Colorado Lacrosse

#5 Rams Ready for Road Trip to Utah, Television Appearance

2007-03-08T14:56:00.000-07:00

Colorado State University Men’s Lacrosse
Contact: Alex Smith – (970) 377-1390

Thursday, March 08, 2007

#5 Rams Ready for Road Trip to Utah, Television Appearance

The #5 ranked Colorado State University men’s lacrosse team takes its 3-1 record on the road this weekend with a trip west to Utah for four games in five days, three of which will come against top 15 opponents. The road trip will be highlighted by a game against #1 Brigham Young University that will be nationally televised by BYUtv.

First on the docket is an RMLC league game against Utah State that has been moved from Logan, UT all the way down to the campus of BYU in Provo, UT 100 miles away because of a late facilities change. Utah State has struggled in Division A for several years and will be the only non-ranked opponent CSU will face all weekend. Face-off is scheduled for 8:00 pm on Friday night.

The very next day, Colorado State and Brigham Young renew their storied MCLA rivalry with a 2:00 pm clash that will be shown live on BYUtv. The Rams and Cougars split last season’s match-ups, with BYU winning the regular season game and CSU getting revenge in the national semifinals. This might be one of the best rivalries in all of lacrosse and BYU’s exclusive television deal makes it available to everyone around the country. BYU is 5-2 so far this year with losses coming to Division II Notre Dame de Namur and #3 Oregon. The 2:00 pm game will be telecast live on BYUtv, which shows on Comcast-Denver channel 232 for digital subscribers, Dish Network (Channel 9403), DIRECTV (Channel 374) and the internet at http://byu.tv. Live online game statistics will be available at http://www.byulacrossewebcasting.com/livestats/xlive.htm.

After a day off in the Beehive State, CSU faces another tough challenge against RMLC league foe Utah. The #12 Utes have had an up and down start to their 2007 season, losing two tough games in Arizona before bouncing back with a key victory over perennial powerhouse #10 UC-Santa Barbara. Utah was the only MCLA team to defeat CSU in their 2003 national championship season and the Rams would do well to remember that in order to get past this upset-minded team on Monday.

Tuesday afternoon means another trip back to Provo to take on the UMLL’s Minnesota-Duluth. The #8 Bulldogs are enjoying their highest ranking ever thanks to a strong opening weekend that featured convincing victories over #11 Cal Poly and #14 Lindenwood. UMD has shown a stout defense so far and will be an extremely tough test for the Rams on the last leg of their journey.

Since CSU’s opening day loss to Oregon, the Rams have won three games in a row, including conquests over #7 Sonoma State and Division III Colorado College. Colorado State’s depth will be severely tested this weekend with the four games, especially considering that none of CSU’s opponents will have played a game that weekend before they face the Rams.

CSU is led in points by senior attackman Danny Stevens (Suffern HS; Suffern, NY), who has 18 points on 7 goals and 11 assists this season. Seniors Brian Stone (Air Academy HS; Colorado Springs, CO) and Pat Bird (Bishop O’Dowd HS; Oakland, CA) have also pitched in with 10 points thus far. The Rams will be without the services of injured junior attackman Campbell Diebolt (Central Bucks East; Doylestown, PA), who broke his collarbone against LMU on Sunday.

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Colorado State men’s lacrosse competes nationally in the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) and regionally in the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Conference (RMLC). The MCLA consists of nearly 200 teams across the country in nine conferences. While the team is over 40 years old, CSU lacrosse has made its biggest strides in the past 10 years. CSU has won a record four MCLA national titles in 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2006. They also hold RMLC conference titles in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006. CSU lacrosse is supported by Sport Clubs at the University, but receives less than 5% of their operating budget from the school each year. The rest of the money is self-funded and comes through dues and fundraising. One of the most important fundraisers is the CSU Men’s Lacrosse Ram Camp, held every summer. More information can be found at www.csulacrosse.com.

Air Force To Face Yale At First 4 (3.7.07)

2007-03-08T14:34:00.000-07:00

The Air Force lacrosse team is back in action this weekend, March 10, when they head to San Diego, Calif., for the third-annual First 4. The Falcons will take on No. 18 Yale in a game slated to begin at 4:00 p.m. (PT). The contest will be televised live by CSTV.

Scouting the Falcons...
Air Force fell to 1-2 on the season with a pair of losses at last weekend’s Pioneer Face-Off Classic, dropping to No. 20 UMBC, 13-7, and Villanova, 8-7.

The Falcons are led by senior captain Will Meister, who has 12 points on the season (5g, 7a), while sophomore Griffin Nevitt (6g, 5a) and Conrad Lochocki (6g, 4a) have recorded 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Scouting the Bulldogs...
Yale, ranked 18th in the latest USILA Coaches Poll, enters this weekend with a 2-0 record. The Bulldogs are coming off a 7-6 win over then-18th-ranked Massachusetts.

Chris Kempner is the team’s leading scorer with five goals and four assists, while Tyler Casertano (four goals, three assists) and Kyle Washabaugh (four goals, one assist) rank second and third, respectively.

Yale is coached by Andy Shay (LeMoyne, ‘94), who has compiled a career ledger of 21-21 mark in his fourth year at the helm of the Bulldogs’ program.

In the Series...
Air Force and Yale have met just once in the series, back in 1983, when the Bulldogs secured a 13-10 victory over the Falcons.

All-Tournament Accolades...
A pair of Falcons received all-tournament honors at the Pioneer Face-Off Classic. Sophomore Griffin Nevitt, an all-tourney pick as a freshman, was named an all-tournament midfielder, while fellow sophomore Dan Gnazzo was chosen to the all-tournament team at the long-stick midfield position.

The Assist Leader...
Senior Will Meister currently sits in eighth place on the Falcons’ career assist list, with 71 assists. Meister sits just one assist out of seventh place, and could move into the top five by season’s end.

Up Next...
The Falcons are back on the road next week, March 17, when they head to Lewisburg, Pa., to take on Bucknell in a 12:00 p.m. (ET) contest.

Murray Garners Multiple Player of the Week Honors

2007-03-08T14:26:00.000-07:00

Murray Garners Multiple Player of the Week Honors
Sophomore Joey Murray tallies 12 points in two games

DENVER – University of Denver men’s lacrosse player Joey Murray totaled 12 points last weekend as DU went 2-0, earning him Nike/Inside Lacrosse and Great Western Lacrosse League’s Player of the Week honors.

Murray, a sophomore from Denver, leads DU with 16 points on the season. He tallied six goals and two assists against Villanova on Saturday and one goal and three assists against No. 19 UMBC on Sunday. Murray was named MVP of the Pioneer Face-Off Classic as well.

“I’m very happy for Joey,” head coach Jamie Munro said. “We have watched him play at a very high level throughout the fall and preseason and we’ve been expecting him to step up and he has.”

Murray is the first Pioneer to be named the Nike/Inside Lacrosse Player of the Week in the three-year history of the award.

The No. 19 Pioneers return to action Saturday, March 10 at 1:30 against No. 20 Stony Brook at the Barton Lacrosse Stadium.

Denver Outlaws Announce Coaching Change

2007-03-07T14:01:00.000-07:00

Denver Outlaws Announce Coaching Change
The Denver Outlaws name Jim Beardmore the new head coach for the 2007 season.

DENVER – March 7, 2007 –The Denver Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse have announced that Jim Beardmore will take over as head coach for the 2007 season. Beardmore will be the Outlaws second coach in as many seasons, taking the reigns after the departure of Jarred Testa.

In Colorado’s first year of Major League Lacrosse, Testa led Denver to a league-tying best 10-2 regular season record and the Western Conference title. The Outlaws boasted the league’s third-ranked defense and top-ranked offense, scoring 197 goals during the 2006 season and outscoring opponents by an average of 6 goals per game.

“Jarred did a great job for us last season and we are extremely appreciative of his efforts,” says Outlaws General Manager Brian Reese. “Unfortunately, due to personal commitments, Jarred will not be able to return as head coach. I want to thank Jarred for all he did, as he was instrumental in putting the inaugural team together. Last year’s success was in large part due to his hard work.”

Beardmore comes to the Outlaws after three seasons coaching perennial powerhouse Severna Park High School in Maryland, where he compiled an overall record of 50-8 and led the team to state titles in 2004 and 2006 and runner-up honors in 2005. These accomplishments earned Beardmore Anne Arundel County Coach of the Year honors in 2004 and 2005 as well as Baltimore Sun and Washington Post All Metro Coach of the Year awards in 2006. He served as a defensive and goalie coach for his alma mater, the Severn School, for the 2001 and 2002 seasons and was the head coach at Chesapeake High School from 1999-2001.

“I am extremely pleased to announce the hiring of Jim Beardmore as the next head coach of the Denver Outlaws,” Reese says. “Much like Jarred, Jim has a genuine passion for coaching and is a great motivator and teacher. I know Jim will have the immediate respect of the players and will have tremendous success as the head coach of the Denver Outlaws.”

“I can’t wait to come out there and guide the Outlaws back to the championship game,” Beardmore says. “This is the highest level of lacrosse and professional sports are all about winning. I am as excited as any one person can be about the opportunity.”

Beardmore also boasts an impressive list of accomplishments as a player, anchoring the University of Maryland defense between the pipes. As a senior at Maryland in 1987, Beardmore was a 1st team All-American, NCAA Goalie of the Year, ACC Player of the Year and 1st team All ACC. He then took his talents to the MILL (Major Indoor Lacrosse League) where he played for five seasons.

Beardmore is currently a director of Nike Lacrosse Summer Camps and All-American Sports Camps, a position he has held since 1998. Since 2006, he has also served as Director of Anne Arundel Sports Club, planning and organizing summer lacrosse leagues.

“Jim brings a wealth of experience and energy to the team,” Reese says. “I am extremely confident that Jim will help our organization with our missions of wining championships, serving the community and helping grow the sport of lacrosse in Colorado.”

“I am going to dive head first into the Colorado lacrosse community,” Beardmore says. “Lacrosse is growing at such a fast rate that they need coaches so the sport can keep up with itself. I’m looking to run clinics for boys and girls, as well as coaches when I get out there.”

The new head coach will be present at Outlaws open tryouts on April 1st from 11 am – 2 pm at the University of Denver’s Peter Barton Stadium.

-- DenverOutlaws.com --

#5 Colorado State Takes Care of #22 Loyola Marymount

2007-03-04T15:24:00.000-07:00

#5 Colorado State Takes Care of #22 Loyola Marymount

Fort Collins, CO – The #5 Colorado State Rams took a 9-3 lead into the halftime break and held off a lively #22 Loyola Marymount squad in the second half to get their third straight win on Sunday afternoon. CSU’s first home game of the season was played under a beautiful sunny sky and warm temperatures as the Rams ran their record to 3-1 on the season with their 14-9 win.

One day after a big victory against Division III rival Colorado College, CSU started the game hot offensively, scoring two goals in the first 1:06. In fact, the Rams had already scored five goals before the game was even five minutes old. By the time the high-scoring first quarter was over, the teams had combined for 10 goals and Colorado State held a 6-4 lead.

The Rams turned up the pressure in the second quarter, pumping home three goals and allowing none on the other end of the field. Junior midfielder John Tomlinson (Smoky Hill HS; Aurora, CO) had a goal and an assist in the second quarter to help push CSU push their lead. Colorado State peppered LMU goalie Luga Podesta, but he held strong, making nine saves in the second quarter to keep the game close. Podesta finished with 22 saves and played extremely well in a losing effort.

After senior midfielder Pat Bird (Bishop O’Dowd HS; Oakland, CA) scored just :24 into the third quarter, the CSU offense hit the doldrums. Podesta and the LMU defense kept CSU off the scoreboard for the next 23 minutes as they tightened the gap to 10-7. But Bird and senior attackman Danny Stevens (Suffern HS; Suffern, NY) combined for two quick goals and sophomore Will Cantwell (Lakewood HS; Lakewood, CO) added another in the span of a minute and a half to put away the game. The Rams outscored the Lions 4-3 in the fourth quarter for the 14-9 win.

