Falcons Drop 7-3 Contest To No. 14 Denver In Season Finale (4/29/06)

Falcons Drop 7-3 Contest To No. 14 Denver In Season Finale

USAFA, Colo. - Despite a strong second-half defensive effort, the Air Force lacrosse team lost, 7-3, to No. 14 Denver Saturday afternoon at Cadet Lacrosse Stadium. With the defeat, the Falcons finish the season at 7-9, 2-3 in the GWLL, while the Pioneers improve to 12-4 on the year, 5-0 in league play.

Denver, which entered the contest with the nation’s fifth-highest scoring offense at 11.27 goals per contest, led 5-1 at the end of the opening period, with freshman Griffin Nevitt (Charlotte, N.C.) scoring the lone goal for Air Force. The Pioneers extended their lead to 7-1 in the second quarter, but Air Force junior Will Meister (Denver, Colo.) scored on a man-up goal with 2:37 remaining in the half to put the Falcons back on the board.

Nevitt scored once more early in the third period, this time on an assist from Meister, to cut the deficit to four, but neither team was able to find the net again in the game, which was characterized by physical play and strong defense. Both teams also struggled to get offensive opportunities in the second half, with the Falcons struggling to clear the ball, while the Pioneers turned it over 20 times after intermission.

Air Force held a slight edge on ground balls, 28-24, but the Pioneers outshot the Falcons 27-18 for the game. Senior Justin Pavoni (Park City, Utah), the defending GWLL Goalkeeper of the Year, notched 10 saves in his final game for Air Force, bringing his career total to 464 saves in just three years, while also grabbing eight ground balls.

For the Pioneers, Joe Murray led the team with two goals, while Geoff Snider, Eric Covey and Brandon Barcus each added a goal and an assist each. Snider, the nation’s top face-off specialist, also won 9-of-14 face-offs, while scooping up six ground balls.

Denver 7, Air Force 3
Denver Scoring: Goals: Joe Murray 2, Geoff Snider, Eric Covey, Brandon Barcus, Adam Goodwin, Jon Paulson. Assists: Brandon Barcus, Eric Covey, Adam Miller, Geoff Snider, Ryan Zordani.
Air Force Scoring: Goals: Griffin Nevitt 2, Will Meister. Assists: Will Meister.

No. 14 Men’s Lacrosse Team Concludes Great Western Lacrosse League Play With 5-0 Record After 7-3 Win Over Air Force

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 29, 2006
MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

No. 14 Men’s Lacrosse Team Concludes Great Western Lacrosse League Play With 5-0 Record After 7-3 Win Over Air Force
The Pioneers break the record for wins in a season by picking up their 12th win

Colorado Springs, Colo.-The No. 14 Denver Pioneer men’s lacrosse team completed their first-ever undefeated league schedule with a 7-3 win over the Air Force Falcons in Colorado Springs this afternoon. The win moves the Pioneers to 12-4 (5-0 GWLL) on the season while the Falcons finish the season at 7-9 (2-3 GWLL). Joe Murray (Denver, Colo.) led the Pioneers scoring two goals on the afternoon. Jeb Hollingsworth (Darien, Conn.) made eight saves in 60 minutes of action in the cage.

“I’m really proud of our team,” head coach Jamie Munro said. “There hasn’t been a team that has gone 5-0 in the Great Western Lacrosse League in a long time and for our guys to accomplish that says a lot about our team. These guys have worked hard all season and will continue to work hard as we prepare for the NCAA Tournament.”

The Pioneers got off to a quick start in the first half. Senior Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta) put the Pioneers on the board at the 11:27 mark of the first period. DU controlled the offense for much of the first period and got everyone involved. Brandon Barcus (Dublin, Ohio) connected with Eric Covey (San Antonio, Texas) to put the Pioneers up 2-0 with just under 10 minutes remaining in the period. Barcus found net himself just minutes later, putting a rocket past Air Force goalkeeper, Justin Pavoni to give DU a 3-0 lead. The Falcons answered with a goal of their own with 6:45 remaining to cut the DU lead to 3-1. The Pioneers wouldn’t be discouraged and got back-to-back goals from Murray to take a 5-1 lead at the end of the first. The Pioneers started the second period right where they ended the first. Jon Paulson (Flemington, N.J.) scored his ninth goal of the season just one minute and 45 seconds into the period to push the DU lead to 6-1. The second period was evenly played with the Falcons only allowing DU nine shots in the period, but it wouldn't prevent the Pioneers from getting on the board. Snider connected with Adam Goodwin (Columbus, Ohio) at the 4:02 mark of the period to take a 7-1 lead. The Falcons added one to their tally scoring on a man-up opportunity to cut the lead to 7-2 heading into the break.

The Falcons came out with some energy in the second half scoring the halves first goal to cut Denver's lead to 7-3 with a little over 13 minutes remaining in the third period. The rest of the period would be scoreless, although both teams had plenty of scoring opportunities. The Pioneers and Falcons each recorded shots in the fourth period but neither could find net as the Pioneers picked up their 12th win of the season with the 7-3 victory.

DU dominated the statistical categories out shooting the Falcons 27-18 for the game and clearing 20-of-24 opportunities. Snider was 9-of-14 from the face-off circle for the game.

The Pioneers will await the 2006 NCAA Selection show to find out who they will face in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The selection show will air Sunday May 7 at 8 p.m. (MT) on ESPNews.


— www.DenverPioneers.com —

Air Force Hosts No. 14 Denver In Regular Season Finale (4/27/06)

SILA Coaches Poll, at 1:00 p.m. on
Saturday, April 29.


Last Time Out...
Air Force went on the road for a pair of GWLL contests last weekend, dropping both, 11-7, to Butler and Ohio State.

Against Butler, the Falcons trailed 6-2 at the break, and despite playing evenly in the second half, could not overcome their early deficit. Junior Will Meister and freshman Griffin Nevitt both notched two goals and an assist each to lead the Air Force offense in the loss.

The Falcons wrapped up the weekend at Ohio State, and while they trailed just 4-3 at the half, the Buckeyes exploded for five unanswered goals to open the third period en route to the 11-7 win. Nevitt finished with a team-high three goals, while Meister added two goals and an assist. Meanwhile, junior goalkeeper Daniel Bellissimo notched nine saves in his first career start.


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 33-84.


Scouting the Pioneers...
Denver, ranked 14th in both the USILA Coaches’ Poll and Inside Lacrosse Media Poll, enters this weekend’s contest with an 11-4 overall record and 4-0 mark in the GWLL. The Pioneers are coming off a pair of road wins at Ohio State and Butler.

Ryan Zordani leads Denver’s offense with 37 points (19 goals, 18 assists) on the season, while Brandon Barcus is second with 31 points and a team-leading 24 goals. Goalkeeper Jeb Hollingsworth has started 13 of the team’s 15 games and
has recorded 110 saves and a 7.84 GAA.

Denver is coached by Jamie Munro (Brown ‘89), who has compiled a 63-47 career mark in his eighth season at the helm of the Pioneers’ program.

In the Series...
Air Force leads in the all-time series versus Denver, 51-12, but the Pioneers have won the last three meetings, including a 10-9 overtime win at Denver last season.


Senior Day...
Saturday’s game against Denver will mark the final home game for eight Air Force seniors, as well as Brion Stroud, a team manager in his fourth season with the Falcons.

Among this year’s senior class are captains Paul Adams and Max Miller, as well as Michael Cotham, Brad DelloIacono, Kevin Krieger, Patrick Mitchell, Justin Pavoni, and John Smith.


Falcons in the National Rankings...
In the latest national rankings through games of April 23, Air Force found itself ranked in the top-50 in every statistical category. The Falcons are rated 22nd in scoring defense (8.13), 26th in man-down defense (.706), 33rd in win percentage (.467), 34th in scoring margin (+0.07), 36th in scoring offense (8.2), 38th in face-off win percentage (.459) and 50th in man-up offense (.200).

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 (1.73) and 46th in points per game (2.8), goalkeeper Justin Pavoni is rated 17th, 23rd and 23rd in save percentage (.574), goals against average (8.14) and ground balls (4.79), respectively, and face-off specialist Kyle O’Neill ranks 44th (.468) in face-off win percentage.

In the GWLL rankings, Meister leads the league in assists per game and ranks sixth in points per game, while Griffin Nevitt is tied for seventh (1.60) and Kevin Crumrine is in 10th place (1.53) in goals per game. Pavoni is first in saves per game (10.57), second in ground balls per game and third in save percentage and fourth in goals against average. Finally, O’Neill and John Smith (.455) rank seventh and eighth, respectively, in face-off win percentage.


How They Rate...
Denver ranks in the top-25 nationally in six statistical categories, including second in face-off win percentage (.675), fifth in scoring offense (11.27), sixth in both man-down defense (.772) and scoring margin (+3.67), eighth in win percentage (.733) and 14th in scoring defense (7.6).

Face-off specialist Geoff Snider leads the nation in both ground balls per game (11.73) and face-off win percentage (.697), while goalkeeper Jeb Hollingsworth ranks 19th and 22nd in goals against average (7.84) and save percentage (.561), respectively.
In the GWLL rankings, Snider leads the league in ground balls per game and face-off win percentage, Ryan Zordani is fourth in assists per game (1.2) and Hollingsworth ranks third in goals against average, fifth in save percentage and sixth in saves per game (8.46).


Meister, The Assist Leader...
Junior tri-captain Will Meister, who leads the GWLL with 1.73 assists per contest, needs just four more assists to break into the career top-10 list at the Academy. Currently, Craig Ward (1984-87) and George Mandis (1974-77) are tied for 10th place on the Air Force assist list with 67. The last player to make his way onto the list was Mike Murphy, who played from 1991-94, more than 20 years ago. Murphy ended his career with 68 assists, a figure certainly within Meister’s reach.


Pavoni Moves Up In the Record Books...
With 148 saves through 14 games this season, senior Justin Pavoni sits in seventh place on the career saves list at the Academy with 454 total saves, and sits 42 saves behind sixth-place holder Chris Cicere.

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 three years of play, as Pavoni did not see action as a freshman.

NCAA Tournament Bound, Pioneer Men’s Lacrosse Team Heads To Colorado Springs For Regular-Season Finale

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 27, 2006
MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

NCAA Tournament Bound, Pioneer Men’s Lacrosse Team Heads To Colorado Springs For Regular-Season Finale
DU takes on instate rival Air Force April 29

DENVER- The No. 14 Denver Pioneer men’s lacrosse team heads down to Colorado Springs for its regular-season finale against Great Western Lacrosse League rival Air Force Saturday April 29. Face-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. (MT). DU will then have a week off before the NCAA Selection Show May 7, where they will find out their first round opponent in the 2006 NCAA Tournament.

The Pioneers enter Saturday’s contest with an 11-4 (4-0 GWLL) record after picking up two road wins against Ohio State and Butler last weekend. DU defeated Ohio State 13-9 April 21 to take over sole possession of first-place in the Great Western Lacrosse League. Michael Goltra (Washington, N.C.), Adam Goodwin (Columbus, Ohio) and Brett Koll (Fort Collins, Colo.) each tallied two goals in the win. The Pioneers clinched a share of the GWLL title with an 11-5 win over Butler on April 23. Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) and Jon Paulson (Flemington, N.J.) each tallied a hat trick and Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta) picked up a season-high four assists.

