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.