CSU was led once again by Stevens, who’s two goals and three assists led all scorers. Fellow attackmen Campbell Diebolt (Central Bucks East; Doylestown, PA) and Brian Stone (Air Academy HS; Colorado Springs, CO) added three points a piece and Bird pitched in with two goals as well. LMU’s top scorer was attackman Brian Minkler, who finished with four goals.

Sophomore Lance Simmons (Thunder Ridge HS; Highlands Ranch, CO) got his second win of the season in goal for the Rams, recording 8 saves while giving up 9 goals in 60 minutes of play.

Colorado State (3-1) faces their most difficult stretch of the season next week when they bus to Utah to play four games in five days against Utah State, BYU, Utah and Minnesota-Duluth. The first three games of the trip will be RMLC league contests and will go a long way in determining conference seedings for the upcoming league tournament. LMU plays Colorado on Wednesday before heading back out to California.

Air Force Drops 9-8 Heartbreaker to Villanova

2007-03-04T14:34:00.000-07:00

Air Force Drops 9-8 Heartbreaker to Villanova

Denver, Colo. - Wrapping up its weekend at the Pioneer Face-Off Classic, hosted by Denver, the Air Force lacrosse team dropped a close 9-8 contest to Villanova Sunday afternoon at Barton Lacrosse Stadium. With the loss, the Falcons fall to 1-2 on the year, while Villanova improves to 2-2 on the season.

Air Force was first to get on the board against Villanova with an unassisted goal by sophomore Griffin Nevitt (Charlotte, N.C.) at the 11:28 mark in the opening period. Another score by the Falcons just over 30 seconds later gave Air Force the 2-0 lead. However, the Wildcats scored two unanswered goals to end the period, tying the game at 2-2.

The Falcons regained the lead early in the second quarter with an assist from Nevitt to Justin Kuchta (Sr., Ridgefield, Conn.), while senior Will Meister (Denver, Colo.) scored another goal to give Air Force the 4-2 lead. Again, Villanova closed out the period with two unanswered goals, including a tally with just 28 seconds remaining, to bring the score to 4-4 at the half.

Villanova grabbed its first lead of the game with a score at the 6:42 mark in the third period, but the Falcons came back to tie it up four minutes later, as Meister scored off the assist from Conrad Lochocki (Sr., Chalfont, Pa.).

Nevitt was able to break the third tie of the game with a score just under two minutes into the final period, but with both teams down a man, the Wildcats responded again to tie the game at 6-6. Kuchta and Meister connected to give the Falcons another advantage, but Villanova scored three unanswered goals in the next three and a half minutes, two coming on the power play.

Although Air Force cut their deficit to 9-8 on a man-up goal with just 24 seconds remaining, it could not get another tying score, dropping the one-goal contest.

The Wildcats outshot the Falcons 44-30 for the game and dominated on face-offs, winning 15-of-21 for the game, including 6-of-8 in the decisive final quarter.

Meister had a team-high five points with two goals and three assists, while Nevitt added three goals and an assist for the Falcons. Leading the way for the Wildcats was Tim Atkins with three goals and an assist, all in the second half.

Nevitt, who finished the weekend with eight points (five goals, three assists), represented Air Force on the all-tournament team, along with long-stick midfielder Dan Gnazzo (So., Eden Prairie, Minn.).

The Falcons return to action next weekend, March 10, when they head to San Diego, Calif., to take part in the third-annual First 4. Air Force will face off against Yale in the opening game of the doubleheader, slated to begin at 4:00 p.m. (ET), while Duke and Loyola match up in the second game.

Villanova 9, Air Force 8
Air Force Scoring: Goals: Griffin Nevitt 3, Justin Kuchta 2, Will Meister 2, Kevin Crumrine. Assists: Will Meister 3, Griffin Nevitt, Conrad Lochocki.
Villanova Scoring: Goals: Tim Atkins 3, Paul Webber 2, Eric Webber, Eric Heidenberger, Timmy Campbell, Andy German. Assists: Chris MacDonald 2, Andy German 2, Tim Atkins.

Denver Beats No. 19 UMBC, 13-8

2007-03-04T14:25:00.000-07:00

Denver Beats No. 19 UMBC, 13-8

Joey Murray named Face-Off Classic Most Valuable Player

DENVER – Michael Goltra (Washington, N.C.) had two goals and a pair of assists, as the No. 20 University of Denver Pioneers knocked off No. 19 UMBC 13-8 in the final game of the 2007 Pioneer Face-Off Classic at Peter Barton Stadium on Sunday.

Denver (3-2) spread the scoring around, as Goltra and Jon Paulson (Fleminton, N.J.) each had two goals, the only Pioneers with more than one.

Joey Murray (Denver) picked up where he left off Saturday by sparking a 5-0 Pioneer run to begin the game. Brad Patterson (Allentown, Pa.), Brett Koll (Fort Collins, Colo.), John Dickenson (Dallas) and Brad Richardson (Langley, British Columbia) also scored in the first period.

UMBC’s Andy Gallagher scored twice to put the Retrievers (2-1) on the board.

Ilija Gajic (Burnaby, British Columbia) and Paulson answered to push DU’s lead back to five, as the Pioneers headed to the locker room with a 7-2 lead.

Gallagher closed the gap with two more goals in the first 3:06 in the third period.

Goltra added another for the Pioneers, but UMBC answered with two more, cutting DU’s lead to just two heading into the fourth quarter.

In the final quarter, the Pioneers outscored the Retrievers 5-2 to ice the victory.

Murray was the unanimous selection for the 2007 Pioneer Face-Off Classic’s Most Valuable Player, as well as heading the All-Tournament Team:

2007 Pioneer Face-Off Classic All-Tournament Team

ATTACK

Joey Murray – Denver
Drew Westervelt – UMBC
Andy Gallagher – UMBC
MIDFIELD
Griffin Nevitt – Air Force
Eric Heidenberger - Villanova
Michael Goltra –Denver
DEFENSE
Dillon Roy – Denver
David Hahn - Denver
Safi Najdawi - Villanova
GOALIE
Eddie DiDonato – Villanova
LONG STICK MIDFIELDER
Dan Gnazzo – Air Force
MVP
Joey Murray – Denver
The Pioneers will play Stony Brook at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium on Saturday, Mar. 10 at 1:30 p.m. MT.

Strong Second Half Propels #5 CSU over D-III Colorado College

2007-03-03T15:23:00.000-07:00

Strong Second Half Propels #5 CSU over D-III Colorado College

Colorado Springs, CO – Trailing 5-4 after the first half, the #5 Colorado State Rams used a balanced scoring attack and strong second half effort to down rival Division III Colorado College on a sunny and relatively warm day in Colorado Springs. CSU outscored the Tigers 7-1 in the final thirty minutes as they slowly pulled away to gain their fourth straight victory in this series. 12 different players ended up on the score sheet on Saturday afternoon as CSU gained an impressive 11-6 win.

After the teams traded goals in the third period, the turning point came when the Rams scored two in less than a minute as Pat Bird (Bishop O’Dowd HS; Oakland, CA) and Stephen Lundberg (Cherry Creek HS; Englewood, CO) each tallied midway through the quarter to give CSU the lead. The Rams never looked back, holding CC scoreless over the last 23:49 to record the victory and move to 2-1 on the young season. CSU scored four goals in the fourth quarter to ice the game.

Danny Stevens (Suffern HS; Suffern, NY) led all scorers with four points on two goals and two assists. Fellow senior attackman Brian Stone (Air Academy HS; Colorado Springs, CO) was the only other Ram with multiple points as he pitched in with two goals of his own. Stone had an excellent game, picking up 8 groundballs in the offensive end as well.

Both goaltenders were on top of their games as Colorado College’s Chris Shopneck recorded 14 saves and CSU junior Tyson Ehinger (Heritage HS; Littleton, CO) snagged 12 of his own for the victory. While Shopneck was doing his best to keep his team in the game, Ehinger had a stellar second half, making eight saves while allowing one goal down the stretch. It was Ehinger’s first start and win for the Rams since before he transferred to the University of Colorado in the 2006 season. Ehinger previously played for CSU in 2005.

While CSU struggled on face-offs in the first half, junior Joel Tromburg (Heritage HS; Littleton, CO) provided a spark off the bench and helped contain CC’s triumvirate in the second half. The Tigers ended the game winning 13/21, but Tromburg was a big help in gaining extra possessions as the Rams started to pull away.

Colorado College was led by dangerous midfielder Hunter Combs, who had three goals, and fellow middie Case Watson, who was good for one goal and one assist. The CSU close defense matched up very well with CC’s attack and gave the Rams a good chance to get stops, especially in the second half.

Colorado State (2-1) finishes up their weekend on Sunday with a game against an up and coming Loyola Marymount squad. LMU is ranked #22 in the latest MCLA poll and is 6-0 on the season. It will mark the Lions’ first trip to Colorado and the first time these teams have met since 1999.

Air Force Falls To No. 20 UMBC, 13-7

2007-03-03T14:33:00.000-07:00

Air Force Falls To No. 20 UMBC, 13-7

Denver, Colo. - In the first game of the Pioneer Face-Off Classic, hosted by Denver, the Air Force lacrosse team fell to 20th-ranked UMBC, 13-7. With the loss, the Falcons fall to 1-1 on the season, while UMBC improves to 2-0 on the year.

The Retrievers rolled out to a 4-0 lead before senior captain Will Meister (Denver, Colo.) scored off an assist by Conrad Lochocki (Sr., Chalfont, Pa.) with 2:55 remaining in the opening period. However, UMBC came right back with another goal to take a 5-1 advatange into the second period.

Meister and Lochocki hooked up again on an extra-man opportunity with 9:07 left in the second period to bring the Falcons back within three points, but the Retrievers scored two more goals to go up 7-2. Then, with just under two minutes left in the half, senior Justin Kuchta (Ridgefield, Conn.) notched his first goal of the game on an assist from sophomore Griffin Nevitt (Charlotte, N.C.), as the Falcons went into the locker room trailing 7-3.

UMBC scored four unanswered goals to open the third period, taking an 11-3 lead before the Falcons got back on the board with an unassisted goal by Nevitt. However, the Retrievers went back up by eight with another goal before the end of the period.

The Falcons were first to score in the final period, as Nevitt rebounded his own saved shot for his second goal of the game. UMBC was next to find its way into the net, with a score at the 7:45 mark. Air Force closed out the game with two scores in the final two minutes, but the team could not overcome its early deficit, falling 13-7.

Although UMBC outshot Air Force 17-3 in the opening period, the teams ended even with 38 shots each. The Falcons also had five man-up opportunities, but capitalized on just one, while UMBC was 1-of-1 on the power play.

Nevitt had a team-high four points, finishing with two goals and two assists, while Lochocki added a goal and an assist and Meister and Kuchta finished with two goals each. Drew Westervelt led UMBC with three goals and four assists, while Cayle Ratcliffe also finished with three goals.

The Falcons are back in action tomorrow, March 4, when they wrap up the Pioneer Face-Off Classic with a contest versus Villanova. The game is slated to begin at 11:00 a.m. at Barton Lacrosse Stadium.

UMBC 13, Air Force 7
UMBC Scoring: Goals: Drew Westervelt 3, Cayle Ratcliffe 3, Andy Gallagher 2, Terry Kimener 2, Kyle Wimer, Matt Latham, P.J. Kimener. Assists: Drew Westervelt 4, Kyle Wimer 4, Andy Gallagher, Terry Kimener, Kelvin Molden, Jr.
Air Force Scoring: Goals: Will Meister 2, Justin Kuchta 2, Griffin Nevitt 2, Conrad Lochocki. Assists: Conrad Lochocki 2, Griffin Nevitt 2.

DU Beats Villanova 12-11 in Double OT

2007-03-03T14:25:00.000-07:00

DU Beats Villanova 12-11 in Double OT

Joey Murray scores a sock trick, and Dillon Roy hits the game-winner on his first career goal

DENVER – With No. 20 Denver trailing by one and only one tick remaining on the clock, John Dickenson (Dallas) scored a game-tying goal, and Dillon Roy (Denver) stole the ball and scored the game-winning in the second overtime, as DU beat Villanova 12-11 Saturday afternoon in the Pioneers Face Off Classic.