Zordani continues to pace the DU offense, leading the team in points with 37 on 19 goals and 18 assists. Snider leads the nation in groundballs picking up 11.73 per game and face-off win percentage (.697). In the cage Hollingsworth owns a 9-4 record with a saves percentage of 63.6 percent. His goals against average of 7.84 ranks him 19th in the nation. DU is nationally-ranked as a team in several categories. The Pioneers rank fifth in scoring offense, averaging 11.27 goals per game, 14th in scoring defense (7.60), second in face-off win percentage (.675), sixth in man-down defense (.772), sixth in scoring margin (3.67) and eighth in win percentage (.733).

Air Force enters Saturday’s game on a two-game losing streak after falling to Ohio State and Butler last weekend. The Falcons have a 7-8 (2-2 GWLL) record. The team is led by Will Meister, who has 42 points on 16 goals and 26 assists this season. Griffin Nevitt is next with 33 points on 24 goals and nine assists. Justin Pavoni is in net for the Falcons and owns a 6-7 record on the season and boasts an 8.14 goals against average and a 57.4 saves percentage.

The Pioneers will await the 2006 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Selection Show on May 7 to find out who their first round opponent will be. The show will air live on ESPNews at 8 p.m. (MT).


— www.DenverPioneers.com —

Geoff Snider Earns Second Great Western Lacrosse League Player of the Week Nod

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 26, 2006
MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

Geoff Snider Earns Second Great Western Lacrosse League Player of the Week Nod
Pioneers take on Air Force April 29 in season finale

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 second honor for Snider this season who also earned the award on March 1. Teammate Adam Goodwin (Columbus, Ohio) earned Player of the Week honors on April 12.

Snider earned the honor for his performance in the Pioneers’ two road victories over Ohio State and Butler April 21 and 23. In DU’s 13-9 win over Ohio State Snider tallied one goal and one assist while going 21-of-25 from the face-off circle. Against Butler he tallied a season-high four assists and picked up a team-high 10 groundballs. He was 14-of-19 from the face-off circle. Snider is currently third on the team in points with 30 points on 20 goals and 10 assists. He also leads the nation in groundballs per game, picking up 11.73 per game and face-off win percentage (.697).

The NCAA tournament bound Pioneers conclude the regular-season April 29 when thy head to Colorado Springs to take on instate rival Air Force. Face-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. (MT).


— www.DenverPioneers.com —

No. 16 Men’s Lacrosse Team Moves To A Perfect 4-0 In League Play With A 11-5 Win Over Butler

OR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 23, 2006
MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

No. 16 Men’s Lacrosse Team Moves To A Perfect 4-0 In League Play With A 11-5 Win Over Butler
DU picks up second-consecutive road victory and sets a school record for wins in a season

INDIANAPOLIS-The No. 16 Denver Pioneer men’s lacrosse team moved to 4-0 in Great Western Lacrosse League action with a 11-5 win over Butler in Indianapolis this afternoon. DU goes to 11-4 (4-0 GWLL), while Butler drops to 4-9 (1-3 GWLL). Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) and Jon Paulson (Flemington, N.J.) led the way for DU with a hat trick each. Michael Goltra (Washington, N.C.) tallied two assists in the victory while Jeb Hollingsworth (Darien, Conn.) recorded nine saves in 60 minutes of action.

“I’m very proud of the way that our team played this weekend, “head coach Jamie Munro said. “They stepped up to the challenge of playing two important games with a short turnaround and played very well.”

The Bulldogs came out of the gate firing, taking an early 2-0 lead in the first period behind goals from Ben Sultze and Doug Mathias and limited the Pioneers to eight shots in the period. DU wouldn’t be scoreless for long as Adam Goodwin (Columbus, Ohio) and Brad Patterson (Allentown, Pa.) both scored unassisted goals to tie the game at 2-2 at the 13:44 mark of the second period. Eric Covey (San Antonio, Texas) connected with Ryan Shaughnessy (Columbus, Ohio) who put a goal past the Butler goalie to give DU its first lead of the game at 3-2. Butler again clawed back scoring two unanswered goals to take a 4-3 lead with just under nine minutes left in the half. Goltra connected with Zordani for a man-up goal with 0.30 seconds on the clock to tie the game at 4-4 heading into halftime.

The Pioneers came out ready to play in the second half. Zordani started where he finished at the end of the first half, picking up his second goal of the game after fielding a great pass from teammate Brett Koll (Fort Collins, Colo.), to give DU a 5-4 lead. Butler’s Cliff Smith collected his third goal of the game to tie the game at 5-5. Zordani struck again minutes later to give DU a 6-5 lead and the Pioneers never looked back. Paulson rattled off back-to-back man-down goals to push DU’s lead to 8-5 at the end of the third period. The fourth period was all DU as the Pioneers recorded three more goals to pick up their 11th win of the season.

DU dominated the statistical categories in the game. The Pioneers picked up 42 groundballs and out shot the Bulldogs 38-23 for the game. Senior Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta) continued his dominance from the face-off circle winning 14-of-19 face-offs in the game.

The Pioneers conclude the 2006 regular-season April 29 when they head to Colorado Springs to take on instate rival, Air Force. Face-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. (MT).


— www.DenverPioneers.com —

DU Men’s Lacrosse Team Clinches First-Ever NCAA Tournament Bid In Program History

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 23, 2006
MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

DU Men’s Lacrosse Team Clinches First-Ever NCAA Tournament Bid In Program History
Pioneers earn the Great Western Lacrosse League’s automatic berth after going 2-0 on the weekend

DENVER-The No. 16 Denver Pioneer men’s lacrosse team has clinched its first-ever NCAA tournament bid in program history after knocking off Ohio State and Butler this weekend. The Pioneers were tied with both Ohio State and Air Force in league standings entering weekend play but after defeating Ohio State and Butler and two Air Force losses the Pioneers claim the Great Western Lacrosse League title and earn the leagues automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.

“We as a program have worked very hard to get to get a chance to compete at the NCAA tournament,” head coach Jamie Munro said. We are thrilled to get an opportunity to play in the postseason but we also realize that we have a lot of work to do before then and are excited about the challenge.”

Although the Pioneers have clinched the Great Western Lacrosse League title and earned a berth in the NCAA tournament, there is still one more weekend left in the regular season. The Pioneers will head to Colorado Springs for a game against Air Force April 29. Face-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. (MT).


— www.DenverPioneers.com —

Falcons Drop 11-7 Contest To GWLL Foe Butler

April 21, 2006

Falcons Drop 11-7 Contest To GWLL Foe Butler

Indianapolis, Ind. - Giving up a 6-2 advantage at the half, the Air Force lacrosse team fell to host Butler, 11-7, Friday afternoon at the Butler Bowl. The Falcons fall to 7-7 on the season, 2-1 in the GWLL, while the Bulldogs move to 7-4 on the year, 1-2 in league play.

Butler scored the first two goals of the contest before freshman Griffin Nevitt (Charlotte, N.C.) put Air Force on the board with an unassisted goal at the 5:24 mark in the opening period. However, the Bulldogs scored three more unanswered goals over the next 11 and a half minutes to take the 5-1 lead. Nevitt assisted on the Falcons’ next score, a goal by junior Conrad Lochocki with just over seven minutes remaining in the half, but a man-up goal by Butler’s Cliff Smith with 37 seconds before intermission gave the Bulldogs the 6-2 halftime lead.

It took just 26 seconds for Butler to score after the break, but Air Force tri-captain Will Meister (Denver, Colo.) put the Falcons back in the scoring column at the 8:26 mark with his first goal of the game. Even so, the Bulldogs extended their lead to 9-4 with a pair of goals in the final three minutes sandwiched around Lochocki’s second goal of the contest.

Meister opened the fourth quarter with his second score of the game, and an unassisted goal by senior tri-captain Paul Adams (Arvada, Colo.) cut the Falcons’ deficit to three goals. However, Butler outscored Air Force 2-1 in the latter half of the fourth period to hold on to the 11-7 victory, its first GWLL win of the season.

Air Force outshot Butler 32-31 for the game, but the Bulldogs had a 41-32 advantage on ground balls. The Falcons were also unable to capitalize on any of their five extra-man opportunities, while Butler was 1-for-3 in the game. The two teams split 22 face-off wins, with junior Kyle O’Neill (Portsmouth, R.I.) winning 8-of-15 to lead Air Force.

Meister led the Air Force offense with his two goals and an assist, while Lochocki added two goals and Nevitt and junior Michael Weber (Wantagh, N.Y.) each finished with a goal and an assist. Senior goalkeeper Justin Pavoni (Park City, Utah) finished with 11 saves, including nine in the second half alone, and a game-high seven ground balls.

For the Bulldogs, Cliff Smith notched five points on four goals and an assist, while Pat Hurto added three goals to pace the offense. Kyle Harer made 10 stops in goal for Butler, while adding six ground balls.

The Falcons are back in action on Sunday, when they travel to Columbus, Ohio, for a match-up with Ohio State. The game is slated to begin at 12:00 p.m. (ET) at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.


Butler 11, Air Force 7
Air Force Scoring: Goals: Will Meister 2, Conrad Lochocki 2, Griffin Nevitt, Paul Adams, Michael Weber. Assists: Griffin Nevitt, Michael Weber, Will Meister.
Butler Scoring: Goals: Cliff Smith 4, Pat Hurto 3, Doug Mathias, Phil Brauch, Jeremy Sieverts, Ben Sultze. Assists: Will Morgan 2, Adam Wade, Cliff Smith, Ben Sultze, Doug Mathias, Jeremy Sieverts.

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Outlaws Acquire G Trevor Tierney in Six-Team Blockbuster Trade

For Immediate Release
April 21, 2006

Outlaws Acquire G Trevor Tierney in Six-Team Blockbuster Trade
Denver also gets M Jeff Sonke and college draft pick from Bayhawks

DENVER – The Denver Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse acquired goaltender Trevor Tierney, midfielder Jeff Sonke and the 20th selection in the 2006 collegiate draft from the Baltimore Bayhawks in exchange for midfielder David Curry, defender Mike Howley, defender Ryan Marshall, goaltender Scott Schroeder and the fifth overall choice in the 2006 collegiate draft.

Tierney, 27, led Baltimore the MLL Championship last season, posting a 9-2 record and winning both postseason decisions. Tierney also has amassed the third-most wins (19) in league history. The three-time MLL All-Star was the netminder for two National Championships as a collegiate at Princeton. Tierney has posted a 19-14 record, while making 530 saves. In three playoff outings, he has a 2-1 record.

Sonke, 27, registered 37 points (22-11—37) for Baltimore. He also added a goal in the Bayhawks’ championship game victory. Sonke, who was twice named to the MLL All-Star team, was a three-time All American at North Carolina before he was drafted 10th overall in the 2001 MLL Draft. Sonke has registered 115 points (77-26—115) and eight penalty minutes in five MLL seasons.

“We are very fortunate to acquire two players of the caliber of Trevor and Jeff. Both will be a big part of our team’s success this year on the field and off,” Outlaws General Manager Brian Reese said. “Not only are these guys extremely talented and decorated lacrosse players, they are both great ambassadors for the sport of lacrosse. We are excited to kick the season off on May 20 with these two great players on the Outlaws roster.”

-- www.DenverOutlaws.com --

No. 16 Men’s Lacrosse Team Takes Over Sole Possession Of First Place With A 13-9 Win Over Ohio State

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 21, 2006
MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

No. 16 Men’s Lacrosse Team Takes Over Sole Possession Of First Place With A 13-9 Win Over Ohio State
DU picks up its first road win of the season

DENVER- The No. 16 Denver Pioneer men’s lacrosse team picked up its tenth win of the season and took over sole possession of first place in the Great Western Lacrosse League with a 13-9 win over Ohio State this evening in Columbus, Ohio. DU improves to 10-4 (3-0 GWLL), while the Buckeyes fall to 5-5 (2-1 GWLL). The Pioneers were led by Michael Goltra (Washington, N.C.), Adam Goodwin (Columbus, Ohio) and Brett Koll (Fort Collins, Colo.) who each tallied two goals each in the win. Goltra also dished out a season-high three assists. Jeb Hollingsworth (Darien, Conn.) was in the cage for DU and tallied seven saves in 60 minutes of action.

