Air Force Set To Take On Service-Academy Rival Army In Nationally Televised Contest (3/31/06)

The Air Force lacrosse team (4-4) hits the road on Saturday, April 1, for a 4:00 p.m. (ET) contest at service-academy rival Army. The game, which will be played in Michie Stadium, is scheduled to be broadcast live nationally on ESPNU.


Last Time Out...
Air Force improved to 3-0 at home while extending its winning streak to four games with a 10-5 victory over St. John’s last Saturday.

Although the Red Storm took the early 1-0 lead, the Falcons got out to a 6-3 advantage at halftime, behind four first-half scores by sophomore Kevin Crumrine. Air Force never looked back, and with the only goal of the fourth period, the Falcons walked away with the 10-5 win.

Crumrine finished with five points, adding an assist to his four goals, while junior tri-captain Will Meister also had five points, with one goal and four assists. Meanwhile, senior Justin Pavoni was solid between the pipes for Air Force, finishing with 13 saves and four ground balls.


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 30-80.


Scouting the Black Knights...
Army, ranked 20th in the latest STX/USILA Coaches’ Poll, enters this weekend’s contest with a 4-4 overall mark, including a perfect 3-0 record at home. The Black Knights suffered a tough 11-6 road loss to fourth-ranked Hofstra on Tuesday.

John Walker (eight goals, 12 assists) leads Army’s offense with 20 points on the season, while Mike Obringer has a team-best 10 goals to go with his six assists. Sophomore Adam Fullerton has seen the majority of action in goal for Army, compiling a .588 save percentage and 8.08 GAA.

Army is coached by Joe Alberici (Alfred ‘91), who has compiled a 4-4 mark in his first season at the helm of the Black Knights’ program and a 12-10 career ledger.


In the Series...
Army leads the all-time series versus Air Force, 12-0, with all 12 previous contests being played in West Point. While the Black Knights picked up a 10-6 win over the Falcons last year, two of the last three contests between the two teams have gone into overtime.


Falcons in the National Rankings...
In the latest national rankings through games of March 26, Air Force found itself ranked in several statistical categories. The Falcons are rated 21st in scoring defense (7.88), 26th in win percentage (.500) and 28th in scoring margin (0.5).

In addition, several Air Force players are rated in the individual rankings. Junior Will Meister is currently 13th in the nation in assists per game (1.88), goalkeeper Justin Pavoni is rated 19th, 24th and 25th in save percentage (.578), ground balls (4.75) and goals against average (8.27), respectively, and face-offs specialists Kyle O’Neill and John Smith rank 30th (.522) and 43rd (.446), respectively, in face-off win percentage.

In the conference rankings, Meister leads the GWLL in assists per game, while sophomore Kevin Crumrine ranks third in goals per contest (2.12). Meister and Crumrine are tied for points per game with 2.62. Pavoni ranks second in saves per game, third in save percentage, fourth in goals against average and is tied for second in ground balls per game. Finally, O’Neill and Smith rank sixth and ninth, respectively, in face-off win percentage.


Pavoni Moves Up In the Record Books...
With 85 saves through the first eight games of the season, senior Justin Pavoni sits in seventh place on the career saves list at the Academy with 391 total saves, and needs 96 more 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 return home next week for a pair of games, first hosting Quinnipiac in the conference opener at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, April 7. Then, Air Force will wrap up the weekend by playing host to Bellarmine on Sunday, April 9, in a 1:00 p.m. contest.

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DU MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS - DU Men’s Lacrosse Team Takes To The East Coast This Weekend

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 30, 2006
DU MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS - DU Men’s Lacrosse Team Takes To The East Coast This Weekend
Pioneers play No. 20 Harvard April 1 and face Stony Brook April 3

DENVER- The No. 14 Denver Pioneers are on the road for the second-consecutive weekend as they head to Massachusetts for a game at No. 20 Harvard on April 1 and head to New York for a contest at Stony Brook on April 3. The Pioneers’ game with Harvard is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. (MT) and their match with Stony Brook has a 3 p.m. (MT) start time.

DU enters the weekend with a 5-2 record and riding a five-game home win streak after defeating Drexel, 14-11 March 28 in the first night game of the season. Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) and Brandon Barcus (Dublin, Ohio) scored four goals each in the victory, while Jeb Hollingsworth (Darien, Conn.) made seven saves in 60 minutes in the goal.

Zordani leads the team in points with 20 on 11 goals and nine assists this season. Senior Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta) leads the nation and team in groundballs with 88 this season, averaging 11.83 per game. He also leads the team and is third in the nation. in face-off win percentage (.664). Hollingsworth is a staple for DU in the cage. He owns a 4-2 record and has a 8.35 goals against average and a .538 saves percentage. He is ranked 20th in the nation in goals against average. The Pioneers as a team are also nationally-ranked in several categories. DU is ranked 16th in scoring defense with 7.67 goals allowed, second in face-off win percentage (.641), ninth in scoring margin (3.83) and 14th in win percentage (.667).

Harvard comes into the weekend contest with a 3-2 record after posting an upset win over No. 14 Pennsylvania in their Ivy League opener on March 28. Evan Calvert leads the team with 16 points on 10 goals and six assists. Evan O’Donnell is in goal for the Crimson and owns a 2-0 record with a 5.50 goals against average. Freshman Max Motschwiller was named Ivy League rookie of the week after scoring two goals against Penn.

Stony Brook is 2-4 (0-0 America East) with their league opener April 1 against Vermont. The Sea Wolves dropped a contest to Rutgers March 28. Jason Cappadoro leads the team with 19 points on nine goals and 10 assists. Brendan Callahan is in the cage and has a 2-3 record and a 9.95 goals against average.

The Pioneers return to Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium April 7 when they host Bellarmine at 7:30 p.m. The game is the first of a four-game homestand to close out the home schedule.


— www.DenverPioneers.com —

DU WOMEN'S LACROSSE NEWS - Morton Earns MPSF Player of the Week

DU WOMEN'S LACROSSE NEWS - Morton Earns MPSF Player of the Week

DU freshman shines on the road



WOODLAND, Calif. - Freshman Karen Morton (Adelaide, Australia) has been named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Player of the Week for leading the University of Denver women's lacrosse team to a pair of road wins at George Washington and Mount St. Mary's. Morton becomes the second Pioneer to earn player of the week accolades. Fellow teammate Kristie Leggio (Bay Shore, N.Y.) won the award on March 14.



Morton tallied 10 points on nine goals and one assist for the week, scoring the game-winning goal in both of DU's games last week. The freshman began the week with four goals, one ground ball and one draw control in DU's 9-8 win at George Washington. She followed up with five goals, one assist, five ground balls, seven draw controls and three caused turnovers in DU's 17-10 win at Mount St. Mary's.



Morton is the first freshman to win this award in 2006.



Up next, Morton and the rest Pioneers travel to California for a pair of MPSF games at Saint Mary's and California.

DU MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS - Men’s Lacrosse Team Hosts Drexel In First Night Game Of The Season

DU MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS - Men’s Lacrosse Team Hosts Drexel In First Night Game Of The Season
Pioneers take on the Drexel Dragons at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 28

DENVER- The No. 14 Denver Pioneer men’s lacrosse team hosts it first night game of the season this Tuesday when it takes on the Drexel Dragons at 7:30 p.m. in Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. The game is the Pioneers first weekday match-up this season and marks the first time that the Pioneers and Dragons have met in a lacrosse contest.