Joey Murray (Denver) scored a sock trick with six goals, and one of his two assists was a feed to Dickenson to set up the goal at the end of regulation.

Villanova (1-2) scored first at the 11:23 mark, but Denver (2-2) responded with three unanswered, a pair by Murray and one by Brad Richardson (Langley, British Columbia).

The Wildcats went on a 4-0 run over the next six minutes, but Murray’s hat-trick goal with just over a minute left in the first period left the Pioneers only a goal down.

Villanova opened up the second period with two goals in a six second span at 13:08. Murray scored his fourth goal, and Ilija Gajic (Burnaby, British Columbia) scored with just over eight minutes remaining in the half.

After the Wildcats increased the lead to three, Jon Paulson (Fleminton, N.J.) scored with 13 seconds left in the half, and DU trailed 9-7 heading into the locker room.

Murray hit the back of the net again with 10 minutes remaining for the Pioneers only goal of the third period. DU held Villanova scoreless until Tim Atkins scored with one second remaining and keeping the Wildcats in front, 10-8.

The Wildcats added a goal with 5:55 remaining in the fourth quarter to increase their lead to three.

Paulson and Murray brought Denver within one with a goal each in the final 4:17, setting up Dickinson and Roy’s heroics.

Eric Heidenberger led the Wildcats with four goals.

The Pioneers continue the Pioneer Face Off Classic when they face No. 19 UMBC at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium on Sunday, Mar. 4 at 1:30 p.m. MT.

Falcons Head To Pioneer Face-Off Classic (2.28.07)

2007-02-28T14:32:00.000-07:00

The Air Force lacrosse team returns to action this weekend, March 3-4, at the Pioneer Face-Off Classic, hosted by Denver. The Falcons will take on 19th-ranked UMBC in the first game of the weekend, followed by a match-up with Villanova on Sunday. Both Air Force contests are slated to begin at 11:00 a.m.

Scouting the Falcons...
Air Force, now receiving votes in the latest Nike/Inside Lacrosse media poll, opened up the 2007 season last weekend with an 11-7 win over Siena.

The Falcons were led against the Saints by senior attackman Conrad Lochocki, who tallied five goals and an assist, while captain Will Meister added one goal and four assists. In addition, senior goalkeeper Dan Bellissimo tallied 15 saves in the win for the Falcons.

Head Coach Fred Acee...
Air Force head coach Fred Acee is in his 10th season at the helm of the Falcons’ program and his 40th 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 33-85.

Scouting the Retrievers...
UMBC, ranked 19th in the latest Nike/Inside Lacrosse media poll, enters the weekend with a 1-0 record after picking up a 12-11 overtime win against Brown.

Midfielder Terry Kimener led the Retrievers in the win over Brown with three goals and three assists, while attackman Drew Westervelt added two goals and two assists for UMBC.

UMBC is coached by Don Zimmerman (Johns Hopkins, ‘76), who has compiled a 91-85 mark in his 14th year at the helm of the Retrievers’ program and a career ledger of 164-100 (21st year).

Scouting the Wildcats...
Villanova currently holds a 1-1 record on the season, winning its season opener versus Lafayette while falling to Penn. The Wildcats will face Denver before playing Air Force on Sunday.

Matt German is Villanova’s leading scorer with three goals and one assist, while Chris MacDonald has added one goal and three assists on the season. Goalkeeper Andrew DiLoretto is averaging 12 saves per game in the first two contests of the year.

Villanova is coached by Michael Corrado (Villanova, ‘87), in his first season at the helm of the Wildcats’ program.

In the Series...
This weekend, Air Force and UMBC meet for the ninth time in the series, with the Retrievers holding an 8-1 advantage over the Falcons. UMBC won last year’s contest, a 9-5 decision in Baltimore.

Air Force and Villanova will meet for the 10th time in their series, with the Wildcats leading 7-2. Villanova won the last contest between the two teams, an 11-6 decision at Villanova.

Up Next...
The Falcons travel to the West Coast next weekend, March 10, to take part in the third-annual First 4. The event, being held at Torero Stadium in San Diego, Calif., will feature a match-up between Air Force and Yale in the first game, following by a meeting between Duke and Loyola.

Seventh Annual Pioneer Face-Off Classic this Weekend

2007-02-28T14:23:00.000-07:00

Seventh Annual Pioneer Face-Off Classic this Weekend
Denver set to take on Villanova and UMBC

DENVER – The No. 20 University of Denver men’s lacrosse team hosts the seventh annual Pioneer Face-off Classic this weekend. Three tradition rich lacrosse teams are coming to Denver, including Villanova, Air Force and UMBC. Both Villanova and UMBC are making their first-ever appearances in the Pioneer Face-off Classic.

Denver (1-2, 0-0 GWLL) will face Villanova at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday and No. 19 UMBC at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. Air Force will square-off against UMBC on Saturday at 11 a.m. and Villanova on Sunday at 11 a.m.

The Pioneers are 8-4 all-time in the Pioneer Face-off Classic. DU is 2-3 against Villanova all-time. DU plays No. 19 UMBC for the second time in as many seasons, with UMBC winning the 2006 contest, 12-8.

The Pioneers enter the weekend 1-2 after back-to-back losses against No. 14 UNC, 11-8, and No. 6 Duke, 13-9. DU is led by senior captains Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) and David Hahn (Aurora, Colo.) and junior Rory Shepard (Riverside, Conn.), who were selected as Preseason All-American honorable mentions. Currently junior Brett Koll (Fort Collins, Colo.) leads DU with eight points on the season, while freshman Ilija Gajic (Burnaby, British Columbia) has seven.

Villanova (1-1) last faced DU in 2005 when the Wildcats fell to the Pioneers by a score of 9-4, the same score Villanova defeated Denver in 2001 when the Wildcats posted their last win over the Pioneers. As of this weekend, Nova holds a 3-2 advantage in the series record between the schools. Last season, the Wildcats notched the win with an 11-6 advantage over the Falcons. The trip to Colorado also marks a homecoming for senior Eric Webber and junior Eric Bloom. Both players claim Colorado as their home state with Webber being a native of Denver, and Bloom declaring Englewood his hometown. Webber has contributed four shots and one groundball during the course of two games this season, while Bloom has chipped in with a total of five groundballs.

UMBC (1-0) opened its season last weekend with a 12-11 overtime win over Brown. UMBC finished first in the America East conference in 2006 with a 10-5 overall record. Retrievers’ freshman Colin Bolling is a native of Centennial, Colo., and attended Cherry Creek H.S. Terry Kimener leads UMBC in scoring after one game with six points, three goals and three assists.
Closing out the field is Air Force, who is making its seventh consecutive appearance in the Classic. Air Force, now receiving votes in the latest Nike/Inside Lacrosse media poll, opened up the 2007 season last weekend with an 11-7 win over Siena. The Falcons were led against the Saints by senior attackman Conrad Lochocki, who tallied five goals and an assist, while captain Will Meister added one goal and four assists. In addition, senior goalkeeper Dan Bellissimo tallied 15 saves in the win for the Falcons. This weekend, Air Force and UMBC meet for the ninth time in the series, with the Retrievers holding an 8-1 advantage over the Falcons. UMBC won last year's contest, a 9-5 decision in Baltimore. Air Force and Villanova will meet for the 10th time in their series, with the Wildcats leading 7-2. Villanova won the last contest between the two teams, an 11-6 decision at Villanova.

DU’s games will be webcast on www.denverpioneers.com. Live gametracker action of each game will be available on www.denverpioneers.com as well.

Tickets for the event are on sale now at the Ritchie Center box office or can be purchased at 303-871-2336.

#1 Colorado State Bounces Back against #4 Sonoma 17-7

2007-02-25T15:42:00.000-07:00

#1 Colorado State Bounces Back against #4 Sonoma 17-7

Eugene, OR – After their worst loss in nearly a decade on Friday night, the #1 Colorado State Rams bounced back in a big way against the #4 Sonoma State Seawolves, turning a 10-7 lead after three quarters into a 17-7 victory. While rain had plagued most of the weekend, Sunday afternoon’s game at the University of Oregon was played under relatively pleasant conditions and even featured a glimpse or two of the sun.

While Friday night against Oregon saw the Rams lose the possession battle at the face-off ‘x’ and in the clearing game, Colorado State reversed those trends on Sunday, winning 20 of 27 face-offs and successfully clearing the ball 14 of 17 times. CSU outshot the Seawolves by an alarming 54-15 margin and recorded 30 more groundballs as well.

Senior captains Dan Stevens (Suffern HS; Suffern, NY) and Pat Bird (Bishop O’Dowd HS; Oakland, CA) led the way for the Rams. Stevens had eight points on three goals and five assists while Bird supplemented his 4g, 1a with 12/14 face-off wins and five groundballs. CSU’s other two captains, Lee Cates (Rangeview HS; Aurora, CO) and Adam Schnirel (Mt. Lebanon HS; Pittsburgh, PA) were stellar as well in the middle of the field. Cates won 4 of 6 face-offs while Schnirel had 6 groundballs after switching to long-stick midfield for much of the contest.

Sophomore Jay Matlin (Boulder HS; Boulder, CO) had a very nice day shadowing Sonoma’s dangerous Andres Williams, holding the shift attackman to just one assist.

CSU never trailed in the game after jumping out to a 5-2 first quarter advantage. Sonoma tightened the score to 5-4, but the Rams reeled off three goals in a row to make the halftime score 8-4. Colorado State led by 3 at the end of the third before the decisive seven-goal fourth quarter put the game out of reach.

The Rams started sophomore Lance Simmons (Thunder Ridge HS; Highlands Ranch, CO) and went to junior Tyson Ehinger (Heritage HS; Littleton, CO) in the second half. Each goalie only made one save, but the team defense was spectacular, holding the Seawolves to only 15 total shots. Simmons was credited with his first win on the season.

Colorado State (1-1) will have a tough weekend on dock as Division III Colorado College and up and coming Loyola Marymount await the Rams. The Colorado College game will be on the road in Colorado Springs while LMU will visit Fort Collins the very next day.

Pioneers Fall to Blue Devils

2007-02-25T14:22:00.000-07:00

Pioneers Fall to Blue Devils
Freshman Gajic tallies first hat trick of season

DURHAM, N.C. – The No. 12-ranked University of Denver men’s lacrosse team dropped its second straight game of the season as it fell 13-9 to No. 6 Duke on Sunday afternoon.

Junior Brett Koll (Fort Collins, Colo.) led Denver (1-2, 0-0 GWLL) with five points, two goals and three assists. Freshman Ilija Gajic (Burnaby, B.C.) recorded three goals for his first hat trick and added one assist for four points on the day. Zach Greer led Duke (2-0, 0-0 ACC) with five points.

Duke got out to a 2-0 lead after the first quarter before Gajic opened the second quarter with a goal to put DU on the scoreboard. The Blue Devils scored two unanswered goals before sophomore Brad Richardson (Langley, B.C.) cut the deficit to two. Gajic would record his second goal of the game with 2:32 remaining in first half. Denver trailed 6-3 at the break.

Koll cut the Duke lead to two just under two minutes into the second half but Duke scored two consecutive unassisted goals before Gajic tallied his third goal to keep the Pioneers in striking distance of the Blue Devils.

DU and Duke matched each other in goal production over the final quarter of the match-up as Koll scored once and senior Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) added two goals.

Senior Jeb Hollingsworth (Darien, Conn.) stopped 12 shots in the loss. Denver converted on 2-of-4 extra-man opportunities, both goals by Gajic. Duke led in faceoffs 18-8 and ground balls 49-39. Junior Jon Paulson (Flemington, N.J.) tallied DU’s other goal.

Denver opens its home season in the Mile High City on Saturday, March 3 against Villanova at 1:30 p.m. in the Face-Off Classic. Air Force faces UMBC at 11 a.m. to begin the event on Saturday.