“This was a great win for us,” head coach Jamie Munro said. “We knew that we we’re going to have to have a great effort from everyone tonight to beat Ohio State. Everyone played together and we got the job done, I’m very proud of our team.”

The Pioneers broke open the early 2-0 lead in the first period behind goals from Goodwin and Koll. The Buckeyes would answer with a goal from Jason Bloom to cut the lead to 2-1 at the 7:20 mark of the first period. Goltra added his ninth goal of the season to give DU the 3-1 edge but Ohio State’s Kevin Buchanan put one past Hollingsworth to make the score 3-2 with just under four minutes left to play. The Pioneers scored three unanswered goals to take a 6-2 lead with seconds remaining in the first period. Ohio State managed to score one more goal before the end of the period to cut the lead to 6-3 but that was as close as they would get in the period. The second period was all DU as the Pioneers managed to score five straight goals to take an 11-3 advantage into the break.

The Pioneers out shot the Buckeyes 19-10 through the first half and held a 16-12 groundballs advantage.

The second half of action was pretty evenly played with the Pioneers controlling much of the defensive side of the field, holding Ohio State to just 13 shots in the second half. Goodwin and Ruport tallied two more goals for the Pioneers in the third period to bring DU’s lead to 13-4. The Buckeyes managed to sneak in a few more goals on Hollingsworth but couldn’t figure out the Pioneer defense as DU took the 13-7 win.

Denver held a 32-22 shots advantage over the Buckeyes and scooped up 34 groundballs in the victory. The Pioneers also continued their dominance from the face-off circle winning 21-of-25 face-offs in the contest.

DU concludes the weekend Sunday April 23 with a league game against Butler in Indianapolis. Face-off is scheduled for 10 a.m. (MT).


— www.DenverPioneers.com —

Air Force Suffers 11-7 Road Loss To Ohio State

April 21, 2006



Air Force Suffers 11-7 Road Loss To Ohio State



Columbus, Ohio - Suffering an unanswered 5-0 run to open the second half, the Air Force lacrosse team dropped an 11-7 decision to host Ohio State Sunday afternoon at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. With the loss, the Falcons fall to 7-8 on the season, 2-2 in the GWLL, while the Buckeyes improve to 6-5 on the year, 3-1 in league play.



Ohio State got out to the early lead with the first goal of the day for Kevin Buchanan, but Falcons' junior tri-captain Will Meister (Denver, Colo.) evened the score with 4:07 left in the opening period with an assist from sophomore Kevin Crumrine (Edgewater, Md.). However, Buchanan contributed on two more goals in the quarter, scoring a man-up goal and assisting on Joel Dalgarno's first score of the day, to give the Buckeyes a 3-1 lead at the end of the first period.



The Falcons got back within one point with an unassisted goal by freshman Griffin Nevitt (Charlotte, N.C.) more than halfway through the second period, but another man-up goal for Ohio State, this time by Andrew Bender, gave the Buckeyes the 4-2 advantage. Meister's second score of the day with 1:26 remaining in the half brought the score to 4-3 at intermission.



Ohio State extended its advantage after the break, scoring five unanswered goals before Nevitt stopped the run with a score with just 21 seconds remaining in the third period. Although Air Force outscored the Buckeyes 3-2 in the final quarter, including a man-up goal by junior Justin Kuchta (Ridgefield, Conn.) with just 16 seconds remaining, it was not enough as Ohio State ran away with the 11-7 victory.



The Falcons did outshoot the Buckeyes 41-36 for the game, but could only capitalize on 1-of-6 extra-man opportunities. Meanwhile, Ohio State went 2-for-3 on its man-up attempts and won 14-of-21 face-offs.



Nevitt led the Falcons' offense with three goals, while Meister added two goals and an assist. Also scoring for Air Force were Kuchta and junior Michael Weber (Wantagh, N.Y.). Junior goalkeeper Daniel Bellissimo (Glen Cove, N.Y.) tallied nine saves in his first career start for the Falcons.



For the Buckeyes, Buchanan finished with eight points on four goals and four assists, while Dalgarno added two goals and two assists.



The Falcons wrap up the regular season next Saturday, April 29, when they host league-leading Denver at 12:00 p.m. in Cadet Lacrosse Stadium



Ohio State 11, Air Force 7

Air Force Scoring: Goals: Griffin Nevitt 3, Will Meister 2, Justin Kuchta, Michael Weber. Assists: Kevin Crumrine, Will Meister.

Ohio State Scoring: Goals: Kevin Buchanan 4, Joel Dalgarno 2,Craig Nolan, Andrew Bender, Mat Ballay, Jason Lutz, Jason Bloom. Assists: Kevin Buchanan 4, Joel Dalgarno 2, Justin Doran.



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Pioneer Men’s Lacrosse Team Hits The Road For Two Crucial Great Western Lacrosse League Games

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 20, 2006
DU MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

Pioneer Men’s Lacrosse Team Hits The Road For Two Crucial Great Western Lacrosse League Games
DU takes on Ohio State April 21 and Butler April 23

DENVER- The No. 16 Denver Pioneer men’s lacrosse team hits the road for two important Great Western Lacrosse League games this weekend. DU heads to Columbus, Ohio for a first-place showdown with Ohio State Friday April 21. Face-off is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. (MT). The Pioneers will conclude their road trip April 23 when they take on the Butler Bulldogs Sunday April 23 in Indianapolis. The first face-off is scheduled for 10 a.m. (MT).

The Pioneers enter the weekend with a No. 16 national rank and a 9-4 (2-0 GWLL) record after defeating No. 11 Notre Dame and Bucknell last weekend. DU concluded its home schedule undefeated for the first-time in program history, boasting a perfect 9-0 home record. The Pioneers defeated Notre Dame 8-5 April 14 to claim back-to-back wins over the Irish for the first-time in school history. Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) and Michael Goltra (Washington, N.C.) each scored two goals in the win. DU closed out the home season April 16 with a 11-8 win over Bucknell. Brett Koll (Fort Collins, Colo.) tallied his first hat trick of the season in the win.

Zordani leads the DU offense in points with 31 on 15 goals and 16 assists this season. Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta) leads the nation in groundballs per game with 11.69 per game and is second in face-off win percentage, winning 68 percent of all face-offs he’s taken. Jeb Hollingsworth (Darien, Conn.) and Austin Konkel (Aurora, Colo.) have both seen action in goal this season. Hollingsworth owns a 7-4 record with a 8.03 goals against average and a .566 saves percentage. Konkel has a 2-0 record on the season and boasts a 6.65 goals against average and a .636 saves percentage. DU is nationally-ranked as a team in several categories. They rank fifth in scoring offense, averaging 11.15 goals per game, 13th in scoring defense (7.69), second in face-off win percentage (.658), ninth in man-down defense (.776), sixth in scoring margin (3.46) and 11th in win percentage (.692).

Ohio State enters the weekend with a 5-4 (2-0 GWLL) record after defeating Butler, 10-14 Friday April 14. The Buckeyes are led by Joel Dalgarno and Andrew Bender. Dalgarno leads the team with 28 points on 18 goals and 10 assists. Bender is next with 27 points on 13 goals and 14 assists. In the cage is John Bolen who is 4-1 on the season and boasts a 7.55 goals against average.

Butler is 3-8 (0-2 GWLL) after dropping a 10-14 game to Ohio State on Friday April 14. Cliff Smith leads the Bulldogs in points with 24 points on 20 goals and four assists. Next for Butler is Jeremy Sieverts who has 18 points on 13 goals and five assists. Ryan Kaiser is in goal for the Bulldogs and owns a 3-7 record with a 9.87 goals against average. The Bulldogs will take on Air Force Friday April 21 before hosting DU April 23.

The Pioneers will close out the 2006 regular-season on the road against instate rival Air Force April 29. Face-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. (MT).


— www.DenverPioneers.com —

Pavoni Named GWLL Player Of The Week (4/18/06)

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 April 10-16, as announced Tuesday morning. It marks the second such honors for Pavoni this season, as he earned league player of the week recognition last month after the Falcons’ upset of then-16th-ranked Dartmouth.

Pavoni, who saw 120 minutes of action in a pair of home contests last week, was recognized primarily for his performance in a 9-8 upset of ninth-ranked Notre Dame Sunday at Cadet Lacrosse Stadium. Pavoni recorded 13 saves and six ground balls in the win, and put forth a crucial fourth-period effort, limiting the Irish to just one goal on 11 shots. Air Force’s victory over Notre Dame last weekend was its first since 1988, and just its fifth in 22 meetings in the all-time series.

Pavoni and the rest of the Falcons return to action this Friday, April 21, when they travel to Butler for a GWLL match-up.

Falcons Hit The Road For Pair Of GWLL Contests (4/18/06)

The Air Force lacrosse team (7-6, 2-0) hits the road for a pair of league contests this week. First, the Falcons will travel to Butler on Friday, April 21, for a 3:00 p.m. (ET) contest. Then, Air Force wraps up the weekend at Ohio State on Sunday, April 16, with a 12:00 p.m. (ET) contest.


Last Time Out...
Air Force hosted non-conference foe Bucknell and league rival Notre Dame in a pair of contests last weekend. The Falcons dropped a close 7-6 decision to the Bison on Friday, their first home loss of the season, but rebounded with a 9-8 upset of then-ninth-ranked Notre Dame on Sunday afternoon.

Against Bucknell, Air Force trailed 2-0 after one period of action, but notched five unanswered goals in the second quarter to take the 5-2 halftime lead. However, the Bison controlled the tempo in the second half, outscoring the Falcons 5-1 en route to the victory.

Junior Will Meister led Air Force with five points, all in the first half, on one goal and four assists.

The Falcons again trailed early against Notre Dame, giving up a 3-0 advantage in the second period. However, three Air Force goals in the final two and a half minutes of the half, included an unassisted score by freshman Griffin Nevitt with just two seconds left on the clock, tied the score 3-3 at intermission.

The two teams continued to trade goals after the break, but junior Conrad Lochocki notched four of his career-high tying goals in the second half to give the Falcons the advantage. A score by senior John Smith at the 12:24 mark in the fourth quarter put Air Force up for good, as the Falcons held on for the 9-8 upset victory.

Goalkeeper Justin Pavoni gave a clutch performance against the Irish, tallying 13 saves, including five in the fourth period, to help secure Air Force’s victory.


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 33-82.


Scouting the Bulldogs...
Butler enters this weekend’s contest with a 3-8 overall mark, and 0-2 record in the GWLL. The Bulldogs are coming off a 14-10 loss to Ohio State last weekend.

Cliff Smith leads Butler’s offense with 24 points (20 goals, four assists) on the season, while Jeremy Sieverts (13 goals, five assists) and Adam Wade (11 goals, six assists) have 18 and 17 points, respectively. Ryan Kaiser has seen the majority of action in goal for the Bulldogs, tallying 85 saves and a GAA of 9.87.

Butler is coached by Stan Ross (Loyola ‘96), who has compiled a 8-15 career mark in his second season at the helm of the Bulldogs’ program.