DU enters the game with 4-2 (0-0 GWLL) record after dropping a 12-8 road contest against Maryland-Baltimore County on March 25. Todd Ruport (Colorado Springs, Colo.) led the Pioneers offensively with three goals on the afternoon. Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta) picked up a game-high 19 groundballs and went 20-of-24 in face-offs for the game. Jeb Hollingsworth (Darien, Conn.) recorded seven saves in 53:17 minutes of action while freshman Austin Konkel (Aurora, Colo.) made two saves in almost seven minutes of action.

Snider leads the team in points (14), goals (10), groundballs(71) and face-off percentage (.664). He was added to the 2006 Tewaaraton Watchlist for his excellent play this season. In the cage for DU is Hollingsworth, who owns a 3-2 record and a 7.69 goals against average and a .575 saves percentage.

The Dragons enter the game with a 4-3 (1-1 CAA) record and on a two-game losing streak. The Dragons are led by Jeff Pfeffer, who has 18 points on 15 goals and three assists this season and Matt Musci, who has 15 points on eight goals and seven assists. Bruce Bickford starts in the cage for the Dragons and owns a 7.65 goals against average and a .646 saves percentage. He has faced 233 shots and made 93 saves.

The Pioneers hit the road again this weekend for matches with Harvard and Stony Brook. The Pioneers face Harvard April 1 and Stony Brook April 3. DU returns home for a four-game homestand beginning April 7 when they take on Bellarmine.


— www.DenverPioneers.com —

DU MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS - DU Men’s Lacrosse Player Geoff Snider Added To Tewaaraton Watchlist

DU MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS - DU Men’s Lacrosse Player Geoff Snider Added To Tewaaraton Watchlist
Senior becomes the second Pioneer to be named to the watchlist

DENVER- University of Denver senior midfielder Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta) has been added to the 2006 Tewaaraton Watchlist, it was announced by the Tewaaraton Award Foundation today. Snider becomes the second player in as many years to be named to the prestigious watchlist. In 2005, Scott Davidson became the first Pioneer to be named to the watchlist.

The Tewaaraton Trophy is the top lacrosse award in the country, honoring the nation’s top male and female varsity collegiate lacrosse players. It is the equivalent of football’s Heisman Trophy. Players on the list are considered players to keep an eye on during the season. The list will be voted on and narrowed down as the season progresses with the final five males and females making up the 2006 Tewaaraton Award finalists.

Snider currently leads the nation in groundballs per game, grabbing 10.40 per contest and is seventh in face-off win percentage with a .625 percentage. He also earned Preseason All-America honors from Inside Lacrosse magazine. This season, Snider was named Great Western Lacrosse League Player of the Week on February 27 for his efforts in the Pioneers upset of then-No. 13 North Carolina in the 2006 Pioneer Face-Off Classic and was also named MVP of the 2006 Pioneer Face-Off Classic. Last summer, Snider was selected to the Canadian national team that will host 2006 World Lacrosse Championships.

The Pioneers are currently 4-2 (0-0 GWLL) and will host the Drexel Dragons Tuesday, March 28 in Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. Face-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.


— www.DenverPioneers.com —

Falcons Pick Up 10-5 Home Win Over St. John's (3/25/06)

Falcons Pick Up 10-5 Home Win Over St. John’s

USAFA, Colo. - Led by five points each for junior Will Meister (Denver, Colo.) and sophomore Kevin Crumrine (Edgewater, Md.), the Air Force lacrosse team defeated visiting St. John’s, 10-5, Saturday afternoon at Cadet Lacrosse Stadium. With their fourth-consecutive victory, the Falcons improve to 4-4 on the season, 3-0 at home, while the Red Storm falls to 2-4 on the year.

St. John’s got on board in the first minute of the contest as Justin O’Donnell scored on the feed from Rob Gannon. Crumrine answered with his first goal less than a minute later on the assist by senior Max Miller (Dublin, Ohio), while Miller’s Meister-assisted score at the 8:19 mark put Air Force ahead, 2-1. O’Donnell tied the game once more with just under five minutes to play in the opening period before another Miller assist to Crumrine put Air Force ahead for good.

Crumrine’s third goal of the game came at the 4:50 mark in the second period, this time off an assist by senior John Smith (Marion, Pa.), while Meister sent a solo shot into the goal just 34 seconds later. The Red Storm’s Tom Michaelsen put an end to the Air Force run with a score with 3:45 remaining in the half, but Crumrine again put the ball in the net to give the Falcons a 6-3 advantage at intermission.

In a rough and tumble third period where each team committed three penalties, Meister found junior Justin Kuchta (Ridgefield, Conn.) for an extra-man score, but Michaelsen scored his own man-up goal just a minute later. A pair of overlapping penalties by the Red Storm gave Air Force a significant extra-man advantage around the 10 minute mark, and as the penalty was being released, Meister tallied yet another assist, this time to junior Conrad Lochocki (Chalfont, Pa.) who sent it into the cage to give the Falcons an 8-4 advantage.

Three minutes later, Lochocki tallied another score, this time on the assist from Crumrine, but St. John’s cut the deficit back to four goals just before the expiration of the third period, as Gannon took the assist from Felix Forbes. The final quarter was a solid defensive effort for both teams, as Air Force sophomore Chris Tubesing (Centreville, Va.) was the only one to score, with yet another assist from Meister, giving the Falcons the 10-5 win.

Despite the final score, St. John’s did dominate several aspects of the game, outshooting Air Force 33-24, picking up 34 ground balls to the Falcons’ 19, and winning 16-of-19 face-offs, led by Devin Madden, who won 16 of his face-offs taken for the Red Storm. Still, Air Force was helped by a solid defensive effort, led by senior goalkeeper Justin Pavoni (Park City, Utah). Pavoni, named the GWLL Player of the Week for his exceptional play in the Falcons upset of then-16th-ranked Dartmouth last weekend, was again solid between the pipes for Air Force, collecting 13 saves and four ground balls, while also getting two interceptions.

In addition to Meister and Crumrine’s five points each to lead the Air Force offense, Miller added three points (one goal, two assists). For the Red Storm, Justin O’Donnell (two goals), Tom Michaelsen (two goals) and Rob Gannon (one goal, one assist), all had two points each.

The Falcons return to action next Saturday, April 1, when they travel to West Point, N.Y., to face service academy rival Army. The game is slated to begin at 4:00 p.m. (ET) and will be televised on ESPN-U.

Air Force 10, St. John’s 5
St. John’s Scoring: Goals: Tom Michaelsen 2, Justin O’Donnell 2, Rob Gannon. Assists: Felix Forbes, Rob Gannon, John Kutner, Jack Rosson.
Air Force Scoring: Goals: Kevin Crumrine 4, Conrad Lochocki 2, Will Meister, Max Miller, Justin Kuchta, Chris Tubesing. Assists: Will Meister 4, Max Miller 2, Kevin Crumrine, Griffin Nevitt, John Smith.

DU WOMEN’S LACROSSE NEWS - DU Upends Mount Saint Mary’s, 17-10

DU WOMEN’S LACROSSE NEWS - DU Upends Mount Saint Mary’s, 17-10
Greenlees becomes DU’s greatest goal scorer

EMMITSBURG, Md. - Freshman Karen Morton (Adelaide, Australia) tallied five goals and one assist to power the University of Denver women’s lacrosse team past Mount St. Mary's 17-10 in nonconference women's lacrosse action on Friday. The Pioneers, who are on a program best five-game winning streak, improved to 7-2. The Mount fell to 2-6.