#8 Oregon Dominates #1 CSU in Season Opener 19-6

2007-02-24T15:41:00.000-07:00

#8 Oregon Dominates #1 CSU in Season Opener 19-6

Eugene, OR – The preseason #1 Colorado State Rams were rudely introduced to the 2007 season on Friday night as the #8 Oregon Ducks jumped out to a 10-0 lead en route to an easy 19-6 victory. The game was played at the University of Oregon on a cold and rainy night as everything that could go wrong did go wrong for the visiting Rams. When all was said and done, the Ducks blew out the Rams 19-6, CSU’s worst defeat in nearly a decade. It was also Oregon’s first win over CSU in two previous attempts.

Oregon’s onslaught began early as Colorado State misfired on a clearing attempt and gave Duck attackman Clay Knope his easiest goal of the night just 1:34 in. Things did not get much better for the Rams as Oregon scored 5 more in the first quarter alone, controlling the ball all the while and never letting CSU get on track. Knope scored all three of his goals in the first quarter as miscue after miscue by the Rams kept the ball on Oregon’s side of the field.

Oregon face-off midfielder Scott Miller was credited for 17/24 wins, but it certainly seemed like more as he controlled the tempo of the game from the face-off ‘x.’ Miller’s dominance never gave the Rams a chance to get anything going on the offensive end of the field. Combined with a dangerous ride, the Rams found themselves without an answer and unable to come back once the score began to escalate in the Ducks’ favor.

With the score 11-1 at the half, Colorado State found a small bright spot in the third quarter as they outscored Oregon 3-2, but the Rams found themselves raking the ball out of their net six more times in the fourth quarter before the game mercifully ended.

Oregon was led by Knope and Bret Retallick with 5 points a piece. Attackman Julian Coffman scored four goals as well. Colorado State’s Brian Stone (Air Academy HS; Colorado Springs, CO), Stephen Lundberg (Cherry Creek HS; Denver, CO) and Pat Bird (Bishop O’Dowd HS; Oakland, CA) had two points each to pace the Rams.

Sophomore goaltender Lance Simmons (Thunder Ridge HS; Highlands Ranch, CO) struggled in his first major collegiate start, but CSU’s defensive problems were much deeper than the goaltender position. Junior Kurt Bisnette (Hinsdale Central HS; Hinsdale, IL) and freshman Alex Jacques (Bainbridge Island HS; Bainbridge, WA) saw time in the goal as well.

Colorado State (0-1) will have a day off on Saturday before taking on longtime rival Sonoma State on Sunday. The #4 Seawolves battle Oregon on Saturday afternoon in the second game of a three-part weekend.

Pioneers’ Comeback Falls Short Against UNC

2007-02-24T14:22:00.000-07:00

Pioneers’ Comeback Falls Short Against UNC
Denver men’s lacrosse team drops first game of 2007

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The No. 12-ranked University of Denver men’s lacrosse team trailed by five goals at half but came back to tie the game twice before the No. 14 North Carolina tallied three unanswered goals in the final quarter, handing DU its first loss of 2007, 11-8, Saturday afternoon at Fetzer Field.

Freshman John Dickenson (Dallas, Texas) was DU’s top goal scorer with three goals, while sophomore Brad Richardson (Langley, B.C.) added three points, one goal and two assists, in the effort.

Denver (1-1, 0-0 GWLL) trailed 7-3 when John Dickenson scored the first of four consecutive Pioneer goals. Senior Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.), junior Jon Paulson (Flemington, N.J.), and Richardson all added goals to tie the game at 7-7.

UNC (2-0, 0-0 ACC) took an 8-7 lead on a goal by Gavin Petracca. Dickenson scored his third goal of the game to even the contest at 8-8 at 8:03 remaining in the game. UNC closed out the game on three unanswered goals to give the Tar Heels the win.

Denver scored two goals in just over a minute in the third quarter. John Dickenson scored at 14:20 in the third from senior Ryan Shaughnessy (Columbus, Ohio). Sophomore Joey Murray (Denver) and Richardson teamed up for the second time in the game to cut the Tar Heel lead to three at 13:19. UNC’s Bart Wagner scored at 10:50 in the third to get UNC back a four-goal cushion.

UNC scored the first five goals of the game before Murray, on an assist from Richardson, gave DU its first goal of the game.

DU continues its Tobacco Road tour on Sunday, Feb. 25 against No. 6 Duke (1-0, 0-0 ACC) at 1 p.m. MT/3 p.m. ET. Denver opens its home season in the Mile High City on Saturday, March 3 against Villanova at 1:30 p.m. in the Face-Off Classic.

Colorado Defeats Colorado College in Overtime

2007-02-24T14:06:00.000-07:00

COLORADO DEFEATS COLORADO COLLEGE IN OVERTIME

Boulder, CO- February 24, 2007- The University of Colorado Buffaloes kicked off their season today defeating interstate rival DIII Colorado College 12-11 in overtime.

An energized CU squad took a confident 5-2 lead over the Tigers in the first quarter. However the second quarter belonged to the Tigers who scored five unanswered goals. Colorado Sophomore Alex Herr (Thacher School/ Berkeley, CA) scored the only CU goal in the second quarter, leaving the Buffs trailing 6-8 at the half.

The third quarter saw the Buffs battle back and knot the game at 9-9 behind the strength of goals from Senior Jonathan Atwood (Grandview; Parker, CO) and Freshman Blake Witcomb (La Costa Canyon/ Carlsbad, CA).

CC opened the 4th Quarter with two unanswered goals before Colorado’s Whitcomb answered with his third goal of the day and Junior Tyler Baruch added another score to tie the game 11-11 and send the game into overtime.

In overtime the Buffs capitalized on a man-up opportunity when Junior Jack Kruzewski (New Trier/ Chicago, IL) put a shot behind the CC goalie to take the lead and seal the victory for the Buffs.

After the game Colorado Head Coach John Galvin noted the importance of the early season victory “Today was a good start to the season; it’s a great confidence boost going into the Big XII Tournament next weekend.”

#2 Colorado will start their MCLA Regular Season Schedule next weekend in Plano, TX in the Big XII Tournament where they will face off against #22 Texas, Texas A&M and The University of Missouri.

Air Force Lacrosse Gets Involved With America Supporting Americans

2007-02-23T14:31:00.000-07:00

Air Force Lacrosse Gets Involved With America Supporting Americans

USAFA, Colo. - While the Air Force lacrosse team strives for success on the field, it is the actions of the team off the field that will leave a lasting impression. The Falcons’ latest off-field endeavor has become a source of pride for the Academy and the athletic department, as the lacrosse team has recently become involved in the America Supporting Americans (ASA) Foster-a-Unit program.

ASA is a non-profit organization that links individual units in all branches of the military with communities across the country. Started in 1967 by Linda Patterson in support of her younger brother’s unit serving in Vietnam, ASA facilitates adoptions between towns, cities, or counties and individual military units throughout the country to build and strengthen the link between the men and women of the armed forces and the civilian communities they serve.

An offshoot of ASA’s centerpiece project, the Adopt-a-Unit program, the Foster-a-Unit program is designed to give businesses and organizations the opportunity to support the morale of troops serving both at home and overseas. A business, community group, or school group not involved with local adoption activities can foster a military unit by sending one or two rounds of letters and/or care packages to troops who are serving in harms way.

The Falcons, one of several college lacrosse teams across the country to participate in the ASA program, are fostering a unit based out of Fort Hood, Texas, currently stationed in Iraq. The F Company, part of the 3rd Combined Arms Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, is a Forward Support Company, which has traveled over 12,000 miles of Combat Logistical Convoys throughout the battalion-assigned sector.

The Falcons have already used some of their free time to assemble care packages for their fostered unit and will continue to do so throughout the season. In return, the team receives periodic updates and photos from its unit serving in Iraq.

“It is our pleasure to do what we can to support the people who allow us to play our game,” said Air Force head coach Fred Acee. “[These individuals serving] are truly heroes to my team and our staff.”

For more information on ASA and its Adopt-a-Unit and Foster-a-Unit programs, visit www.asa-usa.org.

Pioneers Hit Tobacco Road to Face UNC and Duke

2007-02-23T14:21:00.000-07:00

Pioneers Hit Tobacco Road to Face UNC and Duke
No. 12 Pioneers take on national powerhouses

DENVER – The No. 12-ranked University of Denver men’s lacrosse team (1-0, 0-0 GWLL) continues its East Coast road trip as it plays North Carolina and Duke this weekend.

DU faces No. 14 North Carolina (1-0, 0-0 ACC) on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 11 a.m. MT/1 p.m. ET. UNC leads the all-time series 5-1.

DU takes the short trip to take on No. 6 Duke (0-0, 0-0 ACC) on Sunday, Feb. 25 at 1 p.m. MT/3 p.m. ET. This is the first meeting between the two teams.

Denver opens its season in the Mile High City on Saturday, March 3 against Villanova at 1:30 p.m. in the Face-Off Classic.

Falcons Host Siena To Open 2007 Season (2.22.07)

2007-02-22T14:29:00.000-07:00

This week, the Air Force lacrosse team opens its 2007 season at home, hosting Siena in a non-conference match-up on Sunday, Feb. 25. The game is slated to start at 1:00 p.m. at Cadet Lacrosse Stadium.

Scouting the Falcons...
Air Force is looking forward to a successful season in 2007, as it returns its top scorers from last year, led by co-captain Will Meister (17g, 27a). Also returning to anchor the Falcons’ offense are sophomore Griffin Nevitt (26g, 9a), junior Kevin Crumrine (23g, 7a) and senior Conrad Lochocki (22g, 7a). In fact, Air Force returns over 90 percent of its goal production from the 2006 season, when it finished the year with a 7-8 mark.

On the flipside, the Falcons will see a new face leading the defense, as senior Dan Bellissimo takes over the goalie position, replacing graduated all-league performer Justin Pavoni. Still, there will be some veteran performers on the defensive side, including co-captain Dan Breiding and sophomore Dan Gnazzo, who had a solid freshman campaign.

Scouting the Saints...
Sunday’s game is also the season opener for Siena, which returns 76 percent of its scoring offense from a squad which notched a 4-10 overall record in 2006.

Among the leading returnees for the Saints are preseason All-MAAC selections, senior Matt Donovan and sophomore Matt Girsh. Donovan led the nation in assists with 2.5 per game, while Girsh was fourth in the nation in goals per game with 2.57.

In the Series...
Air Force is undefeated all-time against Siena, holding a 4-0 advantage in the series. The teams met last year, with the Falcons picking up a 12-8 victory.

Season Openers...
The Falcons are 27-13 all-time in season openers and have two of their last three season openers.

The last time Air Force opened the season at home was in 2002, when the Falcons picked up an 11-6 victory.

Air Force at Home...
This weekend’s home contest will be a rare occurrence for the Falcons this season, who have just one more home game on their schedule. In comparison, Air Force played eight of its 15 games at home last season, winning six.

Falcons Involved in ASA...
The Air Force lacrosse team has become involved in the America Supporting Americans (ASA) Foster-a-Unit program. The Falcons have used some of their free time to assemble care packages for a deployed Army unit.

For more information on ASA and its Adopt-a-Unit and Foster-a-Unit programs, visit www.asa-usa.org.

Up Next...
The Falcons head up the road next weekend to take part in the annual Pioneer Face-Off Classic, hosted by Denver. Air Force will face No. 20 UMBC at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 3. The Falcons then wrap up the weekend on Sunday, March 4 with an 11:00 a.m. contest against Villanova.

CSU Men's Lacrosse Ready to Kik Off Title Defense

2007-02-19T15:38:00.000-07:00

CSU MEN’S LACROSSE READY TO KICK OFF TITLE DEFENSE

Nine months after claiming their record setting fourth MCLA national championship, the Colorado State Rams men’s lacrosse team is ready to get back on the field. While most of the championship team remains in tact, some major changes and a difficult schedule will test CSU’s mettle in 2007.