Scouting the Buckeyes...
Ohio State, which began the season with an 0-4 mark, currently holds a 5-4 overall record, 2-0 mark in the GWLL and will host Denver before playing Air Force on Sunday. The Buckeyes, winners of five straight contests, are coming off a 14-10 victory over league opponent Butler.

Joel Dalgarno leads the Ohio State’s offense with 28 points (18 goals, 10 assists), while Andrew Bender ranks second on the team with 13 goals and 14 assists (27 points). Freshman goalkeeper John Bolen is undefeated in four starts between the pipes for the Buckeyes and holds a .644 save percentage and 7.55 GAA.

Ohio State is coached by Joe Breschi (North Carolina ‘90), who has compiled a 70-50 career ledger in his ninth season at the helm of the Buckeyes’ program.


In the Series...
Butler holds an 8-4 advantage in the all-time series against Air Force, but the Falcons have won three straight, including an 11-8 win at the Academy last season. Meanwhile, in a series dating back to 1967, Air Force trails 11-9 against Ohio State, and has lost eight in a row against the Buckeyes. Ohio State registered an 11-7 victory over the Falcons last season at the Academy.


AF in the Coaches poll...
In the USILA/STX Coaches Poll released April 17, Air Force is one of four teams receiving votes. Two other GWLL teams, Denver (#15) and Notre Dame (#19), are ranked among the top 20 teams, while two other teams that the Falcons have played this season, UMBC (#14) and Army (#18) are also among the ranked teams.


Falcons in the National Rankings...
In the latest national rankings through games of April 16, Air Force found itself ranked in the top-50 in every statistical category. The Falcons are rated 13th in scoring defense (7.69), 23rd in scoring margin (+0.69),24th in man-down defense (.721), 29th in win percentage (.538), 33rd in scoring offense (8.38), 36th in face-off win percentage (.466) and 39th in man-up offense (.235).

In addition, several Air Force players are rated in the individual rankings. Junior Will Meister is currently 12th in the nation in assists per game (1.85) and 47th in points per game (2.77), sophomore Kevin Crumrine is rated 47th in goals per game (1.77), goalkeeper Justin Pavoni is rated 14th, 17th and 23rd in save percentage (.581), goals against average (7.91) and ground balls (4.62), respectively, and face-off specialist Kyle O’Neill ranks 36th (.473) in face-off win percentage.

In the GWLL rankings, Meister leads the league in assists per game and ranks seventh in points per game, while Crumrine is tied for eighth and Conrad Lochocki and Griffin Nevitt are tied for 10th place (1.54) in goals per game. Pavoni is first in saves per game (10.54), second in ground balls per game and third in save percentage and goals against average. Finally, O’Neill and John Smith (.469) rank seventh and eighth, respectively, in face-off win percentage.


How They Rate...
Butler ranks in the top-50 nationally in five statistical categories, including 34th in face-off win percentage (.471). Face-off specialist Phil Brauch leads the way with a .513 win percentage, ranking 26th individually. In the GWLL rankings, Cliff Smith is tied for fourth in goals per game (1.82), Brauch ranks fourth in ground balls per game (4.36) and Ryan Kaiser is fifth in saves per game (8.50), save percentage (.506) and goals against average (9.87).

Ohio State is ranked in the top-25 in the nation in man-down defense (13th, .756), win percentage (21st, .556), and scoring offense (23rd, 9.44). Meanwhile, Andrew Bender ranks 17th in assists per game (1.56) and Joel Dalgarno ranks 23rd in points per game (3.11) and 24th in goals per game (2.0). In the GWLL rankings, Dalgarno leads the league in points per game and is second in goals per game, Craig Nolan is third in goals per game (1.88), Bender is second in points per game (3.0) and third in assists per game, and Nick Carr ranks fifth in face-off win percentage (.511).


Repeating History?...
Air Force’s 9-8 win over ninth-ranked Notre Dame marked just the fifth-ever victory over the Fighting Irish in the 22-game series. In addition, it was the first win over Notre Dame in head coach Fred Acee’s nine-year tenure and the first since 1988.

The year of the Falcons’ last defeat of the Irish was significant for another reason—1988 was the last time (and only the second ever) that Air Force advanced to the NCAA Tournament. That year, the Falcons finished the season with a 13-4 overall record, after falling to Loyola in the NCAA Tournament.


Meister, The Assist Leader...
Junior tri-captain Will Meister, who leads the GWLL with 1.85 assists per contest, needs just six more assists to break into the career top-10 list at the Academy. Currently, Craig Ward (1984-87) and George Mandis (1974-77) are tied for 10th place on the Air Force assist list with 67. The last player to make his way onto the list was Mike Murphy, who played from 1991-94, more than 20 years ago. Murphy ended his career with 68 assists, a figure certainly within Meister’s reach.


Pavoni Moves up In the Record books...
With 137 saves through the first 11 games of the season, senior Justin Pavoni sits in seventh place on the career saves list at the Academy with 443 total saves, and needs 44 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.


Pavoni Earns GWLL Honors...
Senior Justin Pavoni was named the GWLL Player of the Week for the week of April 10-16, as announced on April 18.

The goalkeeper from Park City, Utah, played an integral role in the Falcons’ upset of ninth-ranked Notre Dame, getting 13 saves and six ground balls in the game to lead Air Force to its first win over the Irish since 1988. Pavoni put forth a crucial fourth-period effort, limiting Notre Dame to just one goal on 11 shots to help secure the Falcons’ victory.

This marks the second time this season that Pavoni has been recognized as the league player of the week, as he earned the honor for the week of March 13-21 after leading Air Force to 13-8 win over then-16th-ranked Dartmouth.


Up Next...
The Falcons wrap up the regular season next week with its home finale as they host Denver in a 1:00 p.m. contest on April 29.

Air Force Upsets Ninth-Ranked Notre Dame, 9-8

April 16, 2006

Air Force Upsets Ninth-Ranked Notre Dame, 9-8

USAFA, Colo. - Rallying back from a second-quarter 3-0 deficit, the Air Force lacrosse team knocked off ninth-ranked Notre Dame in Great Western Lacrosse League action Sunday afternoon at Cadet Lacrosse Stadium. The Falcons, coming off their first home loss of the season, improve to 7-6 on the season, and 2-0 in the GWLL, while the Fighting Irish fall to 7-4 on the year, 1-2 in league play.

A pair of goals by Notre Dame’s Brian Hubschmann in the first period gave the Fighting Irish a 2-0 lead and Matt Karweck extended the team’s advantage to three midway through the second quarter off of Matt Walsh’s first assist of the afternoon. The Falcons finally made it onto the scoreboard at the 2:20 mark in the period as junior Conrad Lochocki (Chalfont, Pa.) netted an assist from freshman Griffin Nevitt (Charlotte, N.C.), while an assist from sophomore Kevin Crumrine (Edgewater, Md.) to Will Meister (Jr., Denver, Colo.) two minutes later tied the score at 2-2 just prior to intermission. After winning the ensuing face-off and calling a timeout, the Falcons were able to take their first lead of the contest as Nevitt notched an unassisted score just two seconds before the end of the half.

Air Force’s lead was extended to two goals in the first minute after the break, as Lochocki netted an assist from Meister, but a man-up goal for the Fighting Irish at the 12:32 mark in the third period cut the lead back to one. Lochocki had an immediate answer, intercepting a Notre Dame face-off win and bringing it down for another score just 17 seconds later. Although Hubschmann’s third goal of the afternoon came within the next two minutes, the Fighting Irish were unable to tie the score once more. A thirty-second penalty against Notre Dame resulted in another score for Lochocki, assisted once more by Meister, with just eight seconds remaining in the third period.

It wasn’t long before the Fighting Irish were able to tie the game once again, as Karweck scored on another Walsh-assist 54 seconds into the final period. However, Lochocki’s career-high-tying fifth goal of the game came a minute and a half later, while senior John Smith (Merion, Pa.) won the following face-off and scored to give Air Force the lead for good. Though Walsh and Karweck connected for Notre Dame’s next score, they were unable to overcome their deficit. Junior Justin Kuchta (Ridgefield, Conn.) added the Falcons’ ninth goal of the contest, and despite a final score by Notre Dame with just under three minutes to play, it was not enough for the Irish to avoid the upset.

The Falcons outshot the Irish 34-26 for the contest, but allowed 11 shots by Notre Dame in the fourth period alone. Goalkeeper Justin Pavoni (Sr., Park City, Utah) was particularly clutch for the Falcons, finishing the game with 13 saves and six ground balls, while grabbing five saves in the final quarter. The Irish also had a slight edge on face-offs, winning 12-of-20 in the game.

In addition to Lochocki’s five goals for the Falcons, Meister and Nevitt each added three points on one goal and two assists, while Crumrine had two assists.

For Notre Dame, Walsh finished with a team-high five points on one goal and four assists, Karweck had four points (two goals, two assists) and Hubschmann added three goals. Meanwhile, sophomore Joey Kemp was solid between the pipes for the Irish, finishing with 10 saves.

The Falcons, currently tied with Denver for first-place in the GWLL, are back in action next week when they hit the road for a pair of league contests as they travel to Butler on April 21 for a 3:00 p.m. contest, followed by a 12:00 p.m. meeting with Ohio State on April 23.

Air Force 9, No. 9 Notre Dame 8
Notre Dame Scoring: Goals: Brian Hubschmann 3, Matt Karweck 2, Ryan Hoff 2, Pat Walsh. Assists: Pat Walsh 4, Matt Karweck 2, Drew Peters, Matt Ryan.
Air Force Scoring: Goals: Conrad Lochocki 5, Will Meister, Griffin Nevitt, John Smith, Justin Kuchta. Assists: Griffin Nevitt 2, Kevin Crumrine 2, Will Meister 2.

No. 17 Men’s Lacrosse Completes First-Ever Undefeated Home Season With 11-8 Win Over Bucknell On Senior Day

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 16, 2006
MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

No. 17 Men’s Lacrosse Completes First-Ever Undefeated Home Season With 11-8 Win Over Bucknell On Senior Day
Pioneers finish with a 9-0 record at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium

DENVER-The No. 17 Denver Pioneer men’s lacrosse team concluded its home-schedule with a perfect 9-0 record after defeating Bucknell, 11-8 this afternoon at Barton Stadium. The perfect record marks the first-time in program history that the Pioneers have gone undefeated at home. The Pioneers improve to 9-4 (2-0 GWLL), while Bucknell falls to 5-7 (2-3 Patriot League). Sophomore Brett Koll (Fort Collins, Colo.) led the way for the Pioneers recording a season-high, three goals, for his first hat trick of the season. Brad Richardson (Langley, B.C.) added two goals for DU. Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) also matched a season-high, dishing out three assists. Jeb Hollingsworth (Darien, Conn.) and Austin Konkel (Aurora, Colo.) both saw time in the cage for the Pioneers. Konkel came up big in the second half making 13 saves.

“This is our first time going undefeated at home and I’m really excited for our team,” head coach Jamie Munro said. “Bucknell is a good team, that is fighting for their playoff lives and they played like it today. They were a tough team to play against but we hung in there and fought and came up with a good win.”

The game was physical from the first whistle with both teams taking it to each other. The Pioneers made a point to be patient on offense moving the ball around the perimeter before taking shots. DU got the first goal of the game at the 12:13 mark of the first when senior Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta) snuck one in just behind Bucknell goalie Matt Baran to give DU the 1-0 lead. The Pioneers continued to make moves on offense with several quality scoring chances. Joe Murray (Denver, Colo.) picked up his fourth goal of the season midway through the half to extend DU’s lead to 2-0. The Bison capitalized on a DU penalty and scored their first goal at the 8:55 mark to cut the DU lead to 2-1 and moments later tied the game with a goal from Kirk Klete. Michael Goltra (Washington, N.C.) had an answer and scored his third goal of the weekend, to give Denver a 2-3 lead. Bucknell wouldn’t be down for long as Klete picked up the equalizer a little over four minutes into the second period and seconds later the Bison took a 4-3 lead on a goal by Joe Mele. Zordani connected with Jon Paulson (Flemington, N.J.) who notched the game at 4-4 with just over 10 minutes left in the half. The teams began to trade goals down the stretch but it was Bucknell that took the 7-6 lead into halftime.