Morton, who scored four goals including the game-winner against George Washington on Wednesday, posted one goal in the first half and recorded four markers in the second half to help the Pioneers end a two-game losing streak against the Mountaineers.

Senior Stephanie Greenlees (Lake Forest, Ill.) added four goals and an assist en route to becoming DU’s greatest goal scorer with 152 career goals while senior Tanya Fuchs (Bay Shore, N.Y.) and junior Kristie Leggio (Bay Shore, N.Y.) tallied two goals and two helpers in the winning effort.

Ellie Keener paced the Mount with three goals in the loss. Katelyn Catanese and Casey Paris each added two goals in the contest.

Denver jumped out to the advantage and never looked back.

Greenlees got the scoring started on a free-position shot 26 seconds into the game before Fuchs found the twine and then connected with Leggio to hand the Pioneers a 3-0 edge at 2:39.

Paris, who had five markers in last year's meeting between the two programs, scored at 7:09.

Morton responded with her first tally of the afternoon before Leggio hooked up with sophomore Victoria Baines (Parker, Colo.) at 8:13 for a 5-1 margin.

Catanese momentarily halted the Pioneer spurt with an 8-meter goal at 10:41, but freshman Steph Coyne (Baltimore, Md.) and Greenlees scored three-straight time to push the advantage to 8-2 with 14:39 remaining in the first half.

The Mount answered with three unanswered goals to go into the break trailing 8-5. Catanese, Paris and Leeann Robustelli each found the back of the net in that stretch.

Fuchs and Morton came out of the intermission with back-to-back goals in the first two minutes of the final stanza for a 10-5 lead.

The Mount recorded the next two goals with the Pioneer goalkeeper out of position. Jen Davison beat the Denver netminder back to the cage at 34:18 after the ball went out of bounds and the Keener scored on a foul by the goalkeeper to trim the deficit to 10-7.

Morton and Keener traded scores to maintain the four-goal difference with 15:30 left on the clock, but then the Pioneers rolled off the next five markers. After Morton started the run at 47:24, Greenlees, Leggio and Coyne found the twine before Morton capped the run surge she started with her fifth tally of the day at 54:06 for a 16-8 margin.

Keener then scored her third goal of the day on a free-position shot at 55:46 before Kathleen Rossetti scored the Mount’s last goal at 58:48.

Baines added a goal in the final minute to seal the 17-10 win for the Pioneers.

Sophomore Becky Childs (Phoenix, Md.) made seven saves in the victory while Jane Karger had nine stops in the loss.

Up next, the Pioneers travel to California for a pair of MPSF games at Saint Mary’s and California.

Falcons Set To Host St. John's In Non-Conference Action (3/24/06)

The Air Force lacrosse team (3-4) returns to action this weekend, hosting St. John’s in a 12:00 p.m. contest on Saturday, March 25.


Last Time Out...
Air Force extended its winning streak to three games last week, first posting a 12-8 victory over Siena at home, before knocking off 16th-ranked Dartmouth at a neutral site contest in Ridgefield, Conn.

Against the Saints, the Falcons got out to a 2-0 lead before giving up five unanswered goals in the first half. However, they were able to rally from their three-goal deficit, tying the game just prior to intermission, before taking the lead for good in the third period. Leading scorers for Air Force against Siena were sophomore Kevin Crumrine with four goals, freshman Griffin Nevitt with three goals and two assists, Justin Kuchta with two goals and two assists and Will Meister with one goal and three assists. In addition, junior goalkeeper Daniel Bellissimo notched five saves and one goal against in relief for the Falcons.

In Air Force’s game against No. 16 Dartmouth, the Falcons never trailed, getting their first goal early in the game from Nevitt. Huge offensive outbursts in the second and third quarters helped Air Force to its third-straight victory. Leading the way on offense was Nevitt with four goals and an assist, Meister added three goals and two assists, Conrad Lochocki had three goals and an assist, and Crumrine added a goal and three assists. Meanwhile, senior goalkeeper Justin Pavoni was outstanding between the pipes for Air Force, notching 16 saves and five ground balls to hold Dartmouth to a season-low eight goals.


Scouting the Red Storm...
St. John’s enters this week’s contest with a 2-3 record after suffering a close 6-5 loss to No. 17 Loyola last week. The Red Storm held a 3-2 lead at the half against the Greyhounds before Loyola came back in the second half to win the game.

Tom Michaelsen (nine goals, seven assists) leads the Red Storm’s offense with 16 points on the season. Meanwhile, Dave Saccente has been between the pipes for St. John’s all season, posting a .602 save percentage with a 7.40 goals against average.

St. John’s is coached by Rick Sowell (Washington College ‘85), who has compiled a 4-14 mark in his second season at the helm of the Red Storm program and a 37-50 career ledger.


In the Series...
Air Force is 1-0 in the all-time series versus St. John’s, picking up a 13-11 win over the Red Storm last season.


Pavoni Earns GWLL Honors...
Senior Justin Pavoni was named the GWLL Player of the Week for the week of March 13-19, as announced on March 21.

The goalkeeper from Park City, Utah, played an integral role in the Falcons’ upset of 16th-ranked Dartmouth, getting 16 saves and five ground balls in the game to hold the Big Green to a season-low eight goals. Pavoni also played in the first half of Air Force’s 12-8 home victory over Siena on March 14.


Pavoni Moves Up In the Record Books...
With 72 saves through the first seven games of the season, senior Justin Pavoni sits in seventh place on the career saves list at the Academy with 378 total saves, and needs 109 more 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.


There’s No Place like Home...
Air Force’s neutral site game versus Dartmouth on Saturday was in a familiar location for junior Justin Kuchta, as the contest was played at his high school stadium. The Falcons were glad to utilize the “home” field advantage, upsetting the 16th-ranked Big Green.


Up Next...
Air Force is back in action next week, Saturday, April 1, when they head to West Point, N.Y., to take on service academy rival Army at 4:00 p.m. (ET). The game is slated to be televised on ESPN-U.

DU MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS - Men’s Lacrosse Team Heads To Baltimore This Weekend

DU MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS - Men’s Lacrosse Team Heads To Baltimore This Weekend
Pioneers play a nationally-televised game against Maryland-Baltimore County on Saturday

DENVER- The No. 11 Pioneers hit the road for the second time this season when they head to Baltimore to take on Maryland-Baltimore County Saturday, March 25. The game is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. (MT) and will be televised locally on ESPNU which is available on Dish Network, Channel 148. The match will also be aired in the Baltimore area on WMAR, the local ABC affiliate.

DU enters the contest riding a four-game win steak with victories over Colgate, Sacred Heart, Manhattan and North Carolina. Denver’s most recent win came March 12 when they defeated Sacred Heart, 10-6. Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta), Todd Ruport (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Brandon Barcus (Dublin, Ohio) each recorded two goals in the victory while Jeb Hollingsworth (Darien, Conn.) recorded four saves in 60 minutes of action.