Fresh Face
The Colorado State Rams are pleased to unveil a significant website update for the 2007 season. Thanks to webmaster Andy Sharp, head coach of the Calvin College lacrosse team, CSU’s site has a sharp new look with several new features. Coach Flip Naumburg’s journal is still prominently highlighted, along with news, pictures and info about the team. Surf the site at www.csulacrosse.com.

Hall of Famer at the Helm
In the fall of 2006, long time Colorado State head coach Flip Naumburg was inducted into the Colorado Lacrosse Federation Hall of Fame. In 2007 Coach Naumburg enters his 11th year as head coach at CSU. He graduated from Colorado College in 1975. During his first 10 years at Colorado State, Naumburg’s record stands at 170-32 (84.2% winning percentage). CSU has appeared in the national championship game in seven of eight national tournament chances. In those eight national tournament appearances, CSU’s record is an astounding 24-4 with four national championships. As owner of Rock-It Pocket, Flip is well established in the lacrosse community. Naumburg has also been co-director of the annual Vail Lacrosse Shootout for the last 35 summers.

Graduation Nation
Perhaps the most notable loss for Colorado State this season will be three-year starter Pete Jokisch in goal. Jokisch was the unquestioned mainstay in the pipes for the Rams since the 2004 season and will be severely missed. The Rams also lose two starters from their close defense as Kellin Bershinsky and Kurt Nakazono played their final seasons in 2006. Midfielders Tyler Bue and Mike Murphy join do-everything Matt Reiss in the graduated ranks as well. Reiss could prove difficult to replace as his versatility allowed him to move from playing attack for most of his career to becoming a dominant long stick middie by the time his senior year was finished. His offensive approach to defense is not something that can be trained. One more significant loss, though not due to graduation, will be felt up front as the team’s second leading scorer, Tyler Treece, left school for personal reasons.

Filling the Holes
Colorado State had an unprecedented eight goalies in the fall, all of whom brought something to the table in an attempt to replace Jokisch. Two goalies separated themselves from the rest as junior Garrett Fitzgerald (Regis HS; Denver, CO) and sophomore Lance Simmons (Thunder Ridge HS; Highlands Ranch, CO) became the heir apparents. Fitzgerald and Simmons bring two completely different styles to the goal and will likely each see some big moments this season. Junior Kurt Bisnette (Hinsdale Central HS; Hinsdale, IL) and transfer Alex Jacques (Bainbridge Island HS; Bainbridge, WA) will also push for some time as the season progresses. This is the first time CSU has been without a clear-cut #1 goaltender since 1999, when Ty Wilson and Cale Vanvelkinburgh shared duties en route to the Rams’ first national championship.

The defense appears to have made a strong transition as four long poles have risen above the rest. In a traditionally deep position for CSU, what the Rams lack in depth, they make up for in talent. Senior captain Adam Schnirel (Mt. Lebanon HS; Pittsburgh, PA) is ready to step into the national spotlight after consecutive 2nd Team All-RMLC seasons. Schnirel’s athleticism and poise make him one of the top defenders in the country. Joining him will be senior Ian Wilson (Arapahoe HS; Littleton, CO) and junior Dylan Preble (Bainbridge Island HS; Bainbridge, WA). Wilson and Preble bring size and experience to the back line. The wild card will be redshirt freshman Andrew Stein (Columbine HS; Littleton, CO). Stein sat out last year to focus on academics and the time off seems to have been more than beneficial. With great stick skills and a flair for the dramatic, Stein will be instrumental as the season progresses.

Sophomore Jay Matlin (Boulder HS; Boulder, CO) returns after a stellar freshman campaign as the team’s primary long stick middie. Freshman Chris Rosa (Pomona HS; Arvada, CO) and junior Tom Fender (Thunder Ridge HS; Highlands Ranch, CO) will both contribute at LSM as well. Fender will also likely see minutes at close defense.

CSU will not be quite as deep at midfield as they have been in the past. Returning stalwart Pat Bird (Bishop O’Dowd HS; Oakland, CA) is perhaps the most physically imposing force in the MCLA and will lead his team in more ways than one. Juniors John Tomlinson (Smokey Hill HS; Aurora, CO) and Ryan MacDonald (Smokey Hill HS; Aurora, CO) join sophomores Stephen Lundberg (Cherry Creek HS; Denver, CO) and Will Cantwell (Lakewood HS; Lakewood, CO) to put pressure on opposing defenses. Cantwell’s versatility will allow him to fill in at attack from time to time while Lundberg presents an athletic match-up problem every time he is on the field. Senior Ryan Trude (Mt. Lebanon HS; Pittsburgh, PA) and Robert Morris transfer Justin Backstrom (Heritage HS; Littleton, CO) provide some depth along with junior Joel Tromburg (Heritage HS; Littleton, CO), who will spend a lot of time at the face-off ‘x.’

CSU’s defensive middies are among the best around as senior Jack Genadek (Roseville HS; Roeville, MN) appears to have recovered fully from a broken leg suffered against Arizona in the national quarterfinals last year. Junior Lee Cates (Rangeview HS; Aurora, CO) and senior Brian Vickery (Rangeview HS; Aurora, CO) are physical and athletic while junior Dylan Bowman (Fairview HS; Boulder, CO) can flat out run the ball up the field.

While they have always been known for having some of the best attackmen around, CSU will be tested up front in 2007. Losing Treece hurts, but it helps to return the services of the country’s best all-around attackman in senior captain Danny Stevens (Suffern HS; Suffern, NY). Stevens led the RMLC in points in 2006 and hopes to continue his success this season. Already at fifth all-time in the CSU record books, Stevens stands a good shot at moving up to third with a decent season this year. Senior Brian Stone (Air Academy HS; Colorado Springs, CO) scored the game winning goal in last year’s championship game against the University of Colorado and appears ready to step into a starting attack role this season. The third spot will be filled by junior Campbell Diebolt (Central Bucks East; Doylestown, PA), who had a solid sophomore season. Junior Ben Wallace (Thomas Jefferson HS; Denver, CO) and Cantwell will need to step up at times also.

Scheduling for Success
Colorado State’s 2007 schedule is packed with quality opponents. Starting the season with a February 24-26 trip to Eugene, OR to take on the #8 Oregon Ducks and #4 Sonoma State Seawolves will be challenging. The Ducks have been on the rise nationally for the past four years and Sonoma State is one of CSU’s best interconference rivals.

Upon returning, CSU faces a unique “home” weekend as they travel to Colorado Springs to take on Division III rival Colorado College on Saturday, 3/3 before driving back across the state to play up and coming Loyola Marymount on Sunday. CSU has won three straight against CC while LMU will be ranked by the time they get to Fort Collins and should be well-rested and ready to play on Sunday.

The very next weekend, CSU is on the road for their most foreboding trip of the season. Four games in five days await the Rams as they bus to Utah. First on the docket is RMLC opponent Utah State. The very next day, the Rams take on #3 Brigham Young in a nationally televised contest. After a day off, CSU gets to play #13 Utah in another RMLC league game before finally concluding the trip with #12 Minnesota-Duluth. BYU could very well be the best team in the country this season, despite their #3 ranking, so the Rams know they could be walking into a trap in Provo on March 10.

After a week off, CSU welcomes “Spring Break at Home.” Four teams from the WCLL trip to Colorado during their own Spring Breaks and CSU will face an extremely difficult stretch of home games from March 24 – March 31. After numerous trips to the west coast over the past 10 years, California teams are finally returning the favor and the result is a veritable gauntlet for the Rams. On Saturday, March 24, Chico State comes calling for their second ever match-up with CSU. Two days later, one of the most anticipated home games of the year takes place with #6 UC-Santa Barbara in town. On Thursday, the Rams welcome #18 UC-San Diego before finally wrapping up the stretch against #15 Chapman on Saturday, March 31.

The next weekend, CSU travels to St. Louis, MO to take on #10 Lindenwood on April 8. On the 9th, long time rival #5 Michigan awaits. CSU hasn’t played Lindenwood since 2004, when they handily defeated the Lions 25-1. LU has gotten significantly better since then, however and with Michigan also on the docket, this road trip will not be easy.

The regular season concludes after a week off with the highlight match-up of the season. For the second consecutive season, Colorado State will square off against the #2 University of Colorado in the “Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Showdown” which will be played at INVESCO Field at Mile High Stadium presented by the Denver Outlaws. CSU defeated CU three times last season, including a one-goal victory in the national championship game, and this April 21st contest could be the game of the year. With a rivalry that extends beyond the fields of athletics, the Rams and Buffs are playing for more than RMLC tournament seeding in this one.

In all, CSU’s schedule contains 11 teams ranked in the preseason top 25, one Division III Varsity opponent and one more team that will be ranked by the time the Rams play them. For a detailed schedule, please visit www.csulacrosse.com.

Captaining the Ship
Colorado State will have four captains in 2007. With three elected in the fall and one more to be elected prior to CSU’s first game, this group will be counted on for their leadership. Seniors Pat Bird, Adam Schnirel and Danny Stevens are all among the most talented in the country at their respective positions and were elected prior to the fall season. Bird is the only returning captain on a list that will also include a player to be named this week.

Alumni Advancement
Colorado State men’s lacrosse is extremely excited to announce the first ever annual scholarship awarded to the team. Former MCLA All-American Nick Stanitz-Harper has generously agreed to donate a yearly scholarship to a player in financial need. While the scholarship will not cover university expenses, Stanitz-Harper’s scholarship will extend to the dues and equipment costs for one player per year. This season, Lee Cates is the recipient of Stanitz-Harper’s generous donation.

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Colorado State men’s lacrosse competes nationally in the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) and regionally in the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Conference (RMLC). The MCLA consists of nearly 200 teams across the country in nine conferences. While the team is over 40 years old, CSU lacrosse has made its most strides in the past 10 years. CSU has won a record four MCLA national titles in 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2006. They also hold RMLC conference titles in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006. CSU lacrosse is supported by Sport Clubs at the University, but receives less than 5% of their operating budget from the school each year. The rest of the money is self-funded and comes through dues and fundraising. One of the most important fundraisers is the CSU Men’s Lacrosse Ram Camp, held every summer. More information can be found at www.csulacrosse.com.

Pioneers Move Up In Nike/IL Poll

2007-02-19T14:20:00.000-07:00

Pioneers Move Up In Nike/IL Poll
DU moves up two spots to No. 12 in media poll

DENVER – The University of Denver men’s lacrosse team has moved up two slots in the Nike/Inside Lacrosse Men’s D1 Media Poll to No. 12 after opening the 2007 season with a win over then-No. 17 Penn State.
Defending National Champion Virginia took a tumble against Drexel this weekend, sliding to eighth place. Johns Hopkins, which was ranked second last week, moves into the top spot. Syracuse, Princeton, Georgetown and Maryland round out the top five.
Duke, Cornell, Virginia, UMass and Navy are also in the top ten.

The Nike/Inside Lacrosse Men's Division I Media Poll comes out each Monday during the spring and is voted on by members of various media outlets throughout the country.
DU hits Tobacco Road this weekend to take on No. 12 North Carolina on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 11 a.m. MT/1 p.m. ET, and No. 6 Duke on Sunday, Feb. 25 at 1 p.m. MT/3 p.m. ET.

Pioneers Double-up Nittany Lions

2007-02-17T14:19:00.000-07:00

Pioneers Double-up Nittany Lions
DU men’s lacrosse opens season with win over Penn State

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – The No. 14th-ranked University of Denver men’s lacrosse team opened its 2007 season with a 10-5 come-from-behind win over No. 17th-ranked Penn State on Saturday evening in Holuba Hall.

DU trailed 5-3 at half but solid goaltending by Jeb Hollingsworth (Darien, Conn.) in the second half, along with an eight-goal explosion, helped the Pioneers to the win.

“It was a tough-fought game,” head coach Jamie Munro said. “We were sloppy in transition and they were sharp to start the game. We kept the pressure on them. In the second half we were able to get into our style of lacrosse. We were able to play pressure defense and get up the field in transition.”

Michael Goltra (Washington, N.C.) and Joey Murray (Denver) put DU on the board early before Penn State scored five unanswered goals. Goltra scored his second goal of the evening late in the second quarter, which cut the Penn State lead to two at half.