The teams played scoreless for the first half of the third period, but Koll put an end an end to the drought, scoring the equalizer at the 8:12 mark of the third. Again the Bison answered regaining the 8-7 lead with a quick goal. Not to be outdone Koll tallied his second goal of the game to tie the game again at 8-8. The teams entered the fourth and final period tied at 8-8. Senior Adam Goodwin (Columbus, Ohio) tallied his 19th goal of the season to put DU up, 9-8. The Pioneers wouldn’t trail again as Koll and Richardson scored the games final two goals to give DU the 11-8 win and the programs first-ever undefeated season.

The Pioneers hit the road for two crucial Great Western Lacrosse League matches next weekend. DU takes on Ohio State for sole possession of first place in the GWLL on April 21 and then heads to Indianapolis for a league match with Butler on April 23.

— www.DenverPioneers.com —

Air Force Drops 7-6 Contest To Bucknell

April 14, 2006

Air Force Drops 7-6 Contest To Bucknell

USAFA, Colo. - Junior tri-captain Will Meister (Denver, Colo.) exploded for five points in the first half, but a slugggish second-half team offensive performance spelled doom for the Air Force lacrosse team, as it fell to visiting Bucknell, 7-6, Friday afternoon at Cadet Lacrosse Stadium. The Falcons, who entered the contest with a 5-0 mark at home, fall to 6-6 on the season, while the Bison improve to 5-6 overall.

Bucknell grabbed a quick 2-0 lead in the first five minutes of the contest before the Air Force defense was able to take control for the remainder of the opening period. However, it was not until the 11:43 mark in the second quarter that the Falcons were finally able to get on the scoreboard, as sophomore Chris Tubesing (Centreville, Va.) scored off the feed from Meister. Two minutes later, Meister notched his second assist of the game, this time on a pass to junior Justin Kuchta (Ridgefield, Conn.), to tie the score at 2-2.

Air Force grabbed its first lead of the game with just under five minutes to play in the half as sophomore Kevin Crumrine (Edgewater, Md.) scored his first goal of the contest on the assist from Meister. After setting up his teammates all afternoon, Meister finally notched his own tally at the 3:15 mark to give the Falcons the 4-2 advantage. Then, with just two minutes to play before intermission, junior Conrad Lochocki (Chalfont, Pa.) scored on yet another Meister assist, to put Air Force up 5-2 at the half.

While the second period belonged to the Falcons, Bucknell was not ready to give up, scoring on a man-up opportunity just 12 seconds into the third quarter. Crumrine’s second goal of the day, on an assist from freshman Griffin Nevitt (Charlotte, N.C.), pushed Air Force’s lead back out to 6-3 with just under 10 minutes left in the quarter. However, the Bison responded with three unanswered scores by the 3:14 mark to tie the game at 6-6. Finally, with just 18 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Bucknell’s Joe Mele notched his second goal of the day, the score which would prove to be the game-winner, as neither team was able to find the net in the final period.

Although Air Force outshot Bucknell 32-20 for the contest, the Falcons were hurt by an inability to score on the extra-man opportunity, going 0-5 on the EMO, including a three-minute stretch to begin the fourth quarter after an illegal stick was called against Bucknell. The Falcons also won just 5-of-14 face-offs, but committed just 10 turnovers to 24 for the Bison.

While Meister finished with a game-high five points, Kirk Klett led the Bison with three goals while Mele added two goals. Meanwhile, Matt Baran tallied 13 saves between the pipes for Bucknell, while Air Force goalkeeper Justin Pavoni had five saves and four ground balls.

The Falcons wrap up their four-game homestand on Sunday, April 14, when they host GWLL-foe Notre Dame, ranked ninth in the nation, in a 2:00 p.m. contest.

Bucknell 7, Air Force 6
Bucknell Scoring: Goals: Kirk Klett 3, Joe Mele 2, Steve Case, Tommy Moore. Assists: John Togneri 2, Mike Thon, Matt Castele, Steve Case.
Air Force Scoring: Goals: Kevin Crumrine 2, Chris Tubesing, Justin Kuchta, Will Meister, Conrad Lochocki. Assists: Will Meister 4, Griffin Nevitt.
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No. 17 Men’s Lacrosse Team Upsets No. 11 Notre Dame To Improve To 8-0 At Home

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 14, 2006
MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

No. 17 Men’s Lacrosse Team Upsets No. 11 Notre Dame To Improve To 8-0 At Home
Pioneers upset Notre Dame for the second consecutive season

DENVER- Playing in front of a record 2376 fans at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium the No. 17 Denver Pioneer men’s lacrosse team upset No. 11 Notre Dame, 8-5 in Great Western Lacrosse League action tonight. The win is DU’s second-consecutive win over the Irish and marks the first time in program history the Pioneers have defeated Notre Dame in consecutive seasons. DU improves to 8-4 (2-0 GWLL) and 8-0 at Barton Stadium, while the Fighting Irish fall to 7-3 (1-1 GWLL). Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) and Michael Goltra (Washington, N.C.) led the Pioneers with two goals each. Brett Koll (Fort Collins, Colo.), Brandon Barcus (Dublin, Ohio) and Adam Goodwin (Columbus, Ohio) each added one goal. Koll also added two assists. Goalie Jeb Hollingsworth (Darien, Conn.) made 15 saves in 60 minutes of action.

“I’m really excited for our team,” head coach Jamie Munro said. “The guys came together to win a hard-fought, tight, ball game. They played well together and picked up a great win tonight.”

The game was evenly matched early on with both teams taking several early shots. Notre Dame had the games first shots but Hollingsworth held his ground and came up with several huge saves to keep the game scoreless. Notre Dame struck first but the goal was overturned after the Notre Dame player was ruled in the crease. The Pioneers took advantage and Adam Miller (Columbus, Ohio) connected with Koll who put a rocket past Notre Dame goalie Joey Kemp for the 1-0 DU lead. Moments later the DU stuck again, Goltra put back-to-back goals past Kemp to give DU a 3-0 lead after one period of play. Notre Dame wouldn’t be down for long and really took it to the Pioneer offense in the second period. The Fighting Irish recorded three unanswered goals, two by Ryan Hoff, to tie the game at 3-3 heading into the break.

Notre Dame used the momentum they picked up near the end of the half and came out shooting taking a 4-3 lead on a goal by Drew Peters. DU answered at the 9:27 mark of the period when Zordani picked up his 14th goal of the season to notch the game at 4-4. DU had a chance to regain the lead when a bullet by Joe Murray (Denver, Colo.) hit the inside of the crossbar and bounced out just enough for Kemp to make the save. The Pioneer defense set the tone near the end of the period, shutting down the Irish on crucial man-up opportunity to keep the game tied. In the fourth quarter DU took a 5-4 lead on another goal by Zordani, which ended a nearly 12 minute scoring drought by both teams. Senior Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta) put his stamp on the game seconds later by taking the ball straight to goal from the face-off to give the Pioneers a two-goal lead with just over eight minutes left to play. Notre Dame fought hard and managed to sneak one by Hollingsworth to cut the lead to 7-5 but Goodwin put the game away with an unassisted goal with a little over two minutes remaining. The Pioneer defense held and DU pulled out the 8-5 victory.

Statistically speaking the game was very evenly played. The teams each had 33 shots and Notre Dame picked up 35 groundballs to the Pioneers’ 32.

The Pioneers conclude the 2006 home schedule Sunday when they take on the Bucknell Bison. Face-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. (MT). Sunday is also the final home game for eight DU seniors who will be honored for their contributions before the game.


— www.DenverPioneers.com —

Pioneer Men’s Lacrosse Team Closes Out 2006 Home Schedule This Weekend

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 13, 2006
DU MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

Pioneer Men’s Lacrosse Team Closes Out 2006 Home Schedule This Weekend
DU takes on GWLL foe Notre Dame April 14 and Patriot League member Bucknell April 16

DENVER-The No. 17 Denver Pioneer men’s lacrosse team closes out its 2006 home schedule this weekend when they take on conference rival No. 11 Notre Dame Friday April 14. Face-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. (MT). The Pioneers will then step out of conference for a game when they take on Bucknell Sunday April 16 at 1 p.m. (MT) Sunday’s game marks the final home game for DU seniors Adam Goodwin (Columbus, Ohio), Andrew MacDonnell (West Hartford, Conn.), Andrew McCuiston (Birmingham, Mich.), Billy McKinney (Philadelphia, Pa.), Adam Miller (Columbus, Ohio), Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta), Bart Sullivan (Dublin, Ohio) and Adam Swain (West Simsbury, Conn.). They will be honored for their contributions to the program in a pre-game ceremony.

DU enters the weekend with a 7-4 (1-0 GWLL) record after picking up wins over Bellarmine and Quinnipiac last weekend. The Pioneers extended their home-win streak to six with a 13-5 win over Bellarmine. Brandon Barcus (Dublin, Ohio) scored a career-high six goals and Goodwin added his first hat trick of the season. In the GWLL opener against Quinnipiac, Goodwin tallied a career-high five goals and newcomer Jon Paulson (Flemington, N.J.) added a hat trick as the Pioneers improved to 7-0 in Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium with a 17-8 win.

Barcus leads the Pioneer offense in scoring with 26 points on 22 goals and four assists. Snider leads the nation in groundballs with an average of 12.18 per game. He’s second in face-off win percentage, winning 70.6 percent of all face-offs he’s taken. Jeb Hollingsworth (Darien, Conn.) and Austin Konkel (Aurora, Colo.) have both seen action in the cage this season. Hollingsworth owns a 5-4 record and owns a 7.95 goals against average; his goals against average ranks 20th in the nation. Konkel is currently 2-0 on the season and boasts a 7.42 goals against average. DU is nationally-ranked in several categories as a team. They rank fourth in scoring offense averaging 11.45 goals per game, second in face-off win percentage (.678), seventh in scoring offense (3.55), 13th in win percentage (.636), 12th in man-down defense (.762) and 16th in scoring defense (7.73).

No. 11 Notre Dame enters Friday’s game with a 7-2 (1-0 GWLL) record and are riding a three-game winning streak after defeating Brown, Dartmouth and Butler. Brian Hubschmann leads the team in points with 27 on 17 goals and 10 assists. Pat Walsh is next with 25 points on 11 goals and 14 assists. In the cage for the Fighting Irish is Joey Kemp, who owns a 7-2 (1-0 GWLL) record and has a 6.79 goals against average.

Bucknell comes into the contest with a 4-6 (2-3 Patriot League) record after falling to No. 20 Army April 7. Joe Mele leads the team in points with 16 on 16 goals. Kirk Klett and Jon Togneri are next with 15 points each. Matt Baran is in goal for the Bison and owns a 4-6 (2-3 Patriot League) and boasts a 6.69 goals against average.

DU is next in action April 21 when they head to Columbus, Ohio for a conference game with Ohio State. Face-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. (MT).