Snider paces the Pioneers offense with 12 points on eight goals and four assists this season. He leads the Pioneers and the nation with 10.40 groundballs per game and is 63-101 from the face-off circle for a .624 win percentage, which ranks him seventh in the nation. In the cage for DU is Hollingsworth, who owns a 3-1 record on the season with a 6.68 goals against average, which ranks him tenth in the nation in goals against average. Hollingsworth has faced 105 shots this season, making 35 saves for a .625 saves percentage, ninth in the nation.

The Retrievers enter the game with a 2-3 record and on a three-game losing streak. UMBC has played a tough schedule with their losses coming to top-ranked programs in Maryland, Pennsylvania and defending national champion John Hopkins. The Retrievers are led by James Hyland, who has 12 points on 10 goals and two assists this season and Terry Kimener, who has 11 points on four goals and seven assists. Taylor Marino has collected 15 groundballs for UMBC this season. In the cage for the Retrievers is Jeremy Blevins, who has made 39 saves this season and owns a 8.13 goals against average.

The Pioneers return to Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium Tuesday, March 28 for the first night game of the season when it hosts the Drexel Dragons. Face-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.


— www.DenverPioneers.com —

DU WOMEN’S LACROSSE NEWS - Pioneers Comeback to Down Colonials, 9-8

DU WOMEN’S LACROSSE NEWS - Pioneers Comeback to Down Colonials, 9-8
DU has won a program best four consecutive games

WASHINGTON DC – The University of Denver women’s lacrosse team scored the game’s final three goals en route to a comeback, 9-8 victory over the George Washington Colonials today at the Mount Vernon Athletic Complex. The Pioneers, who are on a program best four-game winning streak, improved to 6-2. GW fell to 2-5.

Freshman Karen Morton (Adelaide, Australia) led DU with four goals. Junior Kristie Leggio (Bay Shore, N.Y.) added two goals and three assists while senior Tanya Fuchs (Bay Shore, N.Y.) contributed one goal and two assists.

After GW opened the scoring on an unassisted goal by Megan Cratty, DU responded with four unanswered goals, two by Morton, for a 4-1 advantage.

Annie Howley scored her first two goals of the game four minutes apart to bring GW to within 4-3 at the 11:57 mark before DU’s Stephanie Greenlees (Lake Forest, Ill.) scored an unassisted goal to put the Pioneers up, 5-3, to close out the first half.

GW came out of the break strong and scored three goals, two by Howley and one by Laura Hostetler, in the first seven minutes to give GW a 6-5 advantage with 23 minutes remaining. The Pioneers tied the game at 6-6 on a goal from Fuchs after a pass from Leggio.

GW added two more goals from Hayley McDonough and Hostetler to put GW back up, 8-6, at the 16:15 mark but that would be the Colonials' last score in the game.


DU scored the final three goals on a shot by Morton and an unassisted goal by Leggio to knot the game again at 8-8 with 7:48 left. Three minutes later, Morton took a pass from Fuchs and found the net for the game-winner at the 4:10 mark. GW had a couple of opportunities to tie the game on a free position shot by Hostetler but her shots went wide of the goal.

DU sophomore goalkeeper Becky Childs (Phoenix, Md.) made six saves and faced 28 GW shots. GW goalkeeper Caitlin Garman made five saves while facing 22 DU shots.

Up next, the Pioneers play game three of their seven-game road trip at Mount St. Mary’s on Friday, March 24 at 1 p.m. MT.

Pavoni Named GWLL Player Of The Week

Pavoni Named GWLL Player Of The Week

USAFA, Colo. - Air Force senior goalkeeper Justin Pavoni (Park City, Utah) was named the Great Western Lacrosse League Player of the Week for the week of March 13-21, as announced Tuesday morning. It marks the first such honors for the defending conference goalkeeper of the year.

Pavoni, who saw action in the first half of the Falcons’ 12-8 home victory over Siena last Tuesday, was recognized primarily for his performance in a 13-8 win over 16th-ranked Dartmouth Saturday in Ridgefield, Conn. Pavoni recorded 16 saves and five ground balls in the win, while holding the Big Green, which had averaged 13 goals per game in its first four contests, to a season-low eight goals.

Pavoni and his teammates return to action this Saturday, March 25, when they host St. John’s in non-conference action.

---------------------------------
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 Knocks Off 16th-Ranked Dartmouth, 13-8

Air Force Knocks Off 16th-Ranked Dartmouth, 13-8



Ridgefield, Conn. - Led by an outstanding offensive output by a freshman and a spectacular defensive effort by a senior, the Air Force lacrosse team never trailed in a 13-8 win over No. 15 Dartmouth Saturday afternoon at Ridgefield High School. The Falcons improve to 3-4 on the season with its third-straight victory, while the Big Green falls to 3-2.



Falcon freshman Griffin Nevitt (Charlotte, N.C.) got on board early with a score at 13:41 in the first quarter, but Dartmouth responded a minute later with Jamie Coffin's first goal of the game. However, Air Force closed the opening period with a goal from sophomore Kevin Crumrine (Edgewater, Md.) on the assist from Nevitt, and the Falcons never looked back.



Outscoring Dartmouth 4-2 in the second period to take a 6-3 lead at the half, Air Force's offense exploded for a 5-2 advantage in the third quarter. Though the Big Green did have the edge, 3-2, in the final period, it was not enough to fight off Air Force's bid for the upset.



The Falcons held a 39-31 advantage on ground balls, and won half of their face-offs, with Kyle O'Neill (Jr., Portsmouth, R.I.) and John Smith (Sr., Marion, Pa.) splitting face-off duties. Dartmouth did outshoot Air Force, 37-35.



"Our offense and defense came together very well to get the win today," said Air Force head coach Fred Acee. "Justin Pavoni was especially outstanding in goal for us."



Pavoni (Sr., Park City, Utah) finished the contest with 21 saves to lead the Falcons' defense against Dartmouth, which has averaged 13 goals in its first four games of the season. Meanwhile, Nevitt anchored the Air Force offense with four goals and an assist, while junior tri-captain Will Meister (Denver, Colo.) added three goals and two assists. Also scoring for the Falcons were junior Conrad Lochocki (Chalfont, Pa.) with three goals and an assist, Crumrine with a goal and a team-high three assists, Ridgefield native Justin Kuchta with a goal and freshman Brian Massa (Jamesville, N.Y.), with his first collegiate goal. In addition, senior tri-captain Max Miller (Dublin, Ohio) added an assist in the winning effort for the Falcons.



For the Big Green, Coffin led the way with two goals and four assists, while Brian Koch added two goals and an assist.



The Falcons are back in action next Saturday, March 25, when they return home to host St. John's in non-conference action. The game is slated to begin at 12:00 p.m. at Cadet Lacrosse Stadium.



Air Force 13, Dartmouth 8

Dartmouth Scoring: Goals: Jamie Coffin 2, Brian Koch 2, Alec Hufnagel 2, Nick Bonacci, Luke Antal. Assists: Jamie Coffin 4, Brian Koch, Nick Bonacci.

Air Force Scoring: Goals: Griffin Nevitt 4, Will Meister 3, Conrad Lochocki 3, Kevin Crumrine, Justin Kuchta, Brian Massa. Assists: Kevin Crumrine 3, Will Meister 2, Griffin Nevitt, Conrad Lochocki, Max Miller.

