first appearances as Pioneers.
DU recorded 14 more goals in the second half and went on to defeat the Jaspers, 19-2.

Snider recorded a team high 13 groundballs and was 15-of-18 on face-offs for the afternoon, while teammates Konkel and Rory Shepard (Riverside, Conn.) each had four. Neither team had many penalties but the Pioneers did manage to capitalize on their man-up opportunities going 1-of-2 for the game. DU held an 18-24 lead in turnovers for the game and out-shot the Jaspers 51-16.

The Pioneers will face the No. 13 North Carolina Tear Heels in the final game of the 2006 Pioneer Face-Off Classic. The game is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. The Air Force Falcons will take on the Manhattan Jaspers in the first game with an 11 a.m. face-off.


— www.DenverPioneers.com —


Jessica Poole
Media Relations Assistant
University of Denver
Work Phone: 303-871-3392
Home Phone: 734-216-1678
Fax: 303-871-3890
Email: jpoole3@du.edu

GO PIONEERS!

Falcons Face No. 13 North Carolina, Manhattan In Pioneer Face-Off Classic (2/23/06)

The Air Force lacrosse team (1-0) returns to action this weekend, Feb. 25-26, when they head to Denver, Colo., to take part in the Pioneer Face-Off Classic, hosted by Denver. The Falcons will face North Carolina on Saturday at 11:00 a.m., followed by an 11:00 a.m. meeting with Manhattan on Sunday.


Last Time Out...
Air Force opened the season last weekend with an 11-6 road loss to Villanova. The Wildcats took a 4-2 lead at the end of the first period before extending their advantage to 8-2 with just over five minutes remaining in the third quarter. Freshman Griffin Nevitt and sophomore Kevin Crumrine led the Air Force offense with two goals each in the loss, while Will Meister added a goal and an assist. Also scoring for the Falcons were juniors Justin Kuchta and Conrad Lochocki with a goal and an assist, respectively. Meanwhile, senior goalkeeper Justin Pavoni tallied nine saves between the pipes for the Falcons.


Head Coach Fred Acee...
Air Force head coach Fred Acee begins his ninth season at the helm of the Falcons’ program and his 39th season overall as a collegiate lacrosse coach.

A 1963 graduate of Cortland State, Acee coached at SUNY-Farmingdale, a two-year college on Long Island, for 30 years, compiling an overall mark of 312-119-1 and advancing to the NJCAA Final Four 25 times. Since Acee’s arrival at the Academy in the fall of 1997, the Falcons have yearly played top notch Division I schedules, compiling a record of 26-77.


Scouting the Tar Heels...
North Carolina, ranked 13th in the latest media poll released by Inside Lacrosse magazine, enters this weekend with a 1-0 record after defeating Ohio State, 14-5, last Saturday.

Freshman Michael Burns, named the ACC Player of the Week, led the Tar Heels with three goals and three assists in the season-opening victory, while fellow rookie Bart Wagner added three goals and two assists. Also scoring multiple points for North Carolina were Bobby MacAuley and Nick Tintle with two goals and an assist each and Ryan Blair with two goals.

North Carolina is coached by John Haus (North Carolina, ‘83), who has compiled a 104-58 mark in his seventh year at the helm of the Tar Heels’ program.


Scouting the Jaspers...
Manhattan opens its season on Saturday with its game against 20th-ranked Denver. The Jaspers, selected to finish third in a pre-season poll of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, recorded an overall ledger of 7-7.

Among the leading returners for the Jaspers are senior defenseman Pat Farrelly, a preseason All-MAAC pick, and juniors Chris Oppito, Justin Henry and Brian Murray. Oppito notched 14 goals and 11 assists in 2005, Henry had a 9.88 GAA and Murray recorded 12 goals and 12 assists last season.

Manhattan is coached by Tim McIntee (C.W. Post, ‘89), who has notched a 49-73 mark in his eight years at the helm of the Jaspers’ program.


In the Series...
North Carolina holds an 8-0 advantage in the all-time series versus Air Force. The teams last met in Chapel Hill, N.C., last season, with the Tar Heels picking up a 14-5 victory.

Manhattan is 2-1 all-time versus Air Force, with the last meeting an 8-7 victory for the Jaspers at the 2003 Pioneer Face-Off Classic.


The Ties That Bind...
Air Force’s coaching staff features connections to North Carolina’s lacrosse program. Assistant Eric Seremet was a four-year letterwinner for the Tar Heels and was part of North Carolina’s national championship team in 1991. In addition, head coach Fred Acee’s son, Michael, also played lacrosse at North Carolina.


Season Openers...
With its loss to Villanova last weekend, Air Force is now 27-13 all-time in season openers.


Up Next...
The Falcons head to the East Coast next weekend, March 4, to face UMBC in a 12:00 p.m. (ET) contest.