Brett Koll (Fort Collins, Colo.) started DU’s scoring surge in the second half. Brad Richardson (Langley, B.C.), Ilija Gajic (Burnaby, B.C) and Sandon Olson (Littleton, Colo.) rounded out Denver’s scoring in the third quarter. Koll and Gajic registered their second goals of the game in the fourth quarter, and Jared Houghton (Fort Collins, Colo.) added DU’s 10th goal of the night.

Murray recorded three assists while Goltra added two assists, giving both of them four points in the game. Hollingsworth had seven saves for his first win of the year. DU won the face-offs, 9-to-8.

DU takes on No. 21 North Carolina in Chapel Hill on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 11 a.m. MT/1 p.m. ET.

Pioneers Open Season against Penn State

2007-02-16T14:17:00.000-07:00

Pioneers Open Season against Penn State
No. 14 Pioneers take on Nittany Lions in men’s lacrosse

DENVER – The No. 14-ranked University of Denver men’s lacrosse team opens its 2007 season against Penn State in College Station, Pa., on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 5 p.m. MT/7 p.m. ET.

Senior captains Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) and David Hahn (Aurora, Colo.) and junior Rory Shepard (Riverside, Conn.) were selected to Inside Lacrosse magazine's Face-Off Yearbook's list of preseason honorable mention All-American. DU was also selected to win the Great West Lacrosse League after finishing 2006 with an overall record of 12-5, the best season in school history, and the Pioneers’ first NCAA tournament.

Denver returns 27 players from a year ago and has added 11 freshmen to the fold. Zordani, Hahn, Shepard and junior Michael Goltra (Washington, N.C.) were selected to the All-GWLL preseason team.

DU is 10-12 on opening day since becoming a varsity sport in 1984. The Pioneers are 5-3 in openers under head coach Jamie Munro, who begins his ninth year at the helm, sporting a 64-58 career record. Denver and the Nittany Lions are 1-1 in the all-time series. PSU won the last meeting, 11-10.

Denver opens its season in the Mile High City on Saturday, March 3 against Villanova at 1:30 p.m. in the Face-Off Classic.

DU Men’s Lacrosse Ranked No. 10 in Preseason Poll

2007-02-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

DU Men’s Lacrosse Ranked No. 10 in Preseason Poll
Pioneers achieve highest ranking in LaxMagazine.com poll

DENVER – The University of Denver men’s lacrosse team was ranked 10th in the Lacrosse magazine poll for the upcoming season.

The Pioneers return 27 players from the 2006 squad that compiled the best season in the history of the program with a 12-5 record, went to the team’s first NCAA tournament and won their first Great West Lacrosse League championship after sharing titles in 2003 and 2005. Denver has added 11 freshmen. The Pioneers are led by Inside Lacrosse magazine Preseason All-Americans attacker Ryan Zordani, defenseman David Hahn and defenseman Rory Shepard. Two-time GWLL Coach of the Year Jamie Munro is in his ninth season for the Pioneers. DU was also picked to win the GWLL in 2007.

Defending National Champion Virginia earned the top ranking, followed by Johns Hopkins. Princeton, Duke and Syracuse round out the top-five.

Georgetown and Maryland are sixth and seventh, followed by Cornell and Navy.

In other polls Denver was ranked No. 14 by insidelacrosse.com and No. 13 in the USILA/Coaches Poll.

DU Men’s Lacrosse Ranked No. 10 in Preseason Poll

2007-02-15T12:27:00.000-07:00

FSN ROCKY MOUNTAIN TO AIR FOUR DU LACROSSE GAMES

2007-02-01T21:20:00.000-07:00

FSN ROCKY MOUNTAIN TO AIR FOUR DU LACROSSE GAMES

FSN Rocky Mountain will air four University of Denver men’s lacrosse games during the 2007 season beginning with a match-up with the University of Vermont Sat., March 17 at 8:30 p.m. MT (Same-day Delay). In 2007, the Pioneers will have two games telecast live and another two games telecast on a same-day delay basis.

Tim Neverett (play-by-play) and former DU and Colorado Mammoth forward Geoff Bieging (game analyst) will call the action from the state-of-the-art Peter Barton Stadium on the DU campus.

The Inside Lacrosse preseason No. 14-ranked Pioneers are coming off their best season in school history (12-5-0), which included their third Great Western Lacrosse League (GWLL) title and first trip to the NCAA Tournament. In 2006, FSN Rocky Mountain aired three DU lacrosse games.

DU, which is picked to finish atop the GWLL after winning its second consecutive conference title last season, face two GWLL foes (Ohio State and Air Force) along with Vermont and Harvard on FSN Rocky Mountain. The Pioneers will have live telecasts against fellow NCAA tournament participant Harvard, Sat. March 31 and against Ohio State, Sun., April 22 while games against Vermont and Air Force will air on a same-day delay. The complete telecast schedule follows:

2007 DU Men’s Lacrosse Telecast Schedule
All times listed are Mountain and subject to change

Date Opponent Time
Sat., March 17 vs. Vermont 8:30 p.m. (SDD)
Sat., March 31 vs. Harvard 7:30 p.m. (Live)
Sun., April 22 vs. Ohio State 1:30 p.m. (Live)
Sat., April 28 vs. Air Force 9:30 p.m. (SDD)
DU won all three games telecast last season on FSN Rocky Mountain – vs. North Carolina (11-8), Quinnipiac (17-8) and Bucknell (11-8).

The Pioneers are led by Inside Lacrosse magazine Preseason All-Americans attacker Ryan Zordani, defenseman David Hahn and defenseman Rory Shepard. Two-time GWLL Coach of the Year Jamie Munro is in his ninth season for the Pioneers.

-- FSN Rocky Mountain --

Regis University Lacrosse Active in Volunteering in the Denver Community

2007-01-18T13:22:00.000-07:00

Regis University Lacrosse Active in Volunteering in the Denver Community

Denver, Colo.: When Sarah Averson was hired this past summer as the head coach of the Regis University lacrosse team she had two immediate goals, turn around the on the field play of the Rangers and have a team that is active in the community. With the start of the 2007 season just around the corner we’ll have to wait and see about the first goal, but it is clear that her second goal has been a success thanks to a team that already shared the same passion to work in the community as Averson.

Since November, the Rangers have been extremely active in volunteering their time in the community. They have worked with the Boys and Girls Club, Colorado Habitat for Humanity and recently with the Colorado Mammoth as well as the the National Sports Center for the Disabled.

On Saturday, January 13 RU teamed up with the Mammoth and National Sports Center for the Disabled to teach the game of lacrosse to over 60 disabled kids. The day, which was at the Pepsi Center in downtown Denver, was set up to give the disabled kids an opportunity to participate in an athletic sport in which they would normally not have an opportunity to do so. The work that the RU lacrosse team did with the Mammoth was featured on KUSA-TV Channel 9 news and can be seen on the following link, http://www.9news.com/video/player.aspx?aid=28286&bw.

Through November and December, RU put in time with the Boys and Girls Club as they ran a month long lacrosse clinic. Throughout the month, Averson and her players taught fundamental lacrosse skills, passing, catching and shooting as well as other aspects of the game. Members of the Ranger lacrosse team also spoke to the youth about their experience in lacrosse and what lacrosse means to them.

On December 2, the RU lacrosse team spent the day assisting the Habitat for Humanity. They worked along side families who were working to get their house built in the upcoming months. RU worked hard moving bath tubes, radiators and even the kitchen sink.

The Rangers hope to continue their volunteer efforts with the Colorado Mammoth and the Boys and Girls Club in the near future.

Regis University is a member of NCAA Division II.

Denver Outlaws 2007 Lacrosse Schedule Announced

2007-01-09T14:18:00.000-07:00

Denver Outlaws 2007 Lacrosse Schedule Announced

Season highlights include May 19 opener and July 4 celebration

DENVER – Jan. 9, 2007 –The Western Conference champion Denver Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse on Tuesday announced their 2007 schedule.

All of the Outlaws’ six home dates will be May 19, June 9, June 16, July 4, July 21 and August 4 at INVESCO Field at Mile High. All but the final home game will be at 7 p.m. The August 4 contest against Los Angeles will be at 1 p.m.

The team will open its second season at INVESCO Field at Mile High on May 19 against the San Francisco Dragons. The Colorado High School Athletic Association championship game will precede that Outlaws game.

The team’s July 4 contest against the Chicago Machine will be followed by fireworks. Fans attending the rematch of the 2006 MLL Finals on July 21 will receive a team poster as the MLL defending champion Philadelphia Barrage make their initial visit to Denver. Two weeks later, the Outlaws will host Fan Appreciation Night on August 4 when they take on the Los Angeles Riptide.

The team’s road games will be on June 2 (at Chicago, Toyota Park), June 23 (at San Francisco, Kezar Stadium), June 30 (at Chicago, Toyota Park), July 14 (at Los Angeles, Home Depot Center), July 28 (at Long Island, Mitchel Athletic Complex) and Aug. 11 (at San Francisco, Kezar Stadium).

For more information, please contact the Denver Outlaws at (303)-OUTLAWS.

New Youth Coaches Series for Boys and Girls Lacrosse

2007-01-08T14:02:00.000-07:00

New Youth Coaches Series for Boys and Girls Lacrosse
The Denver Outlaws along with Velocity Sports Performance and the Colorado Lacrosse Foundation team up to introduce new youth coaches to lacrosse

DENVER – Jan. 8, 2007 –The Denver Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse are teaming up with certified U.S. Lacrosse coaches and the Colorado Lacrosse Foundation to hold a free two-hour session to introduce youth coaches to the game of lacrosse. The clinic will cover the basic steps to help new boys and girls youth lacrosse coaches structure a practice, teach basic skills, explain rules, and more. The clinic will be held Saturday, Jan. 20, 2007 at Velocity Sports Performance in Centennial from 9:30 a.m. to noon and is free of charge. Plus, all participants will receive two tickets to the Denver Outlaws home opener at INVESCO Field at Mile High in May.

To register, please visit the Denver Outlaws website at DenverOutlaws.com. For more information, please contact the Denver Outlaws at (303)-OUTLAWS.

-- DenverOutlaws.com --

About the Denver Outlaws
Part of Major League Lacrosse’s 2006 western expansion, the Outlaws became Western Conference Champions and led the league in attendance, averaging over 11,600 attendees per game, in their inaugural campaign. The Outlaws will defend their conference title, playing twelve total games this summer, with six home games at INVESCO Field at Mile High from May through August. The organization is managed by Edge Sports & Entertainment – a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Denver Broncos Football Club. Outlaws 2007 season tickets are available now. For more information, contact the Outlaws ticket office at (720) 258-3600 or visit DenverOutlaws.com.

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

About Major League Lacrosse
Major League Lacrosse, a ten-team professional outdoor lacrosse league, was founded in 1999 by fitness entrepreneur Jake Steinfeld, CEO of Body by Jake Global L.L.C., and founding partners Dave Morrow, a former champion lacrosse player and now CEO of Warrior Lacrosse, a leading global provider of innovative and high performance lacrosse equipment; and Timothy B. Robertson, former CEO of The Family Channel and the current chairman of Bay Shore Enterprises, L.L.C., an investment holding company with activities in international media and Internet technology ventures. The MLL commenced play in June of 2001. The MLL is comprised of two conferences. The Eastern Conference contains the original six teams, Washington (formerly Baltimore), Boston, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Rochester. The Western Conference debuts in the 2006 season with MLL expansion franchises Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Additional league information can be found at www.majorleaguelacrosse.com.

Falcons To Take Part In The 2007 “First 4”

2006-12-15T14:28:00.000-07:00

Falcons To Take Part In The 2007 “First 4”

USAFA, Colo. - The Air Force lacrosse team will take part in one of the premier events of the NCAA season, when it heads to San Diego, Calif., for the third annual First 4 on March 10. The First 4, which features Air Force, Duke, Loyola and Yale this year, is an early season Spring Invitational designed to showcase the top Division I men’s college lacrosse programs in the country.