Falcons Pick Up 12-8 Home Victory Over Siena (3/14/06)

Falcons Pick Up 12-8 Home Victory Over Siena

USAFA, Colo. - Despite giving up five unanswered goals in the first half, the Air Force lacrosse team came back to remain undefeated at home with a 12-8 win over Siena Tuesday afternoon at Cadet Lacrosse Stadium. The Falcons improve to 2-4 on the season with the win, while the Saints fall to 0-4.

Air Force got out to a 2-0 lead following a pair of scores by sophomore Kevin Crumrine (Edgewater, Md.), but Siena responded with the next five goals to take a 5-2 lead early in the second period. Junior Justin Kuchta (Ridgefield, Conn.) used the feed from Michael Weber (Jr., Wantagh, N.Y.) to cut Air Force’s deficit to two points, but the Saints went back up by three with Matt Walsh’s second score of the day.

Two more Air Force goals cut into Siena’s margin once more, but again, the Saints had an answer, scoring with 4:08 to play in the second quarter. Less than two minutes later, junior Conrad Lochocki (Chalfont, Pa.) notched his first goal of the game to bring Air Force within one point. While Siena won the ensuing face-off, the Saints turned the ball over, enabling Griffin Nevitt (Fr., Charlotte, N.C.) to scoop up the ground ball and score on the breakaway for the game-tying goal just prior to intermission.

The Falcons carried their momentum into the second half, regaining their lead on a Nevitt-assisted score by junior tri-captain Will Meister (Denver, Colo.) midway through the third period. The Air Force advantage grew to two goals after Crumrine’s third score of the day on the assist from Nevitt, but Siena closed the quarter with a goal of its own to get back within one.

Although Siena won 3-of-4 face-offs in the fourth period, it was Air Force that held the advantage on the scoreboard, outscoring the Saints 3-0 in the final stanza to seal its second-straight win. Back-up goalkeeper Daniel Bellissimo (Jr., Glen Cove, N.Y.) was impressive in relief for the Falcons, notching five saves and just one goal against in the second half against the Saints. Kyle O’Neill (Jr., Portsmouth, R.I.) took 19-of-23 face-offs for Air Force in the game, winning 10 of them.

The Falcons’ offense was led by Crumrine, who notched four goals in the victory for Air Force, while Nevitt added three goals and two assists. Kuchta also was a multiple-point scorer with two goals and two assists, while Meister added one goal and a team-high three assists.

For the Saints, Walsh and Matt Girsh each scored two goals and an assist, while Matt Donovan tallied a goal and three assists. Siena also held the advantage on face-offs, winning 13-of-23, led by 10-of-16 won by Charley Rogener and 3-of-4 for Kevin Hogan.

The Falcons return to action on Saturday, March 18, as they head to Ridgefield, Conn., for a neutral site contest against 19th-ranked Dartmouth at Ridgefield High School. The game is slated to begin at 1:00 p.m. (ET).

Air Force 12, Siena 8
Siena Scoring: Goals: Matt Girsh 2, Matt Walsh 2, Michael Aylward 2, Matt Donovan, Chris Zarins. Assists: Matt Donovan 3, Matt Girsh, Greg Powell, Matt Walsh, Chris Zarins.
Air Force Scoring: Goals: Kevin Crumrine 4,Griffin Nevitt 3, Justin Kuchta 2, Will Meister, John Smith, Conrad Lochocki. Assists: Will Meister 3, Justin Kuchta 2, Griffin Nevitt 2, Brian Massa, Chris Tubesing, 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)

DU WOMEN’S LACROSSE NEWS - Leggio Honored as MPSF Player of the Week

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Tuesday, March 14, 2006
DU WOMEN’S LACROSSE NEWS - Leggio Honored as MPSF Player of the Week
Junior sets a pair of single-game records in Pioneers’ 20-5 win

WOODLAND, Calif. – University of Denver junior midfielder Kristie Leggio (Bay Shore, N.Y.) has been named Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Player of the Week for setting a pair of single-game school records in the Pioneers’ 20-5 win over UC Davis Saturday. She knocked in eight goals, collecting 10 points, in helping her team stay perfect at home this season. Leggio, who scored four times in the first 13 minutes of the game, now leads Denver in goals (24), assists (9), and points (33).

DU stayed undefeated at home this season with a 20-5 MPSF win over UC Davis. The Pioneers’ 20 goals, 10 assists and 30 points Saturday all rank second in single-game school history. Leggio tallied a DU single-game record eight goals and 10 points against the Aggies, while senior Stephanie Greenlees (Lake Forest, Ill.) is now the school’s all-time leading scorer with 178 career points, posting three goals and two assists. The Pioneers will take on Marist in Orlando on Saturday.

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

Falcons Host Siena, Travel To Connecticut For Neutral Site Game Versus Dartmouth (3/13/06)

The Air Force lacrosse team (1-4) has a pair of games this week, first hosting Siena in a 3:00 p.m. contest on Tuesday, March 14. Then, the Falcons head to the East Coast for a neutral site game against Dartmouth, taking on the Big Green on Saturday, March 18, at 1:00 p.m. (ET) at Ridgefield High School in Ridgefield, Conn.


Last Time Out...
Air Force opened its home slate last week with its first win of the season, picking up an 11-9 victory over visiting Sacred Heart. The Falcons rolled to a 5-0 lead before the Pioneers began their comeback, cutting the deficit to 10-9 with 11:21 to play. The third goal of the day for junior Justin Kuchta helped secure the victory for Air Force, which also got three goals and an assist from tri-captain Max Miller and three goals from sophomore Kevin Crumrine. Griffin Nevitt and Peter Krasco also scored for the Falcons, while Will Meister tallied three assists, along with an assist each from Krasco, Paul Adams, Patrick Mitchell and Chris Tubesing.

In addition, Justin Pavoni notched seven saves in goal for Air Force, while John Smith led the Falcons in face-offs, winning 8-of-12.


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 27-80.


Scouting the Saints...
Siena enters this week’s contest with an 0-3 record after suffering a 19-7 road loss to Stony Brook on Saturday.

The Saints led 2-0 before Stony Brook knotted the score midway through the first period. Although the score was tied at 4-4 early in the second period, Stony Brook went on an 8-0 run to run away with the victory.

Chris Zarins (six goals, three assists) and Matt Donovan (five goals, four assists) lead the Saints with nine points each on the season. Meanwhile, four different goalkeepers have seen action in between the pipes for Siena, led by John Bamford, who has notched 25 saves on the year.

Siena is coached by Brian Brecht (Springfield College ‘95), who has compiled a 4-14 career mark in his second season at the helm of the Saints’ program.


Scouting the Big Green...
Dartmouth enters this weekend’s game contest with a 3-1 record after dropping its first game of the season, an 11-10 loss to Penn State last Tuesday.

The Big Green could not overcome an early 5-1 deficit against the Nittany Lions, and, despite tying the score at 7-7 and 9-9, Dartmouth was never able to take the lead in the loss.

Nick Bonacci leads Dartmouth with 10 goals and 10 assists, while Jamie Coffin has a team-best 11 goals along with six assists. Pat Marshall has 51 saves between the pipes for the Big Green.

Dartmouth is coached by Bill Wilson (Loyola ‘94), who has compiled a 19-10 career mark in his third season at the helm of the Big Green program.


In the Series...
Air Force is 3-0 in the all-time series versus Siena, picking up an 8-6 win over the Saints in their last meeting in 2003.