---------------------------------
Melissa McKeown
U.S. Air Force Academy
Assistant Athletic Media Relations Director
719.333.9025 (office)
719.333.3798 (fax)
719.331.8321 (cell)

DU WOMEN’S LACROSSE NEWS Greenlees Records Second Consecutive Hat Trick in 9-7 Victory

OR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Sunday, February 19, 2006
DU WOMEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

Greenlees Records Second Consecutive Hat Trick in 9-7 Victory
Pioneers off to best start ever

DENVER – Senior Stephanie Greenlees (Lake Forest, Ill.) recorded her second consecutive hat trick as the Denver Pioneers defeated the Duquesne Dukes, 9-7 today at Barton Stadium. The Pioneers are off to a 2-0 start, their best start ever. Senior Tanya Fuchs (Bay Shore, N.Y.) also registered three points off two goals and an assist.

DU scored three goals in the game’s first 11 minutes to take an early 3-0 lead. Ashley Wood’s goal at the 17:23 mark of the first half would be Duquesne’s first and last goal of the half as the Pioneers rattled off the next three goals to take a commanding 6-1 lead into halftime.

The Dukes scored four of the second half’s first five goals to put the score at 7-5 with 14:06 remaining in the game. DU’s two seniors, Fuchs and Greenlees, scored the game’s next to goals to put the game out of reach at 9-5 at the 6:33 mark. Duquesne did a little cosmetic surgery on the score, netting the final two tallies of the game to make the final score, 9-7.

Up next, DU returns to action with a 2 p.m. MT matchup at Virginia Tech next Sunday.

JOSH WALDMAN
Assistant Director of Media Relations
DENVER PIONEERS
2201 E. Asbury Ave.
Denver, CO 80208
303-871-7555
fax 303-871-3890
www.denverpioneers.com

Air Force Drops Season Opener, 11-6, To Villanova (2/18/06)

Air Force Drops Season Opener, 11-6, To Villanova

Villanova, Pa. - Unable to win its face-offs or make the most of its extra-man opportunities, the Air Force lacrosse team suffered an 11-6 loss to host Villanova to open the season Saturday at Villanova Stadium.

Villanova scored its first goal just 37 seconds into the game with a man-up goal by Matt Starker. Air Force freshman Griffin Nevitt (Charlotte, N.C.) quickly scored the equalizer off the ensuing face-off, but it was as close as the Falcons would come as the Wildcats rattled off three unanswered scores to take a 4-1 lead with 6:09 remaining in the first quarter. Air Force closed the scoring in the opening stanza with a score by sophomore Kevin Crumrine (Edgewater, Md.), assisted by junior tri-captain Will Meister (Denver, Colo.). However, Villanova responded with four straight scores to go up 8-1 at the 4:58 mark in the third period.

Nevitt notched his second score of the day to end the third period and junior Justin Kuchta (Ridgefield, Conn.) made it two in a row for the Falcons with an unassisted goal at the 13:37 mark in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, Villanova put together its third run of the afternoon, this time scoring three unanswered goals, capped off by another man-up goal with 7:47 remaining in regulation.

Though Air Force scored two late goals, one by Crumrine at 5:33 and the other by Meister with 37 seconds left, it was not enough as the Falcons were on the short end of the final 11-6 tally.

Villanova held a narrow edge in shots, 27-23, and groundballs, 21-18, for the game, but won 14-of-20 face-offs and was able to score on 2-of-6 extra-man opportunities. Meanwhile, Air Force was unable to convert any of its five man-up chances.

While Nevitt and Crumrine notched two goals each for the Falcons, Meister had a goal and an assist, Kuchta added a goal and Peter Krasco (So., Medford, Mass.) and Conrad Lochocki (Jr., Chalfont, Pa.) each tallied an assist. Senior Justin Pavoni (Park City, Utah) recorded nine saves in goal for Air Force. Meanwhile, Starker had four goals and an assist, Chris MacDonald scored two goals and an assist and Matt Panneton added two goals to pace the Wildcats.

The Falcons return to action next weekend, Feb. 25-26, when they head up the road to take part in the Pioneer Face-Off Classic, hosted by Denver. Air Force will take on 15th-ranked North Carolina on Saturday at 11:00 a.m., followed by a meeting with Manhattan on Sunday at 11:00 a.m.

Villanova 11, Air Force 6
Air Force Scoring: Goals: Griffin Nevitt 2, Kevin Crumrine 2, Will Meister, Justin Kuchta. Assists: Will Meister, Peter Krasco, Conrad Lochocki.
Villanova Scoring: Goals: Matt Starker 4, Chris MacDonald 2, Matt Panneton 2, Chris Mercer, Matthew Fritts, Dan Liva. Assists: Mike Haas, Chris MacDonald, Chris Mercer, Safi Najdawi, Matt Starker, Eric Webber.