For the second-straight year, the First 4 will be held at the University of San Diego’s Torero Stadium, one of the region’s finest soccer/multi-purpose facilities, and in a high growth region of lacrosse participation. The invitational will feature a pair of games, starting with the match-up between Loyola and Duke, followed by the Air Force-Yale contest.

Both games will be televised by CSTV, which televises more college sports than any other network and is national broadcast partner of US Lacrosse.

The event will also include the highly anticipated “High School Challenge,” featuring battles between the top high school programs in the state.

Air Force opens the 2007 season on Feb. 25 with a home contest versus Siena.

Outlaws Add Nine in Supplemental Draft

2006-12-09T16:40:00.000-07:00

DENVER – December 5, 2006 – The Denver Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse on Tuesday added nine players to their roster through the Supplemental Draft and one through a trade with New Jersey.

The team drafted M Greg Bastis (19th overall), A Ted Turnblacer (29th overall), D Ryan Schoenig (39th overall), M Nathan Kenney (39th overall), A/M Jamison Mullen (59th overall), D Corey Vann (69th overall), G Brian Sanders (79th overall), G Reed Sothoron (89th overall) and M Jamie Daue (99th overall).

In addition, the Outlaws acquired M Paul Gillette from the New Jersey Pride. The Pride selected Gillette with their first-round selection (5th overall) of the Supplemental Draft. In 11 MLL games for Baltimore and Boston, Gillette has a goal and three assists to go with 14 groundballs.

For those interested, the Outlaws will hold open tryouts at a to-be-determined date in April. For information, contact the Outlaws office at (720) 258-3600.

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.

-- DenverOutlaws.com --

Zordani, Shepard, Hahn Tabbed Pre-Season All-Americans

2006-12-05T21:24:00.000-07:00

Zordani, Shepard, Hahn Tabbed Pre-Season All-Americans
Zordani, Shepard, Hahn named to Face-Off’s honorable mention list

DENVER – Seniors captain Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) and David Hahn (Aurora, Colo.) and junior Rory Shepard (Riverside, Conn.) have been selected to Inside Lacrosse magazine’s Face-Off Yearbook's list of preseason All-Americans for Division I men's lacrosse honorable mention team. The list features 90 of the top lacrosse players in the country and was announced today.
Zordani already named to the Great Western Lacrosse League pre-season all-conference list led DU with 39 points in 2006, including a team-high 20 assists.

Hahn scored four points in 2006 and had 24 groundballs and was also an all-GWLL pre-season selection.

Shepard also a pre-season all-GWLL selection started all 17 of the last year’s contests and was second on the team with 58 groundballs.

Denver begins its lacrosse season Feb. 17, 2007 against Penn State in State College, Pa., and is ranked 14th entering the season.

Pioneers Picked to Finish atop GWLL

2006-12-03T21:25:00.000-07:00

Pioneers Picked to Finish atop GWLL

Four selected preseason all-conference

DENVER - The University of Denver men's lacrosse team has been selected to finish atop the Great Western Lacrosse League as voted by the GWLL coaches and was released today by Inside Lacrosse.

Head coach Jamie Munro's squad was picked to finish first in the conference, followed by Notre Dame, Ohio State, Air Force and Butler. Bellarmine and Quinnipiac tied for sixth place. Preseason conference rankings were voted on by GWLL coaches.

Despite the loss of two key midfield components from 2006, dominant face-off man Geoff Snider and leading scorer Adam Goodwin, Denver enters '07 as the pick to repeat as champions. Last year the Pioneers finished 5-0 in the GWLL, but standing in the immediate way is Notre Dame, who earned the last at-large bid to the NCAAs on the heels of a 3-2 conference mark in '06. The Irish were hit hard by graduation on both sides of the ball and will look to replace leaders such as defenseman D.J. Driscoll and attackman Pat Walsh. Ohio State, coming off an up-and-down '06 campaign, will need big performances out of standout attackman Kevin Buchanan, LSM Ricky Pages and a handful of transfers to stay competitive. Air Force, an up-and-comer in the GWLL, will look to build upon a '06 season that included a marquee conference win over Notre Dame.

The Pioneers finished 2006 with an overall record of 12-5, the best season in school history, and went to their first NCAA tournament. Denver returns 27 players from a year ago and has added 11 freshmen to the fold.

Four Pioneers have been selected to the all-GWLL preseason team. Seniors Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) and David Hahn (Aurora, Colo.) were selected at midfield/attack and defense, respectively. Zordani led DU with 39 points in 2006, including a team-high 20 assists. Hahn scored four points in 2006 and had 24 groundballs. Juniors Michael Goltra (Washington, N.C.) and Rory Shepard (Riverside, Conn.) round out DU's preseason selections. Goltra scored 33 points a year ago, including 25 goals, second only to Goodwin. Shepard started all 17 of the last year's contests and was second on the team with 58 groundballs.

Inside Lacrosse will release its preseason All-America list on Monday, Dec. 4. Denver begins its lacrosse season Feb. 17, 2007 against Penn State in State College, Pa., and is ranked 14th entering the season.

Denver Men’s Lacrosse Team Introduces New Signees

2006-12-02T21:26:00.000-07:00

Denver Men’s Lacrosse Team Introduces New Signees
Pioneers Add 11 for 2008, including three Coloradans

DENVER – University of Denver men’s lacrosse head coach Jamie Munro announced that 11 players have recently signed National Letters of Intent and will join the Pioneers in 2008.

Midfielder Tyler Morton of Kent Denver and attackman Ryan Driver and midfielder Dane Mueller of Cherry Creek High School are the three newcomers from Colorado. Joining them are attackman Colby Rhodes (La Jolla, Calif.), defensemen Jeff Brown (Cohasset, Ma.) and Brendan DeBlois (East Greenwhich, R.I.). Emerson Eichler (New Vernon, N.J.) and Alex Drexler (New Canaan, Conn.) will vie for playing time at midfield. William Lawson (Dallas, Texas), midfielder, and attackman Ryan Fanning (Dallas, Texas) will come to Denver from Highland Park High School.

The 2007 DU lacrosse season kicks off Feb. 17, 2007 against Penn State in State College, Pa. The Pioneers are ranked 14th by Inside Lacrosse entering the season.

Jeff Brown – Defense, Cohasset, Mass., Cohasset High School, 6-3, 195 – A four-year starter at Cohasset High School, Brown will serve as team captain his senior season. His team won the Massachusetts state championship in 2006 and was runner-up in 2005. Brown was also named to the 2006 All-Scholastic teams for the Patriot Ledge and the Cohasset Mariner. Brown also a starts on his high school football team at free safety and basketball team at forward.

Coach Munro on Brown – “Jeff Brown is a very rangy, athletic, left-handed defenseman who will fit perfectly into our style of defense and transition.”

Alex Drexler – Midfield, New Canaan High School, New Canaan, Conn., 6-2, 210 – Drexler has received three varsity letters in lacrosse and football, and two in basketball. Drexler started at New Canaan High school as a sophomore but did not play lacrosse his junior season because of an injury after having. He was named first-team all-conference and second team all-state football honors in his junior year at wide receiver and defensive end.

Coach Munro on Drexler – “Alex is a powerful athlete with speed and skills who comes from a great program in New Canaan. He has what it takes to develop into a force in Division I.”

Ryan Driver – Attack, Centennial, Colo., Cherry Creek High School, 5-11, 170 – Driver is a four-year letterwinner in lacrosse at Cheery Creek High School and was a member of the 2005-06 state championship team.

Coach Munro on Driver – “Ryan is a very quick and very slick attackman. He is one of the best playmakers we saw last summer.”

Brendan DeBlois – Defense, Narragansett, R.I., Hotchkiss School, 6-0, 180 – A varsity letterwinner in lacrosse, football and hockey, DeBlois was named first team all-Western New England in 2006 after switching from midfield to defense. DeBlois originally attended Hotchkiss for hockey, has been on the varsity team for three years and is currently serving as the team captain. Brendan also played football in his final year at Hotchkiss starting at outside linebacker and getting a few starts at tight end.

Coach Munro on DeBlois – “Brendan is a very athletic lefthander. His motor never slows. He can run the field and create offense.”

Emerson Eichler – Midfield, New Vernon, N.J., Hotchkiss School, 6-3, 205 – The midfielder, from the Hotchkiss School, has lettered in lacrosse and hockey three times. Eichler also played varsity football his freshman year at Hotchkiss.

Coach Munro on Eichler – “Emerson is a horse. He has skills, great size and athletism that will allow him to have an immediate impact in Division I lacrosse.”

Ryan Fanning – Attack, Dallas, Texas, Highland Park High School, 5-10, 180 – A four year starter at Highland Park High School, Fanning was a member of back-to-back state championships in Highland Park in 2004 and 2005, Fanning has 75 career goals and was named the MVP of the state tournament in 2005. Fanning was named to the Texas All-State team as an attackman in 2006. Fanning is also the starting running back on the HPHS football team that went undefeated on its way to the 2005 championship.

Coach Munro on Fanning – “Ryan is a very explosive athlete with tremendous stick skills. He is skilled enough to play attack and athletic enough for midfield.”

William Lawson – Midfielder, Dallas, Texas, Highland Park High School, 6-0, 180 – Lawson is a three year letter winner at Highland Park High School on the team that won the state championship in 2004 and 2005 and will serve as one of the captains in 2007. Lawson was named an honorable mention on the All-Conference team. William was a member of the Team Texas all-star team that completed in Baltimore and led the team in scoring. Lawson is also a member of the HPHS football team and has 31 receptions for 485 yards and two touchdowns. His football team is currently 26-0 over the last two seasons and won the 2005 championship.

Coach Munro on Lawson – “William is very athletic. He is a player with great speed and will end up being a great go-to-the-goal middie.”

Jamie MacDonald – Defense, Providence, R.I., Salisbury School, 6-1, 185 - Has started at defense at Salisbury School, a team that has been New England co-champions the last two seasons. Macdonald won the Coaches’ Award his junior year. Macdonald is also a leader on the Salisbury football team, leading the team in tackles and interceptions on the way to winning the 2006 New England Championships.

Coach Munro on MacDonald – Jamie is a complete defenseman. He has size, athletism and speed to be a great cover. He has the skills to push the break.

Tyler Morton – Midfielder, Denver, Kent Denver, 6-0, 170 – Morton is a three-time letterwinner at Kent Denver. In 2004 he was part of the state championship team and was a team member on the ’05 runner-up squad. Morton was named to the Honorable Mention all-state team as a sophomore and named to the first-team as a junior. Morton has also a two-time all-league and all-conference midfielder. Morton is played on the Denver Mile High All-Star team for the last two years. Tyler has also served as captain of his high school soccer team and was named to the all-state second team in 2005. Morton was an assistant captain on the 2005-06 Kent hockey team and was selected as an all-state honorable mention.

Coach Munro on Morton – “Tyler is a three sport athlete with tremendous playing making abilities. He can feed, score and make plays with his quickness.”

Dane Mueller, Midfield, Greenwood Village, Colo., Cherry Creek High School, 6-2, 195 – Mueller is a three-time letter winner in both lacrosse and football. In lacrosse, Mueller was selected as first team all-conference and second team all-state in his junior season. The Cherry Creek boys’ lacrosse team won back-to-back state championships in 2005 and 2006. Mueller has received academic honors in both football and lacrosse. Mueller was selected as the outstanding Cherry Creek receiver his freshman year.

Coach Munro on Mueller – “Dane is a powerful, physical player. He can see the field well and will create match-up problems.”

Colby Rhodes, Attack, La Jolla, Calif., The Bishop’s School, 6-3, 200 – Rhodes is a three-year letterwinner and starter at The Bishop’s School. As a freshman Rhodes was tabbed to the all-conference second team and registered 19 goals and 19 assists as his team won the league championship. In his sophomore season Rhodes scored 46 goals and 29 assists, was named first team all-conference and was selected to play with the West Coast Starz. Last season Rhodes scored 25 goals and 12 assists as he was named to the All-Star team at the Sonoma tournament, the NDP Tournament and the Top Star tournament.

Coach Munro on Rhodes – “Colby is a big lefty attackman who can go to the goal, feed an score as well as anyone we saw last summer.”