— www.DenverPioneers.com —

Outlaws Acquire Cara

For Immediate Release

Outlaws Acquire Cara
Outlaws trade Goettelmann for Bucknell’s all-time leading scorer

DENVER – April 12, 2006 – The Denver Outlaws acquired attackman Chris Cara and two second round draft picks Monday from Long Island in exchange for Tim Goettelmann and a fourth round draft pick on Wednesday.

In an earlier transaction, the Outlaws released goaltenders Pat McGinnis and Tim Flanagan. They signed goaltender Alex Smith and midfielder Greg Bastis.

Cara, a 2005 graduate of Bucknell University, was selected by the Lizards in the third round of the 2005 Collegiate Draft. As a Lizard, the 5-foot, 8-inch, 170-pound attackman, posted two goals and one assist in three games. While at Bucknell, Cara, the school’s all-time leading scorer, led the nation in scoring for two consecutive seasons and was named the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year in both 2004 and 2005. In 2005, he earned Most Valuable Player honors at the USILA Division I Men's Lacrosse North-South Senior All-Star Game.

“Chris Cara gives us a very good playmaker at attack,” said Outlaws GM Brian Reese. “He is young, hungry, and very talented and we are extremely excited to have him playing for the Outlaws. In addition to Chris we are in a position to draft two more players in the top 20 of this year’s collegiate draft.”

Smith (6-0, 195), 25, attended Colorado State University where he ranks as the school’s all-time leader with 232 saves.

Bastis (5-11, 195), 23, attended Middlebury College where he helped the Panthers to two NCAA Division III national championships and three-straight championship appearances.

Goettelmann was acquired by the Outlaws in the fifth round of the 2005 Expansion Draft from Long Island. Goettelmann, who played in Long Island since the League’s inception in 2001, has scored 131 career goals, an average of 26 per season.

Season and group ticket deposits are now available for the Denver Outlaws inaugural season at INVESCO Field at Mile High. Season tickets for the Outlaws six home games are affordably priced, starting at less than $90. Call 720-258-3600 for ticket information.

-- www.DenverOutlaws.com --

Senior Adam Goodwin Named Great Western Lacrosse League Player of the Week

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –April 12, 2006
DU MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

Senior Adam Goodwin Named Great Western Lacrosse League Player of the Week
Senior earns his first career Player of the Week honor

DENVER- University of Denver men’s lacrosse senior midfielder Adam Goodwin (Columbus, Ohio) was named Great Western Lacrosse Player of the Week, it was announced by league officials today. It is the first honor for Goodwin this season and his first career Player of the Week honor. Goodwin is the second Pioneer to win the award this season, teammate Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta) earned the award March 1 for his performance at the Pioneer Face-Off Classic.

Goodwin earned the honor for his performance last weekend in the Pioneers’ 17-8 win over Quinnipiac in their GWLL opener. Goodwin tallied a season-high and career-high five goals in the victory and picked up two groundballs. He also tallied his first hat-trick of the season and added two assists against Bellarmine on April 7, for a 10 point weekend.

Goodwin is third on the team in points (23), goals (17) and assists (6). He leads the team in shots with 75 and shots on goal with 34.

The Pioneers return to action this Friday April 14 when they take on GWLL foe, Notre Dame. Face-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. (MT).


— www.DenverPioneers.com —

Air Force Hosts Bucknell, No. 9 Notre Dame This Weekend In Lacrosse Action (4/11/06)

The Air Force lacrosse team (6-5, 1-0) continues its four-game homestand this week with a pair of contests. First, the Falcons will host Bucknell on Friday, April 14, at 3:00 p.m. Then, Air Force wraps up the weekend against league foe Notre Dame, currently ranked ninth nationally, on Sunday, April 16, with a 2:00 p.m. contest.


Last Time Out...
Air Force moved above .500 for the first time this season and remained undefeated at home with a pair of victories last weekend. The Falcons began with an 8-4 win over Quinnipiac in the team’s conference opener on Friday, followed by a 9-7 defeat of Bellarmine on Sunday afternoon.

Against the Bobcats, Air Force was able to break a 4-4 tie at intermission, shutting out Quinnipiac in the second half en route to the 8-4 victory. Junior Conrad Lochocki paced the team with two goals and two assists, while goalkeeper Justin Pavoni tallied 14 saves in the contest, including seven in the fourth period alone.

Despite trailing the Knights 3-2 at halftime in the second game of the week, the Air Force offense broke through in the third period, scoring five unanswered goals to secure the 9-7 victory. Freshman Griffin Nevitt was impressive for the Falcons, getting two of his three goals during the Air Force run, while adding another score directly off a Falcon face-off win. Will Meister added two goals and an assist, while Justin Kuchta notched a goal and two assists in the winning effort.


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 32-81.


Scouting the Bison...
Bucknell enters this weekend’s contest with a 4-6 overall mark. The Bobcats have lost their lost two contests, including an 8-7 loss to Army last weekend.

Joe Mele leads Bucknell’s offense with 16 goals on the season, while Kirk Klett (14 goals, one assist) and John Togneri (10 goals, five assists) have 15 points each. Matt Baran has started all 10 games in goal for the Bison, and has compiled a .556 save percentage and 6.69 GAA.

Bucknell is coached by Frank Fedorjaka (Hobart ‘89), who has compiled a 4-6 career mark in his first season at the helm of the Bison.


Scouting the Fighting Irish...
Notre Dame, ranked ninth in the USILA/STX Coaches Poll and 11th in the Inside Lacrosse media poll, currently holds a 7-2 overall record, 1-0 mark in the GWLL and will take on Denver before playing Air Force on Sunday. The Fighting Irish are coming off a 9-8 victory over league opponent Butler.

Brian Hubschmann leads the Notre Dame offense with 27 points (17 goals, 12 assists), while Pat Walsh ranks second on the team with 11goals and 14 assists (25 points). Sophomore goalkeeper Joey Kemp has started in goal in all nine games for the Fighting Irish, compiling a .615 save percentage and 6.79 GAA.

Notre Dame is coached by Kevin Corrigan (Virginia ‘88), who has compiled a 153-85 ledger in his 18th season at the helm of the Fighting Irish program and a 163-100 career ledger (20th year).


In the Series...
Air Force is 0-4 all-time against Bucknell, with the Bison getting a close 9-8 victory in the teams’ last meeting in 1998. Notre Dame holds a 17-4 advantage in the series versus Air Force, which has not beaten the Fighting Irish since 1988. Last year, Notre Dame held on for a 14-13 overtime victory over the Falcons in South Bend.


AF in the Coaches Poll...
In the USILA/STX Coaches Poll released April 10, Air Force is one of seven teams receiving votes. Two other GWLL teams, Notre Dame (#9) and Denver (#18) are ranked among the top 20 teams, while two other teams that the Falcons have played this season, UMBC (#15) and Army (#16), are also among the ranked teams.


Falcons in the National Rankings...
In the latest national rankings through games of April 9, Air Force found itself ranked in the top-50 in every statistical category. The Falcons are rated 11th in man-down defense (.763), 15th in scoring defense (7.73), 22nd in scoring margin (+0.82), 27th in win percentage (.545), 30th in scoring offense (8.55), 32nd in face-off win percentage (.479) and 37th in man-up offense (.25).

In addition, several Air Force players are rated in the individual rankings. Junior Will Meister is currently 14th in the nation in assists per game (1.64), sophomore Kevin Crumrine is rated 31st in goals per game (1.91), goalkeeper Justin Pavoni is rated 17th, 23rd and 24th in save percentage (.586), goals against average (7.99) and ground balls (4.55), respectively, and face-off specialist Kyle O’Neill ranks 39th (.492) in face-off win percentage.

In the GWLL rankings, Meister leads the league in assists per game, while Crumrine ranks third in goals per contest. Meister is eighth in points per game with 2.55. Pavoni ranks second in ground balls and saves per game, third in save percentage and fourth in goals against average. Finally, O’Neill and John Smith rank seventh and ninth, respectively, in face-off win percentage.


How They Rate...
Bucknell ranks in the top-25 nationally in scoring defense (10th, 6.91) and scoring margin (24th, +0.73). In addition, goalkeeper Matt Baran ranks ninth in goals against average (6.69) and 27th in save percentage (.556).

Notre Dame is ranked in the top-25 in the nation in man-down defense (fifth, .800), win percentage (eighth, .778), scoring defense (ninth, 6.89), scoring margin (16th, +1.33) and face-off win percentage (21st, .527). Meanwhile, Joey Kemp ranks eighth in save percentage (0.615) and 11th in goals against average (6.8), while Pat Walsh ranks 16th in assists per game (1.56).

In the GWLL rankings, Notre Dame’s Brian Hubschmann leads the league in points per game (3.0), is fourth in goals per game (1.89) and fifth in assists per game (1.11). Walsh is second in assists per game and tied for second in points per game (2.78), while Kemp is second in both save percentage and goals against average.


On A Roll...
After losing their first four games of the season, the Falcons have now won six of their last seven contests. The lone loss during that stretch was a 12-11 overtime loss to then-20th-ranked Army. Air Force is also undefeated at home (5-0) and is guaranteed to post the best overall record in Coach Acee’s nine-year tenure at the Academy.


Pavoni Moves Up In the Record Books...
With 119 saves through the first nine games of the season, senior Justin Pavoni sits in seventh place on the career saves list at the Academy with 425 total saves, and needs 62 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 go on their final road trip of the regular season for a pair of league games next week, first traveling to Butler on April 21 for a 3:00 p.m. (ET) contest, followed by a 12:00 p.m. (ET) meeting at Ohio State on April 23.

Falcons Remain Perfect At Home With 9-7 Win Over Bellarmine (4/9/06)

April 9, 2006

Falcons Remain Perfect At Home With 9-7 Win Over Bellarmine

USAFA, Colo. - Bolstered by a 5-0 third-quarter run, the Air Force lacrosse team defeated visiting Bellarmine, 9-7, Sunday afternoon at Cadet Lacrosse Stadium. The Falcons, winners of six of their last seven contests, move to 6-5 on the season, including a 5-0 mark at home, while the Knights fall to 3-7 overall.

Bellarmine was able to grab a 1-0 lead with just six seconds remaining in the first period as Ray Finnegan scored after the expiration of an Air Force penalty. The Knights extended their advantage to two goals in the second quarter as Shane Andersen scored off the assist from Garett Kikot, but the Falcons’ Justin Kuchta (Jr., Ridgefield, Conn.) responded with a score less than a minute later to put Air Force on the board for the first time in the contest.

A goal by Kikot with just over three minutes to play in the half put Bellarmine back up by two, but just 10 seconds later, Air Force tri-captain Will Meister (Jr., Denver, Colo.) was able to find Conrad Lochocki (Jr., Chalfont, Pa.) for another Falcon score, sending the game into halftime with a 3-2 Knights’ advantage.

Bellarmine once again was first to score in the third period, this time on a feed from Bryan Brown to Justin Norbraten. Yet the Falcons again had the answer less than a minute later, as Lochocki scored his second goal of the game on the assist from Kuchta. It sparked a run of five unanswered goals by Air Force, as Meister followed with his first goal of the contest, freshman Griffin Nevitt (Charlotte, N.C.) added a pair of scores less than 45 seconds apart and sophomore Kevin Crumrine (Edgewater, Md.) capped off the run with an assist from Chris Tubesing (So., Centreville, Va.) to give the Falcons the 7-4 lead.

Although the Knights put an end to the Air Force run with a pair of goals in a span of 41 seconds, Nevitt found the net once more for the Falcons, scooping up the ground ball off the face-off and running it in for his third goal of the contest. Neither team was able to score again until Meister netted his second goal with 10:56 remaining in the game, giving Air Force the 9-6 advantage. The game remained stuck on that score until Bellarmine’s Matt Campbell found Sean Thompson for a goal with just four seconds remaining to cut the final margin to 9-7.