---------------------------------
Melissa McKeown
U.S. Air Force Academy
Assistant Athletic Media Relations Director
719.333.9025 (office)
719.333.3798 (fax)
719.331.8321 (cell)

Air Force Opens 2006 Season Saturday At Villanova (2/17/06)

The Air Force lacrosse team opens its 2006 season on the road, as it travels to Villanova. The Falcons will take on the Wildcats at noon (ET) on Saturday, Feb. 18 at Villanova Stadium in Villanova, Pa.


The Outlook...
The 2006 Air Force lacrosse team returns eight seniors, all hardened veterans, and the Falcons are quietly confident and looking forward to a very successful 2006 season. This confidence is borne from a number of factors, including the return of the Falcons’ four top scorers. Juniors Will Meister, Conrad Lochocki, Justin Kuchta and sophomore Kevin Crumrine all return to lead the Falcon offense. In addition, the return of all-league goalie Justin Pavoni, who ranked fourth in the nation last season in ground balls per game, will provide the Falcons with one of the best athletes in the country.

Providing necessary leadership for this year’s squad are the Falcons’ trio of captains—Meister and seniors Paul Adams and Max Miller. Though only a junior, Meister has proven himself an efficient leader for the Falcons, pacing the team with 16 goals and 23 assists last season. Adams, a four-year starter for the Falcons, will lead the corps of Air Force midfielders on both ends of the field, while Miller, who notched two goals and four assists in 2005, will help provide leadership and experience to the strong Falcon offense.


Scouting the Wildcats...
Saturday’s game is also the season opener for Villanova, which returns six starters and 30 letterwinners from a squad which notched a 7-8 record in 2005.

Among the leading returnees for the Wildcats All-CAA selections are seniors Joe Canuso and Matt Starker. Canuso, a senior goalkeeper, finished fourth in the nation last season in both GAA (7.03) and save percentage (.618), while Starker led the team in both goals (25) and assists.


In the Series...
The Wildcats hold a 6-2 advantage in the all-time series versus the Falcons. The teams last met in 2002, when Villanova picked up an 8-7 win at home. Meanwhile, the last Air Force victory in the series came in 1996, when the Falcons defeated the Wildcats 14-6.


Season Openers...
The Falcons are 27-12 all-time in season openers. Air Force has won three of its last four season openers, including a 12-8 road win over service academy rival VMI last season.


Up Next...
The Falcons return to Colorado next week for the annual Pioneer Face-Off Classic, hosted by Denver. Air Force will first take on North Carolina at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25. The Falcons then wrap up the weekend on Sunday, Feb. 26 with an 11:00 a.m. contest against Manhattan.

---------------------------------
Melissa McKeown
U.S. Air Force Academy
Assistant Athletic Media Relations Director
719.333.9025 (office)
719.333.3798 (fax)
719.331.8321 (cell)

DU WOMEN’S LACROSSE NEWS - Four Pioneers Record Hat Tricks in Season-Opening Victory

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEAE – Thursday, February 16, 2006
DU WOMEN’S LACROSSE NEWS - Four Pioneers Record Hat Tricks in Season-Opening Victory
Two veterans and two new comers shine

DENVER – Four different Pioneers recorded hat tricks as the University of Denver women’s lacrosse team opened its 2006 campaign with an 18-4 victory against Longwood University today at Barton Stadium. Senior Tanya Fuchs (Bay Shore, N.Y.) and freshman Karen Morton (Adelaide, Australia) both registered four goals, while senior Stephanie Greenlees (Lake Forest, Ill.) and junior newcomer Kristie Leggio (Bay Shore, N.Y) both tallied three.

DU jumped out to a 10-0 lead during the first half and never looked back. The Lancers scored one goal in the closing seconds of the first half to put the score at 10-1.

Denver scored the first three goals of the second stanza to take a 13-1 lead with just under 24 minutes remaining. Ali Shafer notched Longwood’s second goal to make the score 13-2 with 21:06 remaining in the game. The Pioneers would add five more goals to walk away with the season-opening 18-4 win.

Up next, DU returns to Barton Stadium with a 1 p.m. matchup against Duquesne Sunday.