Air Force is 1-1 all-time against Dartmouth, with the Falcons picking up an 18-9 decision over the Big Green in their last meeting in 1997.


Pavoni Moves Up In the Record Books...
With 52 saves through the first five games of the season, senior Justin Pavoni sits in seventh place on the career saves list at the Academy with 358 total saves, and needs 129 more 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.


There’s No Place like Home...
Air Force’s neutral site game versus Dartmouth on Saturday will be in a familiar location for junior Justin Kuchta, as the contest will be played at his high school stadium. Kuchta, a first-team all-conference midfielder as a sophomore, currently shares the team lead with nine points on the season (six goals, three assists).


Up Next...
Next weekend the Falcons return to the Academy for their third home game of the season, as they host St. John’s at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 25.

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

Pioneer Men’s Lacrosse Team Records Eight Goals In The Second Half To Defeat Sacred Heart, 10-6

MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS
For Immediate Release – March 12, 2006

Pioneer Men’s Lacrosse Team Records Eight Goals In The Second Half To Defeat Sacred Heart, 10-6
Senior Geoff Snider and junior Brandon Barcus lead the Pioneers in the come-from-behind win.

DENVER- The No. 12 ranked Denver Pioneer men’s lacrosse team came back from a 4-2 deficit at halftime to defeat the Sacred Heart Pioneers, 10-6 this afternoon at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. DU improves to 4-1 (0-0 GWLL) on the season while Sacred Heart falls to 0-4 (0-0 CAA). Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta), Todd Ruport (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Brandon Barcus (Dublin, Ohio) each recorded two goals in the win and goalkeeper Jeb Hollingworth (Darien, Conn.) made four saves in 60 minutes of action.

The Pioneers came out sluggish against the Sacred Heart Pioneers giving them countless scoring opportunities in the first stanza. Sacred Heart got on the board first with a quick goal through the right side from Mike Collins, to give them the early 1-0 lead. The quick goal gave Sacred Heart a little momentum and SHU tallied two more quick goals on back-to-back scores from Kiel Adams giving the Sacred Heart Pioneers a 3-0 lead, the first time the Pioneers have been down at home this season. Mike Goltra (Washington, N.C.) tried to jumpstart the offense with a goal at the 4:50 mark to cut the SHU lead to 3-1 just before the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter featured more of the same as the Sacred Heart Pioneers continued to pound the ball down the field, but DU picked up their offensive presence as well and racked up several quality scoring chances that Sacred Heart’s Jim Milhausen stymied. After trailing in shot attempts through the first quarter and most of the second quarter, DU started to test Milhausen by firing several shots from both long range and close range that just couldn’t make it into the net. Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) finally put one past Milhausen with just under six minutes left in the half on a great pass from Adam Miller (Columbus, Ohio) to cut the lead to 3-2 late in the second quarter. Freshman Brad Richardson (Langley, B.C.) almost had the equalizer late in the quarter but it was ruled no goal as Richardson was in the crease. The Sacred Heart Pioneers got one past goalkeeper Hollingsworth with just 24 seconds remaining in the half as the Sacred Heart Pioneers took a 4-2 lead into the break.

DU held a 28-16 shots advantage at the break and had an 11-7 shots on goal advantage despite trailing. Snider was 5-of-8 on face-offs through the half.

Sacred Heart came out in the second half much like they ended the first tallying a goal from Peter Greco less than a minute into the third quarter giving them a 5-2 lead. Zordani and Barcus tried to rally the Pioneers as they both rattled off point-blank range shots that both went just wide. Ryan Schaugnessy (Columbus, Ohio) found Barcus right in front of the net for the DU score to cut the lead to 5-3 with 12 minutes to go in the third quarter. Barcus again found the back of the net on a pretty pass right in front of SHU’S Milhausen to cut the lead to one goal with 8:37 left in the frame. SHU put one past Hollingsworth to increase their lead to 6-4 with just under seven minutes left in the quarter. Todd Ruport (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Snider put the Pioneers on their back and recorded back-to-back goals to tie the game at 6-6 with a little over four minutes left in the quarter. The Pioneers used the momentum to their advantage and took their first lead of the afternoon on goals by Ruport and Adam Goodwin (Columbus, Ohio) giving them an 8-6 lead.

The Pioneers kept the momentum they picked up from recording six unanswered goals in the third quarter and Snider tallied another goal five seconds into the fourth quarter to give DU a 9-6 lead with 14 minutes left in the game. Brett Koll (Fort Collins, Colo.) tallied the Pioneers final goal with one minute left to take give the Pioneers a 10-6 lead. Denver’s defense held and the Pioneers recorded their fourth win of the season.

DU outshot SHU 50-26 and held a 49-30 groundball advantage for the game. Sacred Heart turned the ball over 45 times to DU’s 36. Snider was 11-of-19 from the face-off circle while Sacred Heart was only 8-of-19.

DU will next be in action March 25 when they hit the road for a game with Maryland-Baltimore County. The Pioneers return to Peter Barton Stadium March 28 when they host Drexel in the first night game of the season.


- 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 Defeats UC Davis in Historic Fashion

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Saturday, March 11, 2006

DU WOMEN'S LACROSSE NEWS - DU Defeats UC Davis in Historic Fashion

Pioneers hit six remarkable marks in 20-5 victory



DENVER - The University of Denver women's lacrosse team made history in its 20-5 win against the UC Davis Aggies today at Barton Stadium. DU's second consecutive victory moves the Pioneers to 4-2 overall and 1-0 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. The Aggies fall to 1-3, 0-3.



Senior Stephanie Greenlees (Lake Forest, Ill.) became Denver's all-time leading scorer with 178 career points. Junior Kristie Leggio (Bay Shore, N.Y.) set a DU record for goals (8) and points (10) in a single game. The Pioneers' 20 goals, 10 assists and 30 points all rank second on DU's single-game lists.



The Pioneers scored early and often, opening the game with a 10-0 run. Leggio scored four of her goals in the game's first 22 minutes. Senior Tanya Fuchs (Bay Shore, N.Y.) score all four of her goals during the same run.



The Aggies finally got on the board with 6:23 remaining in the first half.



DU, who improved to 4-0 at home, tallied three more goals to make the halftime score, 13-1.



UC Davis scored its second goal of the day two minutes in the second half, but the Pioneers responded and nailed the door shut with a 6-0 run to make the score, 19-2 with 12:47 remaining. Greenlees ended the run with her third goal of the day.



The Aggies scored three of the game's final four goals to put the final at 20-5.



Goalkeeper' sophomore Becky Childs (Phoenix, Md.) and freshman Bec Hakendorf (Novar Gardens, Australia) combined to make seven saves. Hilary Harkins had eight for UC Davis.



The Pioneers outshot the Aggies, 41-17 and recorded 13 more groundballs.



Up next, DU begins a month long seven-game road trip with a game against Marist in Orlando, Fla. on Saturday, March 18 at 10 a.m. MT.



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 Takes 11-9 Win Over Sacred Heart In Home Opener

ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE
2169 FIELD HOUSE DR.
USAF ACADEMY, CO 80840
Contact: Melissa McKeown
(719) 333-2313
March 10, 2006

Air Force Takes 11-9 Win Over Sacred Heart In Home Opener

USAFA, Colo. - Fighting off a late rally by the visiting Pioneers, the Air Force lacrosse team secured an 11-9 victory over Sacred Heart in its home opener Friday afternoon at Cadet Lacrosse Stadium. The Falcons improve to 1-4 on the season with the win, while the Pioneers fall to 0-3.