Air Force outshot Bellarmine 34-23 in the game, grabbed 30 ground balls to 24 for the Knights, and won 10-of-19 face-offs. In addition, the Falcons were successful in penalty killing, holding the Knights scoreless on four extra-man opportunities.

Nevitt led the Air Force offense with his three goals, while also adding a team-high six ground balls. Meister (two goals, one assist) and Kuchta (one goal, two assists) also scored three points each, while Lochocki had two goals for the Falcons. Senior John Smith (Merion, Pa.) was the top face-off specialist for Air Force against Bellarmine, winning 6-of-10 face-offs taken, while senior goalkeeper Justin Pavoni (Park City, Utah) was solid between the pipes for the Falcons once more, finishing with 13 saves in the contest.

For the Knights, Kikot the team with his goal and assist, while nine other players (six goals, three assists) all notched one point each.

The Falcons continue their four-game homestand on Friday, April 14, when they host Bucknell in a 3:00 p.m. contest.

Air Force 9, Bellarmine 7
Bellarmine Scoring: Goals: Garett Kikot, Shane Andersen, Justin Norbraten, Ray Finnegan, Jamie Floris, Sean Thomson, Cameron Adams. Assists:Bryan Brown, Mark Burton, Matt Campbell, Garett Kikot.
Air Force Scoring: Goals: Griffin Nevitt 3, Conrad Lochocki 2, Will Meister, Justin Kuchta, Kevin Crumrine, Chris Tubesing. Assists: Conrad Lochocki 2, Peter Krasco, Justin Kuchta, Will Meister.

No. 19 Men’s Lacrosse Team Opens Great Western Lacrosse League Action With A 17-8 Win Over Quinnipiac

DU MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

No. 19 Men’s Lacrosse Team Opens Great Western Lacrosse League Action With A 17-8 Win Over Quinnipiac
Senior Adam Goodwin led all scorers with five goals; newcomer Jon Paulson records a hat trick

DENVER-The No. 19 Denver Pioneers opened the Great Western Lacrosse League slate with a convincing 17-8 win over league newcomer, Quinnipiac this afternoon at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. DU improves to 7-4 (1-0 GWLL) on the season and 7-0 at home, while the Bobcats fall to 5-4 (0-4 GWLL). Adam Goodwin (Columbus, Ohio) led all scorers with a career-high five goals, while Jon Paulson (Flemington, N.J.) picked up a hat trick for the Pioneers. Austin Konkel (Aurora, Colo.) was impressive in the cage for the Pioneers making eight saves in 60 minutes of action.

“This was a good league win for us,” head coach Jamie Munro said. “It’s nice to start league play with a win, but we’ve got to keep getting better with each game. We have some tough games coming up and we need to build on today’s win and keep improving each time we step onto the field.”

The game was very evenly matched in the early minutes of action. The Bobcats gave Denver all the pressure they could handle on the offensive end and the teams played with out a score for nearly 10 minutes until Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) put one past CJ Squires to give DU an early 1-0 advantage. Quinnipiac answered a minute later with a quick goal through the left side to tie the game at 1-1. Konkel, starting in his second game this season, came up with some tremendous saves to keep the game close through the first period. DU got a goal from Michael Goltra (Washington, N.C.) at the 9:03 mark to take the early 2-1 lead, but goals by QU’s Erica Trama and Tucker Pruddedn gave the Bobcats the 3-2 lead with just over seven minutes remaining in the period. The Pioneers wouldn’t be down for long as Goodwin and Joe Murray (Denver, Colo.) answered with two unassisted goals to give DU the 4-3 advantage at the end of the first period.

The Bobcats started the second period with a goal by Trama 0.53 seconds into the period to notch the game at 4-4, but from that point on the Pioneers dominated the offense in the period scoring two more goals and recording numerous scoring opportunities, as they took a 6-4 lead into the break.

DU started the second half much like it ended the first and the flurry of offensive pressure coupled with high defensive intensity proved too much for the Bobcats. Denver held Quinnipiac scoreless in the third period and added three goals to their tally for an 11-4 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Bobcats managed to score four goals in the final period but couldn’t stop the Pioneers from scoring. Daniel Nickell (Greenwood, Village, Colo.), Andrew Bourke (Denver, Colo.), Brad Richardson (Langley, B.C.) Paulson and Goodwin all recorded scores as DU extended their home win streak to seven games with the 17-8 win.

DU put up 39 shots to the Bobcats 26 and scooped up 45 groundballs in the victory. Both teams were 2-of-4 on man-up opportunities.

The Pioneers continue their four-game homestand April 14 with a pivotal league game against No. 11 Notre Dame. Face-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. (MT).

— www.DenverPioneers.com —

Air Force Registers 8-4 Win Over Quinnipiac In GWLL Opener

Air Force Registers 8-4 Win Over Quinnipiac In GWLL Opener

USAFA, Colo. - Using a tough defensive effort to post a second-half shutout, the Air Force lacrosse team picked up an 8-4 victory over league newcomer Quinnipiac Friday afternoon at Cadet Lacrosse Stadium. The Falcons improve to 5-5 on the season, 1-0 in the GWLL, while the Bobcats fall to 5-3, 0-2 in the conference.

Quinnipiac took an early 1-0 lead as Eric Trama scored on the assist from Eddie Morley, but a goal by Air Force freshman Griffin Nevitt (Charlotte, N.C.) tied the game with just over eight and a half minutes remaining in the first period. Neither team was able to score again until the Bobcats’ Sean McBride opened the second period with his first goal of the game, and an unassisted score by Morley at the 12:40 mark of the second period gave Quinnipiac the 3-1 advantage.

However, Air Force was not ready to give up, getting an unassisted goal from junior Justin Kuchta (Ridgefield, Conn.) two minutes later. With less than five minutes to play in the half, sophomore Chris Tubesing (Centreville, Va.) was able to score on a tough angle to tie the game once more, and junior Conrad Lochocki (Chalfont, Pa.) scored his first goal of the game on an assist from sophomore Peter Krasco (Medford, Mass.) to cap off the 3-0 Falcon run. Then, with just 1:08 remaining before intermission, McBride scored his second goal of the contest for Quinnipiac, leaving the score tied at 4-4 at the break.

Although the Bobcats won the opening face-off in the third period, an early turnover led to an unassisted goal for Air Force junior Will Meister (Denver, Colo.), who scooped up the loose ball and was able to get off a quick shot. The Falcons never looked back, scoring two more unanswered goals in the period, and the lone goal in the fourth quarter.

Falcon goalkeeper Justin Pavoni (Sr., Park City, Utah) was impressive in the winning effort, finishing with 14 saves, including seven in the fourth period, and six ground balls, while allowing just four goals against. Air Force also won 10-of-16 face-offs in the game, led by junior Kyle O’Neill (Portsmouth, R.I.), who won 6-of-8 face-offs taken. Although the Falcons committed 27 turnovers to just 15 for the Bobcats, they did hold an edge on ground balls (38 to 31) and outshot Quinnipiac 33-26.

Leading the Falcon offense was Lochocki, who finished with two goals and two assists, while Nevitt added two goals. Meister and Kuchta each tallied a goal and an assist, while Kevin Crumrine (So., Edgewater, Md.) also scored a goal for Air Force. For the Bobcats, McBride led the team with his two goals, while Trama and Morley each added a goal and an assist.

The Falcons are back in action on Sunday, April 9, when they host non-conference foe Bellarmine at 1:00 p.m.

Air Force 8, Quinnipiac 4
Quinnipiac Scoring: Goals: Sean McBride 2, Eric Trama, Eddie Morley. Assists: Jon D’Ascoli, Eddie Morley, Eric Trama.
Air Force Scoring: Goals: Conrad Lochocki 2, Griffin Nevitt 2, Will Meister, Justin Kuchta, Kevin Crumrine, Chris Tubesing. Assists: Conrad Lochocki 2, Peter Krasco, Justin Kuchta, Will Meister.

No. 19 DU Men’s Lacrosse Team Extends Home Win Streak To Six with 13-5 Win Over Bellarmine

DU MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

No. 19 DU Men’s Lacrosse Team Extends Home Win Streak To Six with 13-5 Win Over Bellarmine
Junior Brandon Barcus led all scorers with six goals; Adam Goodwin added three goals in the win

DENVER-The No. 19 Denver Pioneers extended their record at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium to 6-0 with a 13-5 win over the visiting Bellarmine Knights this evening. The Pioneers improve to 6-4 (0-0 GWLL) on the season while the Knights fall to 3-6. Attackman Brandon Barcus (Dublin, Ohio) led all scorers with a career-high six goals while Adam Goodwin (Columbus, Ohio) added three and Brett Koll (Fort Collins, Colo.) tallied two in the win. Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta) and Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) each had one goal. Jeb Hollingsworth (Darien, Conn.) made five saves in 49 minutes of action in the cage.

Bellarmine came out hungry, coming off of back-to-back overtime losses and recorded the games first goal just 40 seconds into the game to take the early 1-0 lead. The Knight lead didn’t last long and at the 9:57 mark of the first period Zordani connected with Goodwin for the Pioneers’ first score of the night to notch the game at 1-1. The teams battled back and forth but DU capitalized on a man-up opportunity with a goal by Barcus to take the 2-1 lead. Goodwin extended the DU lead to two goals with a quick, unassisted score past BU goalie, JC Hutchins. The Pioneer offense was on a roll and recorded two more goals, including another man-up goal with 50 seconds left in the period, to take a 5-2 lead after one period of action. The second period featured high defense intensity and great offensive production by the Pioneers which led to three more scores for DU who took an 8-3 lead into the break.

DU was a perfect 13-of-13 from the face-off circle through the first half of play and collected 27 groundballs. The Pioneers also out shot the Knights 28-7 and were 2-of-3 on their man-up opportunities.

The third period featured more of the Pioneers offense as Barcus and Goodwin each added to the Pioneer tally. Barcus recorded an unassisted goal at the 10:22 mark and Goodwin also tallied an unassisted goal with just over 0.40 seconds left in the period. The Knights also got on the board with just over a minute remaining in the period with a Garett Kikot goal to cut the DU lead to 10-4. The Pioneers offense proved to be too much for the Knights in the fourth period as DU added three more goals to their score, but it was BU that had the last goal. Pat Walsh put one past Austin Konkel (Aurora, Colo.) with 0.01 seconds remaining on the clock as the Pioneers went on to take the 13-5 victory.

DU took 47 shots to the Knights 16 for the game and collected 40 groundballs in the victory. Snider dominated from the face-off circle going 19-of-21 and claiming a perfect 13-of-13 through the first half before losing two face-offs in the third period.

The Pioneers return to action April 9 when they open Great Western Lacrosse League action against GWLL newcomer Quinnipiac. Face-off is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. (MT). DU continues their four-game homestand April 14 when they welcome GWLL rival Notre Dame to Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium for a pivotal league game.

— www.DenverPioneers.com —

DU MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS DU Men’s Lacrosse Team Returns To Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium This Weekend

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 6, 2006
DU MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS DU Men’s Lacrosse Team Returns To Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium This Weekend
Pioneers take on Bellarmine April 7 and open Great Western Lacrosse League action against Quinnipiac April 9

DENVER- The No. 19 Denver Pioneer men’s lacrosse team returns to the friendly confines of Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium when they host Bellarmine Friday, April 7. The game will be the annual “Under the Lights” game and will be a part of the faculty/staff appreciation. Face-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. (MT). DU then opens Great Western Lacrosse League action Sunday, April 9 when they welcome the newest member of the GWLL, Quinnipiac to Barton Stadium. The first face-off is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. (MT).