JOSH WALDMAN
Assistant Director of Media Relations
DENVER PIONEERS
2201 E. Asbury Ave.
Denver, CO 80208
303-871-7555
fax 303-871-3890
www.denverpioneers.com

MLL - 2006 New Balance Championship Weekend in Los Angeles

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Shaun May
Major League Lacrosse
Office: (617) 746-9980
Mobile: (240) 676-4607
smay@majorleaguelacrosse.com

2006 New Balance Championship Weekend in Los Angeles
Semifinals Set for August 25, Championship Game August 27 at Home Depot Center

BOSTON (February 15, 2006) – Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the premier professional outdoor lacrosse league, announced today that the 2006 New Balance Major League Lacrosse Championship Weekend will take place at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles on Aug. 25 and 27, according to MLL Commissioner David Gross. The semifinal games will be held at 5:30 p.m. PT and 8 p.m. PT on Friday, Aug. 25. The two semifinal winners will advance to the New Balance Championship Game on Sunday, Aug. 27. The Championship Game will air live on ESPN2 at a to be determined time. The Los Angeles Riptide, one of MLL’s four expansion franchises, begin play in the 2006 season.
“Lacrosse was born to be played in Los Angeles and the combination of world class athletes, weather and stars make L.A. the perfect home for our first post expansion New Balance Championship Weekend,” said MLL Founder Jake Steinfeld, CEO of Body by Jake Global. “We look forward to partnering with Tim Leiweke, Shawn Hunter and AEG, the preeminent leader in sports and entertainment to provide an amazing experience for all MLL fans. I know if you weren’t an MLL fan before this weekend, you absolutely will be after this awesome weekend.”
Tickets for both days of New Balance Championship Weekend are already on sale. Prices range from $15-$75 per day, with discounts available for youths and groups of 20 or more. For more information, contact the Riptide ticket office at 1-866-4-LAX-TIX.
The playoff berth format will differ in 2006 with the newly formed expansion Western Conference. The winners of each conference, Eastern and Western, advance to New Balance Championship Weekend. Two wild card spots are awarded to the two teams with the next best regular season records, regardless of conference. The conference winner with the better record plays the wild card team with the lesser record in one semifinal game, with the remaining conference winner and wild card team facing off in the other semifinal.
The Baltimore Bayhawks, Boston Cannons, Long Island Lizards and Rochester Rattlers advanced to last year’s New Balance MLL Championship Weekend. The Bayhawks won their second MLL title, beating the Lizards by 15-9 in the New Balance Championship Game. Baltimore player-coach Gary Gait was named the game’s Bud Light MVP, scoring six goals. Bayhawks midfielder Paul Cantabene won 20 of 26 face-offs helping Baltimore secure the win. The Bayhawks and Lizards have appeared in four of the five MLL New Balance Championship Games, with each team winning twice. Philadelphia and Boston played in the 2004 New Balance Championship Game, with the Barrage prevailing 13-11. Baltimore and Boston are the only two teams to appear in the playoffs in each of the MLL’s first five seasons. Long Island has appeared four times, Rochester three, New Jersey twice and Philadelphia once.
As an anchor level corporate sponsor of Major League Lacrosse, New Balance is the “Official Footwear and Sideline Apparel of Major League Lacrosse.” The New Balance logo also appears on the Boston Cannons team uniform. The Warrior Burn lacrosse shoe by New Balance debuted in February 2004. Designed and tested by members of the Warrior Lacrosse Players Club Team, the Burn is the world’s first lacrosse shoe developed by the world’s best players.
About New Balance
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, Mass., is a leading manufacturer of technologically innovative width-sized performance footwear and athletic apparel for women, men, and children. The range of product categories includes running, walking, cross training, basketball, tennis, adventure, and kids. Dunham joined the New Balance family in Fall 1998. Dunham is an outdoor performance brand known for its technologies, innovations and development of footwear that is lightweight, comfortable and inspired by the world outside. New Balance acquired the rights to the PF Flyers brand in February 2000. First introduced in 1937 by the B.F. Goodrich Company, PF Flyers was re-launched in Spring 2003 as an authentic brand of active casual footwear. Aravon® comfort performance brand footwear debuted in January 2004 as an unsurpassed blend of fit, comfort, support and style. In early 2004, New Balance acquired Warrior Lacrosse, widely recognized as the world’s most cutting edge manufacturer of lacrosse equipment. Innovative Hockey was acquired in 2005 to operate as a new division called Warrior Hockey. New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. employs more than 2,800 people around the globe, and in 2005 reported worldwide sales of $1.54 billion. For more information please visit http://www.newbalance.com.
About Major League Lacrosse
Major League Lacrosse, a ten-team professional outdoor lacrosse league, was founded in 1999 by fitness entrepreneur Jake Steinfeld, CEO of Body by Jake Global L.L.C., and founding partners Dave Morrow, a former champion lacrosse player and now CEO of Warrior Lacrosse, a leading global provider of innovative and high performance lacrosse equipment; and Timothy B. Robertson, former CEO of The Family Channel and the current chairman of Bay Shore Enterprises, L.L.C., an investment holding company with activities in international media and Internet technology ventures. The MLL commenced play in June of 2001. The MLL is comprised of two conferences. The Eastern Conference contains the original six teams, Baltimore, Boston, Long Island, (Montclair) New Jersey, Philadelphia and Rochester. The Western Conference debuts in the 2006 season with MLL expansion franchises Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Additional league information can be found at www.majorleaguelacrosse.com.
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