Air Force dominated the first period, rolling out to a 5-0 lead with a trio of scored by senior tri-captain Max Miller (Dublin, Ohio) sandwiched in between scores by Griffin Nevitt (Fr., Charlotte, N.C.) and Kevin Crumrine (So., Edgewater, Md.). Although Sacred Heart freshman Bobby Karl notched his first collegiate goal to open the second period, the Falcons’ Justin Kuchta (Jr., Ridgefield, Conn.) helped Air Force regain its five-goal margin on an assist by Miller at the 13:26 mark. The two teams continued to trade goals in the period, as the Falcons went into the locker room with a 7-3 advantage.

A pair of goals by Air Force to begin the third stanza helped the Falcons increase their lead to 9-3, but the Pioneers rattled off two more scores within a span of 20 seconds to cut the margin to four. Crumrine’s third tally of the day, off the feed by junior tri-captain Will Meister (Denver, Colo.) gave Air Force a 10-5 advantage, but Sacred Heart was not done fighting. The Pioneers closed the half with three unanswered scores, and with an unassisted goal by Tony Tanzi at the 11:21 mark in the fourth quarter, suddenly Sacred Heart was within a single goal.

However, the Falcons were not ready to let their lead slip away. Able to keep the Pioneers from finding the back of the net, Air Force was able to tack on the insurance goal at the 3:44 mark in the fourth quarter when Kuchta sent the ball past back-up goalkeeper Jim Millhausen. The Falcons were able to hold on to secure their first victory of their season with the 11-9 decision.

Miller led the Falcons with three goals and an assist, while Kuchta and Crumrine added three scores each. Also finding the back of the net for Air Force were Nevitt and Peter Krasco (So., Medford, Mass.), while Meister had three assists and Krasco, Paul Adams (Sr., Arvada, Colo.), Patrick Mitchell (Sr., Vienna, Va.) and Chris Tubesing (So., Centreville, Va.) added an assist each. Senior goalkeeper Justin Pavoni (Park City, Utah) had 13 saves and eight ground balls between the pipes for Air Force, while John Smith (Sr., Merion, Pa.) led the Falcons in face-offs, winning 8-of-12.

For the Pioneers, Karl finished with three goals and an assist, Tanzi added two goals and two assists and Peter Greco has two goals and an assist to lead the teams. Tanzi also won 7-of-11 face-offs, while Thomas Hind notched six saves in 45 minutes in goal for Sacred Heart.

The Falcons are back in action next Tuesday, March 14, when they host Siena in a 3:00 p.m. contest at Cadet Lacrosse Stadium.

Air Force 11, Sacred Heart 9
Sacred Heart Scoring: Goals: Bobby Karl 3, Tony Tanzi 2, Peter Greco 2, Kiel Adams, Brenden McAuley. Assists: Tony Tanzi 2, Peter Greco, Bobby Karl.
Air Force Scoring: Goals: Max Miller 3, Justin Kuchta 3, Kevin Crumrine 3, Peter Krasco, Griffin Nevitt. Assists: Will Meister 3, Paul Adams, Max Miller, Patrick Mitchell, Chris Tubesing.

---------------------------------
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 Home Schedule Against Sacred Heart (3/9/06)

The Air Force lacrosse team (0-4) returns to action this Friday, March 10, as it hosts Sacred Heart in its 2006 home opener at Cadet Lacrosse Stadium. Opening face-off is slated for 3:00 p.m.





Last Time Out...

The Falcons played in Baltimore, Md., last weekend, where they suffered a 9-5 loss to UMBC. The Retrievers rolled out to a 5-0 advantage before Air Force sophomore Kevin Crumrine put the Falcons on the board with a score just prior to intermission.



The Retrievers extended their lead to 7-1 after the break before freshman Griffin Nevitt was next to score for the Falcons, but UMBC closed out the third period with two more scores.



Though Air Force scored three unanswered goals in the final period, it was not enough to get past the Retrievers, who held on for the 9-5 victory.



While five different Falcons found the back of the net, including Crumrine, Nevitt, Conrad Lochocki, Justin Kuchta and Max Miller, Lochocki added two assists and Will Meister had another. Senior goalkeeper Justin Pavoni notched 13 saves and eight ground balls between the pipes for Air Force, while John Smith and Kyle O'Neill combined to win 12-of-18 face-offs.





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 26-80.





Scouting the Pioneers...

Sacred Heart enters Friday's contest with 0-2 record after suffering a 6-5 overtime loss to Manhattan on Saturday.



The Pioneers held a 5-2 advantage in the fourth quarter before the Jaspers came back to tie the game at 5-5, forcing overtime. Manhattan's Greg Lewis notched the winning score with 1:21 left in the extra period to hand Sacred Heart the 6-5 loss.



Peter Greco leads the Pioneers with four goals and three assists, while Kiel Adams is second with three goals and two assists in the first two games. Meanwhile, Thomas Hind has 31 saves between the pipes for Sacred Heart.



Sacred Heart is coached by Tom Mariano (Nazareth '94), who has compiled a 57-71 mark in his 10th season at the helm of the Pioneers' program and a career record of 71-83 (12th year).





In the Series...

Sacred Heart is 1-0 in the all-time series versus Air Force, after winning an 11-10 overtime contest against the Falcons in 2004.





Pavoni Moves Up In The Record Books...

With 39 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 345 total saves, and needs 122 more 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 remain home for their next game, as they host Siena on Tuesday, March 14, 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)

Outlaws Acquire All-Star Midfielder Josh Sims

For Immediate Release
March 6, 2006

Outlaws Acquire All-Star Midfielder Josh Sims
Denver gets three-time All-Star Sims in exchange for 2006 draft pick

DENVER – The Denver Outlaws acquired midfielder Josh Sims from the Baltimore Bayhawks in exchange for Denver’s 2006 first round collegiate draft pick (2nd overall).

A member of the Bayhawks since the league’s inception, Sims played in 47 games (18 starts) and tallied 103 points (74-29—103), including six two-pointers. A three-time All-Star, Sims notched 22 points (18-4—22) in nine career postseason outings, including contributing four goals and two assists to help the Bayhawks to their second Major League Lacrosse title last season.

Last season, Sims started nine games and recorded 23 points (18-5—23) before adding six points (4-2—6) in two playoff starts.

Sims, 27, was originally assigned to the Bayhawks as part of the league’s inaugural draft on Jan. 13, 2001. As a collegiate, Sims was a significant contributor to two national championship teams at Princeton University. He was also named NCAA Division I Midfielder of the Year following his sophomore and senior seasons. He added NCAA All-America and NCAA All-Tournament Team accolades three times.

Sims (6-2, 205) was born July 29, 1978 in Annapolis, Md. and is married to Meghan Bauer Sims. The couple resides in Superior, Colo.

-- www.DenverOutlaws.com --

About the Denver Outlaws
The Outlaws are managed by Edge Sports & Entertainment – the wholly-owned subsidiary of the Denver Broncos Football Club. Outlaws 2006 season, group and individual tickets are available now. For more information, contact the Outlaws ticket office at (720) 258-3606 or visit www.denveroutlaws.com.