The Pioneers enter the weekend with a 5-4 record (0-0 GWLL) after dropping back-to-back games at Harvard and at Stony Brook last weekend. The Pioneers took Harvard to triple overtime before the Crimson put one in the net for an 8-7 overtime win. Against Stony Brook, the Pioneers recorded four goals in the fourth quarter but it wasn’t enough as they fell, 9-6. Senior Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta) scored three goals in the loss and picked up nine groundballs.

Junior Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) paces the Pioneers offense with 22 points on 11 goals and 11 assists. Snider leads the nation with 12.50 groundballs per game. He is second in the nation in face-off win percentage, winning 67.4 percent of all face-offs he’s taken this season. Jeb Hollingsworth (Darien, Conn.) and Austin Konkel (Aurora, Colo.) have been impressive between the pipes for the Pioneers this season. Hollingsworth owns a 4-4 record on the season and has a 8.35 goals against average, while Konkel has seen quality minutes as a back-up and owns a 1-0 record with a 7.29 goals against average. The Pioneers as a team are nationally-ranked in several areas. The team is ranked fifth in scoring offense (11.25 goals per game), second in face-off win percentage (.657), 10th in scoring margin (3.13) and 18th in win percentage (.625).

Bellarmine enters Friday’s game with a 3-5 record after dropping back-to-back overtime contests to GWLL members, Butler and Quinnipiac. Garett Kikot leads the Knights with 25 points on 13 goals and 12 assists. Next for the Knights is Adam Gardner, who has 14 points on 10 goals and 4 assists. In the cage for the Bellarmine is JC Hutchins, who has a 3-5 record with a 7.85 goals against average.

Quinnipiac comes into Sunday’s contest with a 5-2 (0-1 GWLL) record after posting a come-from-behind win over Bellarmine April 2. Sean McBride leads the way for the Bobcats with 22 points on 16 goals and six assists this season. Chris Griffin has 21 points on 10 goals and 11 assists. In goal for the Bobcats is James Nastro, who owns a 4-1 record and a 6.82 goals against average.

The Pioneers are next in action April 14 when they welcome GWLL foe Notre Dame to the Mile High city for a crucial league game. Face-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.


— www.DenverPioneers.com —

Falcons Welcome GWLL Newcomer Quinnipiac, Bellarmine In Weekend Action (4/4/06)

The Air Force lacrosse team (4-5) returns to action this week with a pair of home contests. First, the Falcons will open the 2006 GWLL slate by hosting league-newcomer Quinnipiac on Friday, April 7, at 3:00 p.m. Then, Air Force wraps up the weekend against Bellarmine on Sunday, April 9, with a 1:00 p.m. contest.


Last Time Out...
Air Force had its four-game winning streak snapped with a heartbreaking 11-10 overtime loss to 20th-ranked rival Army last Saturday.

Although the Black Knights got out to a 4-1 lead after one quarter of play, the Falcons fought back in the second period to tie the score at 5-5 going into intermission. Army regained a two-goal lead, but a pair of Air Force scores in the final five minutes of regulation forced the extra period in the rivalry game for the third time in the last four seasons.

Unfortunately, the Falcons were unable to pull off their first-ever win over their rivals, as Army’s Mike Obringer scored 50 seconds into overtime, after a face-off win by the Black Knights’ Tony Vozzolo.

While Air Force outshot Army 33-25 and committed just 12 turnovers to 21 for the Black Knights, Army held a huge advantage on face-offs, led by Vozzolo, who won 18-of-24 in the game.

Leading the balanced Air Force offense was junior Conrad Lochocki, who notched two goals, including one to send the game into overtime, and an assist, while sophomore Kevin Crumrine added two goals of his own.


Scouting the Bobcats...
Quinnipiac enters this weekend’s contest with a 5-2 overall mark, 0-1 ledger in the GWLL. The Bobcats are coming off a 9-8 double overtime victory over Bellarmine.

Sean McBride (16 goals, six assists) leads Quinnipiac’s offense with 22 points on the season, while Chris Griffin (10 goals, 11 assists) and Eric Trama (12 goals, eight assists) are right behind with 21 and 20 points, respectively. James Nastro has seen the majority of action in goal for the Bobcats, compiling a 4-1 record, with a 6.82 GAA and .629 save percentage.

Quinnipiac is coached by Eric Fekete (Skidmore College ‘89), who has compiled an 18-41 career mark in his fifth season at the helm of the Bobcats’ program.


Scouting the Knights...
Bellarmine currently holds a 3-5 record and will take on Denver before playing Air Force on Sunday. The Knights, which are slated to join the GWLL next season, are coming off a difficult 9-8 overtime loss to Quinnipiac.

Garett Kikot, who led the nation in scoring last year, paces the Bellarmine offense with 25 points (13 goals, 12 assists), while Adam Gardner ranks second on the team with 10 goals and four assists (14 points). JC Hutchins has started all eight games in goal for the Knights, compiling a .610 save percentage and 7.85 GAA.

Bellarmine is coached by Jack McGetrick, who has compiled a 16-7 ledger in his second season at the helm of the Knights’ program and a 103-81 career ledger.


In the Series...
Air Force is 0-1 all-time against Quinnipiac, with the Bobcats picking up a 5-4 victory in the only previous meeting between the two teams in 2002. Meanwhile, this is the first-ever meeting between Air Force and Bellarmine, which is in the process of reclassifying to the Division I level.


Falcons in the National Rankings...
In the latest national rankings through games of April 2, Air Force found itself ranked in the top-50 in nearly every statistical category. The Falcons are rated 20th in man-down defense (.786), 22nd in scoring defense (8.22), 30th in man-up offense (.28), 32nd in scoring offense (8.56), 32nd in face-off win percentage (.462), 32nd in scoring margin (0.33) and 34th in win percentage (.444).

In addition, several Air Force players are rated in the individual rankings. Junior Will Meister is currently 16th in the nation in assists per game (1.78), sophomore Kevin Crumrine is rated 24th in goals per game (2.11), goalkeeper Justin Pavoni is rated 24th, 28th and 30th in ground balls (4.56), goals against average (8.58) and save percentage (.565), respectively, and face-off specialist Kyle O’Neill ranks 35th (.478) in face-off win percentage.

In the GWLL rankings, Meister leads the league in assists per game, while Crumrine ranks second in goals per contest. Meister and Crumrine are tied for ninth in points per game with 2.56. Pavoni ranks third in save percentage and ground balls and saves per game and fourth in goals against average. Finally, O’Neill and John Smith rank seventh and 10th, respectively, in face-off win percentage.


How They Rate...
Quinnipiac ranks in the top-25 nationally in six different statistical categories, including man-down defense (fifth, .853), win percentage (13th, .714), scoring margin (16th, 2.0), scoring defense (17th, 7.43), scoring offense (20th, 9.43) and face-off win percentage (23rd, .519). In addition, goalkeeper James Nastro ranks sixth in save percentage (.629) and 13th in goals against average (6.83), Sean McBride rates seventh in goals per game (2.43) and Chris Griffin is 21st in assists per game (1.57). McBride also leads the GWLL in both goals and points per game, while Griffin ranks third in both assists and points per contest. Meanwhile, Nastro leads the league in both saves and save percentage, while ranking second in goals against average.

Bellarmine is ranked in the top-25 in the nation in man-up offense (19th, .323) and scoring defense (8.38). Meanwhile, JC Hutchins ranks 10th in save percentage (0.610) and 20th in goals against average (7.85), while Garett Kikot ranks 24th in assists per game (1.5).


Up Next...
The Falcons continue their four-game home stand next week with a pair of games, hosting Bucknell on Friday, April 14, at 3:00 p.m., followed by a 1:00 p.m. contest against GWLL-foe Notre Dame on Sunday, April 16.

Air Force Suffers Heartbreaking 11-10 Overtime Loss To Rival Army

April 1, 2006



Air Force Suffers Heartbreaking 11-10 Overtime Loss To Rival Army



West Point, N.Y. - Just as it has been the case in two of the last three seasons, today's Army-Air Force lacrosse contest was sent into overtime, and yet again, the Falcons came up on the short end, losing, 11-10, at Michie Stadium in the game televised nationally on ESPNU. The loss halts Air Force's four-game winning streak, as the team falls to 4-5 overall, while the Black Knights, ranked 20th in last week's coaches poll, improve to 5-4 on the year.



Army got out to an early 1-0 lead before the Falcons' Justin Kuchta (Jr., Ridgefield, Conn.) tied the score at the 10:15 mark. However, the remainder of the first period belonged to the Black Knights, who scored three more goals to take a 4-1 lead. Momentum switched in the second quarter, with junior tri-captain Will Meister (Denver, Colo.) bringing the Falcons within two points. After another Army goal with 9:26 to play in the first half, Air Force scored three unanswered goals of its own to tie the game, 5-5, at intermission.



In the third period, both teams traded goals, leaving the score tied 7-7 with under five minutes left in the quarter, before the Black Knights got the advantage with a pair of scores, including a man-up goal at the 1:03 mark. While the Falcons' John Smith (Sr., Merion, Pa.) scored on the assist from Kuchta early in the fourth period to get his team back within a goal, Army regained its two-point advantage with a score from Brooks Korvin. However, two unassisted Air Force goals in the final minute--one by Kevin Crumrine (So., Edgewater, Md.) and another by Conrad Lochocki (Jr., Chalfont, Pa.)--tied the game at 10-10, forcing overtime in the rivalry game for the third time in four years.



The extra period lasted just 50 seconds, when the Black Knights' Mike Obringer notched his sixth score of the game, on an assist by Matt Scheel. Army's final possession was set up by a face-off win for Tony Vozzolo, who won 18-of-24 in the contest.



"There is no quit in (Air Force)," said Army head coach Joe Alberici. "I want to give them all the credit in the world. They had the momentum at the end of the game. I think Tony's faceoff win in overtime was the key. He'd been winning faceoffs all day, and that win won us the possession in overtime."



While the Black Knights held a huge advantage on face-offs, they were outshot 33-25 by the Falcons. Air Force also committed just 12 turnovers to Army's 21.



"If we had gotten a few more breaks here or there, I think we would have won," said Air Force head coach Fred Acee. "I'm proud of these kids. They fought hard and erased a 4-1 deficit early and came back from down two in the final five minutes to send the game into overtime."



Lochocki led the Falcons' offense with two goals and one assist, while Crumrine (two goals), Meister (one goal, one assist), Kuchta (one goal, one assist) and freshman Griffin Nevitt (Charlotte, N.C.) (one goal, one assist) all notched two points each. Also finding the net for Air Force were Miller, Smith and sophomore Chris Tubesing (Centreville, Va.). Meanwhile, senior goalkeeper Justin Pavoni (Park City, Utah) was solid between the pipes for Air Force, finishing with 10 saves and three ground balls.



For the Black Knights, Obringer dominated the offense with his six goals, while Scheel added a goal to go along with his four assists. Sophomore goalkeeper Adam Fullerton was strong in goal, finishing with 12 saves in the contest.



The Falcons get their conference season off to a start next Friday, April 7, when they host league newcomer Quinnipiac in a 3:00 p.m. contest.



Army 11, Air Force 10 (OT)

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

Army Scoring: Goals: Mike Obringer 6, Tory Sokul, John Walker,Matt Scheel, Hunter Wakeland, Brooks Korvin. Assists: Matt Scheel 4, John Walker 2, Sean Reppard, Jon Burton.

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