About Edge Sports & Entertainment
Created in 2005, Edge Sports & Entertainment is a full-service event sports and entertainment company focused on the development of live events, event production, and broadcast. Edge Sports & Entertainment is owned by Pat Bowlen.

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, 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.

Falcons Drop 9-5 Decision To UMBC

March 4, 2006



Falcons Drop 9-5 Decision To UMBC



Baltimore, Md. - 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.



The UMBC offense dominated for most of the game, as the Retrievers outshot Air Force 34-22, including a tally of 33-9 in the first three periods. As a result, UMBC was able to roll out to a 5-0 lead before sophomore Kevin Crumrine (Edgewater, Md.) capitalized on the feed by Will Meister (Jr., Denver, Colo.) just before intermission to put the Falcons on the board.



After the break, the Retrievers kept firing, extending their advantage to 7-1. Griffin Nevitt (Fr., Charlotte, N.C.) was next to score for Air Force, this time finding the net at the 8:54 mark in the third quarter on an assist by Conrad Lochocki (Jr., Chalfont, Pa.), but UMBC closed out the period with two more scores.



In the final period, the Falcons were able to outshoot the Retrievers for the first time in the game, getting a 13-1 advantage. It paid off, as Air Force scored three unanswered goals in the fourth quarter, with a pair of unassisted goals by Lochocki and Justin Kuchta (Jr., Ridgefield, Conn.) and a man-up goal by senior Max Miller (Dublin, Ohio) on the assist by Lochocki. Unfortunately, it was not enough for the Falcons to overcome their early deficit, as they fell by the final tally of 9-5.



Although UMBC had the major offensive advantage, Air Force did have solid play by its face-off midfielders, as John Smith (Sr., Merion, Pa.) and Kyle O'Neill (Jr., Portsmouth, R.I.) combined to win 12-of-18 face-offs. Goalkeeper Justin Pavoni (Sr., Park City, Utah) was also impressive between the pipes for the Falcons, finishing with 13 saves and eight ground balls in the contest.



While Lochocki led Air Force with a goal and two assists, Drew Westervelt paced the Retrievers with two goals and an assist, while Brenden Mundorf and Terry Kimener each finished with a goal and two assists each. In addition, three UMBC goalkeepers combined for seven saves, paced by four saves by David Coker, who saw action in the final 9:03 of the contest.



The Falcons return to action on Friday, March 10, as they host Sacred Heart in their home opener at Cadet Lacrosse Stadium. Game time is slated for 3:00 p.m.



UMBC 9, Air Force 5

Air Force Scoring: Goals: Conrad Lochocki, Justin Kuchta, Griffin Nevitt, Kevin Crumrine, Max Miller. Assists: Conrad Lochocki 2, Will Meister.

UMBC Scoring: Goals: Drew Westervelt 2, Brenden Mundorf, Terry Kimener, Andy Gallagher, Evan Kay, Josh Porcell, Alex Hopmann, James Hyland. Assists: Terry Kimener 2, Brenden Mundorf 2, Andy Gallagher, Drew Westervelt.

DU Men’s Lacrosse Team Hosts Colgate This Weekend

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March, 3 2006
MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

DU Men’s Lacrosse Team Hosts Colgate This Weekend
Pioneers welcome Patriot League member Colgate to Barton Stadium

DENVER-The No. 15 ranked University of Denver men’s lacrosse team welcomes Colgate to Peter Barton Stadium Saturday, March 4. The game is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. (MT) and is the second game of a doubleheader with the women’s lacrosse team who take on Hofstra at 11 a.m.

The Pioneers are coming off of a 2-0 weekend at the Pioneer Face-Off Classic, Feb. 25-26. The Pioneers took down Manhattan, 19-2 in the first game and posted a come from behind victory over No. 13 North Carolina in the final game of the tournament. Senior Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta) earned MVP honors for his efforts throughout the weekend while teammates Jeb Hollingsworth (Darien, Conn.), Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) and Rory Shepard (Riverside, Conn.) were named to the All-Tournament Team. Snider also earned Great Western Lacrosse League Player of the Week honors for his outstanding play and head coach Jamie Munro was named Coach of the Week by US Lacrosse for guiding the Pioneers to victories in last weekend’s games.

The Pioneers are led offensively by junior Brandon Barcus (Dublin, Ohio), who has recorded six goals and one assist for seven points in DU’s first three games. Snider is 38-of-60 (.633) from the face-off circle through the first three games, while Hollingsworth owns a 1-1 record and posts an 8.35 goals against average. He has made 23 saves on the season.

The Colgate Red Raiders enter the weekend with a 2-0 (0-0 Patriot League) record after posting victories over Hartford and Sacred Heart. The Red Raiders defeated Hartford, 11-7 in their home-opener and bested Sacred Heart, 12-10 on Feb. 25. The team is led by sophomore Matt Lalli who has five goals and two assists on the season. In the cage for the Raiders is Andrew Jarolimek, who has an 8.50 goals against average and has made 17 saves in 120 minutes of action.

The Pioneers conclude their four-game homestand March 12 when they take on the Sacred Heart Pioneers. Face-off is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. in Barton Stadium.


— 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

Geoff Snider Earns Great Western Lacrosse League Player of the Week

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 1, 2006
MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

Geoff Snider Earns Great Western Lacrosse League Player of the Week Nod
Snider earns his first player of the week honor this season

DENVER- University of Denver men’s lacrosse senior midfielder Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta) was named Great Western Lacrosse League Player of the Week as announced by league officials today. This is the first honor for Snider this season and is his first career Player of the Week honor.

Snider earned the honor for his performance in the Pioneer Face-Off Classic Feb. 25-26. Snider led the Pioneers to wins over Manhattan and No. 13 North Carolina. In DU’s 19-2 victory over Manhattan he tallied two goals and one assist and picked up 13 groundballs and won 15-of-18 face-offs. He continued his excellent play in the Pioneers’ 11-8 upset victory over No. 13 North Carolina, where he tallied another goal, picked up eight groundballs and was 12-of-21 from the face-off circle.

The Pioneers will return to action March 4 when they take on Colgate in the second game of a doubleheader with the DU women’s lacrosse team. Face-off is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. in Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium.


— 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!

Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach Jamie Munro Earns US Lacrosse Coach of the Week

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 1, 2006
MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach Jamie Munro Earns US Lacrosse Coach of the Week Honors
Munro led the Pioneers to wins over Manhattan and No. 13 North Carolina last weekend

DENVER- University of Denver men’s lacrosse head coach Jamie Munro was named the US Lacrosse Coach of the Week it was announced by US Lacrosse today. Munro guided the Pioneers to a 19-2 victory over the Manhattan Jaspers and an 11-8 upset victory over No. 13 North Carolina at the 2006 Pioneer Face-Off Classic last weekend.

Munro is in his eighth season as head coach of the Pioneers and is DU’s all-time winningest coach with a 52-43 record through seven seasons. In 2005, Munro led the Pioneers to a 9-5 (4-1 Great Western Lacrosse League) record and a No.18 final ranking in the Coaches Poll. The Pioneers jumped five spots in the Inside Lacrosse media poll this week and are sitting at the No. 15 spot. The team is 2-1 on the season with wins over Manhattan and North Carolina and a loss to No. 3 Virginia.

The Pioneers will return to action March 4 when they take on Colgate in the second game of a doubleheader with the DU women’s lacrosse team. Face-off is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. in Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium.


— 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!