Vail Lacrosse Shootout 2007

2006-12-01T12:12:00.000-07:00

VAIL LACROSSE SHOOTOUT 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
December 1, 2006
Contact: Alex Smith – alex@rock-itpocket.com

The 2007 Vail Lacrosse Shootout is pleased to announce the dates for its 35th annual tournament. Occupying its traditional place over the 4th of July weekend, the Shootout is poised for another year. Last year, nearly 100 teams joined in the festivities at 8,000 feet and the Shootout expects another great turnout in 2007.

After a lengthy tournament in 2006, the 2007 tournament has been condensed considerably, making for lots of lacrosse in a short time. Men’s and Women’s Elite will continue to take place from July 1st – July 4th and the Men’s Supermasters and Boys and Girls U19 tournaments will run from June 27th – June 30th. The most significant change in the schedule comes for the Masters Division, which will overlap both date ranges. The Masters tournament is scheduled for June 30th – July 2nd.

Please see below for a complete schedule. For general information about the tournament, please contact Connie Streich at VAILLAXINFO@COMCAST.NET or (303) 814-2714. You can also visit the tournament website at www.vaillacrosse.com.

For team registration, please use the appropriate contact below. For media and public relations inquiries, please contact Alex Smith at alex@rock-itpocket.com.
________________________________________________________________________

MEN’S DIVISIONS
Men’s Elite – July 1, 2, 3, 4
Men’s Masters – June 30, July 1, 2
Men’s Supermasters – June 27, 28, 29, 30
U19 High School Boys – June 27, 28, 29, 30
Grandmasters (50+) – June 28, 29, 30

Contact for more information/team registration:
Connie Streich – VAILLAXINFO@COMCAST.NET – (303) 814-2714

________________________________________________________________________

WOMEN’S DIVISIONS
Women’s Elite – July 1, 2, 3, 4

Contact for more information/team registration:
Michelle Secor – JMSECOR@EARTHLINK.NET – (719) 528-1090

U19 High School Girls – June 27, 28, 29, 30

Contact for more information/team registration:
Kate Dresher – KDRESHER@MSN.COM – (303) 399-4750

DU Men’s Lacrosse Ranked 14th in Preseason Poll

2006-11-28T21:28:00.000-07:00

DU Men’s Lacrosse Ranked 14th in Preseason Poll
Pioneers look to improve on best record in school history

BALTIMORE, Md. – The University of Denver men’s lacrosse team was ranked 14th in Inside Lacrosse’s Face-Off Yearbook Top-25 Pre-Season rankings today.

The Pioneers return 27 players from the ’06 squad that compiled the best season in the history of the program with a 12-5 record, went to the team’s first NCAA tournament and won their first Great West Lacrosse League championship after sharing titles in 2003 and 2005. Denver has also added 11 freshmen. Seniors Brandon Barcus (Dublin, Ohio), Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) and David Hahn (Aurora, Colo.) and junior Brett Koll (Fort Collins, Colo.) will serve as captains for the 2007 team.

Defending National Champion Virginia earned the top ranking, followed by Johns Hopkins. NCAA Semifinalist Syracuse is third, with Princeton and Georgetown rounding out the top five.

Duke and Maryland are sixth and seventh, followed by Cornell and Navy. NCAA National runner-up Massachusetts is tenth.

Pre-Season conference rankings will be announced Thurs., Nov. 30, with pre-season all-conference teams will be announced Friday, Dec. 1. Inside Lacrosse’s pre-season all-Americans will be released Monday, Dec. 4.
2007 Face-Off Yearbook Top 25

Rk. Team ‘06 Record

1. Virginia 17-0

2. Johns Hopkins 9-5

3. Syracuse 10-5

4. Princeton 11-5

5. Georgetown 11-3

6. Duke 6-2

7. Maryland 12-5

8. Cornell 11-3

9. Navy 11-4

10. Massachusetts 13-5

11. Towson 8-6

12. Loyola 6-6

13. Pennsylvania 10-4

14. Denver 12-5

15. Hofstra 17-2

16. Notre Dame 10-5

17. Penn State 8-5

18. UMBC 10-5

19. Delaware 12-5

20. Albany 8-7

21. North Carolina 4-10

22. Dartmouth 8-7

23. Harvard 6-7

24. Army 8-7

25. Hobart 6-8

DU Men’s Lacrosse Announces 2007 Schedule

2006-11-03T15:32:00.000-07:00

DU Men’s Lacrosse Announces 2007 Schedule
’07 schedule features Duke, North Carolina, Pennsylvania

DENVER –University of Denver men’s lacrosse head coach Jamie Munro announced the 2007 schedule Friday. The schedule features seven teams ranked in the final USILA poll in 2006, five in the Inside Lacrosse media poll and four teams that were in the 2006 NCAA tournament.

The Pioneers kick off the 2007 schedule on the East Coast against No. 16 Penn State in State College, Pa. DU will face perennial powerhouses UNC and Duke on the road before beginning its home season at the Peter J. Barton Lacrosse Stadium with the Face-Off Classic, where it will face Villanova and No. 11 UMBC.

Stony Brook, who finished 2006 ranked No. 21, and No. 19 Harvard highlight the Pioneers’ non-conference home action. In conference action, the Pioneers travel to Bellarmine and No. 15 Notre Dame and host Butler, No. 24 Ohio State and Air Force.

The Pioneers wrap-up their season against No. 12 Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, on May 5.

“This is the toughest schedule we have ever played,” said Munro. “It will give us a great chance to achieve the type of success we are hoping for in 2007.”

Munro is in his ninth season at the helm of the Pioneers and has a 64-48 record (.571). He is joined by newly-promoted associate head coach Jon Torpey (third season), assistant coach Mark King (second season) and volunteer assistant coach, former DU standout Matt Brown (first season).

In 2006, the Pioneers compiled their best season in the history of the program, 12-5, went to the team’s first NCAA tournament and won their first Great West Lacrosse League championship after sharing titles in 2003 and 2005. The Pioneers return 27 players from the ’06 squad and have 11 freshmen joining the team. Seniors Brandon Barcus (Dublin, Ohio), Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) and David Hahn (Aurora, Colo.) and junior Brett Koll (Fort Collins, Colo.) will serve as captains for the 2007 team.

The DU lacrosse team will have four games aired on Fox Sports Net Rocky Mountain this season after having three aired last year. The first telecast will be against fellow NCAA tournament participant Harvard on Mar. 31. GWLL match-ups against Butler, Ohio State and Air Force will also be televised.

DU Varsity Men’s Lacrosse Trumps Alumni

2006-10-26T15:36:00.000-06:00

DU Varsity Men’s Lacrosse Trumps Alumni
2006 GWLL Championship team awarded rings

DENVER – The University of Denver varsity men’s lacrosse team defeated the alumni, 20-15, at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium Saturday afternoon. In a reception following the game the members of the 2006 Great Western Lacrosse League Championship team received championship rings.

Current professional lacrosse players Tom Ethington, Matt Brown and Geoff Snider were in attendance, with Brown tallying five goals for the squad. Junior Jon Paulson (Flemington, NJ) led the varsity team with three goals.

“We had a great turnout today,” head coach Jamie Munro said. “We want to briefly celebrate the accomplishments of the 2006 team and get ready for 2007. I hope we’ll have this tradition for years to come.”

The Pioneer lacrosse team is on the rise nationally, having tied for two GWLL championships in 2003 and 2005 and winning the title outright in 2006. The 2006 squad also appeared in the program’s first NCAA tournament.

DU Men’s Lacrosse Hosts Alumni Game

2006-10-20T18:00:00.000-06:00

DU Men’s Lacrosse Hosts Alumni Game
Pioneers to honor 2006 GWLL Championship team

DENVER – The University of Denver men’s lacrosse team will host its annual alumni game to conclude fall practice Saturday, Oct. 21, at 1:30 p.m., at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. The match-up will pit the 2006-07 squad against 31 former team members from 1996-2006.

Of the 31 members returning, current professionals Mike Law ’01, Tom Ethington ’02 and Matt Brown ’05 will be participating. Law was DU’s first All-America in men’s lacrosse and has played in the National Lacrosse League and Major League Lacrosse. Daren Tinger ’96 is the oldest alumni scheduled to play. Tinger is second on the Pioneers’ career goals scored and career points list. Geoff Snider ’06, who was drafted fourth overall in the National Lacrosse League draft in September will also be playing.

In a reception starting at 3:30 p.m., rings will be presented to the members of the 2006 Great Western Lacrosse League champions.

The Pioneer lacrosse team is on the rise nationally, having tied for two GWLL championships in 2003 and 2005 and winning the title outright in 2006. The 2006 squad also appeared in the program’s first NCAA tournament.

Matt Brown Returns to DU Lacrosse Program

2006-10-19T18:05:00.000-06:00

Matt Brown Returns to DU Lacrosse Program
Matt Brown joins Pioneers’ men’s lacrosse coaching staff

DENVER – Former DU men’s lacrosse standout Matt Brown has rejoined the program, this time as a volunteer assistant coach, head coach Jamie Munro announced today. A four-year starter for the Pioneers, Brown tallied 113 goals, fourth on the Pioneers’ career goals list.
“Matt is a tremendous addition in both knowledge and character,” Munro said. “We are lucky to have him onboard.”

While at DU, Brown played in 56 games and accumulated 137 points, the sixth-best total in Pioneers’ history. He was named First Team All-GWLL at attack, earned Preseason All-America honorable mention honors, and was named GWLL Player of the Week, all as a senior. Brown was a three-time Face-Off Classic all-tournament team member. Brown was named the GWLL Newcomer of the Year in 2002 after leading the team in points and goals and was named to the All-GWLL second team as a junior.

“Its great to be part of this staff,” said Brown. “I am excited to be with this program on this level and can not wait to see our team compete.”

Lead by Brown, the Pioneer lacrosse program gained national attention, tying for the GWLL title in 2003 and 2005 and finishing with a then school-high ranking of No. 18 in 2005.

Upon completing his DU career, Brown was drafted fifth overall by the Arizona Sting of the National Lacrosse League, where he played in all 18 games accumulating 40 points. This past summer Brown played for the Denver Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse, leading the League in goals with 38 and fourth in the league with 46 points, as well as most game-winning goals. Brown had a 60% shooting percentage. In addition to his coaching duties, Brown runs Destinations by J&M, a property management company. Brown has also coached high school and club lacrosse in Arizona.

A native of Burnaby, British Columbia, graduated from DU with a B.S./B.A. in finance marketing in 2005. Brown resides in Denver.

2006-09-28T18:06:00.000-06:00

Falcons Set To Compete In Lacrosse For Leukemia Event

Baltimore, Md. - The Air Force lacrosse team will be in action this weekend, Sept. 30, at the ninth-annual Price Modern Lacrosse for Leukemia Tournament, being held at the St. Paul’s School in Brooklandville, Md. Admission for the event is $5.

The Falcons will start the day with a contest versus Albany at 8:30 a.m., followed by a game against St. John’s at 10:10 a.m. Other teams competing in the tournament are Binghamton, Butler, Johns Hopkins, Mt. St. Mary's, North Carolina, Penn State, Quinnipiac, Rutgers, Syracuse, Towson, UMBC, Villanova and Washington College.

All proceeds for the event will go to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to help raise money to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's Disease and myeloma, as well as to improve the quality of life for patients and their families. Additionally, each team will play in honor of a local youth ambassador who has survived or is currently undergoing treatment for a blood cancer.

For more information about the 2006 Price Modern "Lacrosse for Leukemia" Fall Invitational Event, please contact Vince Fiduccia at the Maryland Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at (410) 527-0220 or vince.fiduccia@lls.org.

Former DU lacrosse standout Snider taken Fourth in NLL draft by Philadelphia

2006-09-14T17:47:00.000-06:00

Former DU lacrosse standout Snider taken Fourth in NLL draft by Philadelphia

Geoff Snider selected fourth by Wings

NEW YORK – Former University of Denver lacrosse star Geoff Snider was selected as the fourth overall pick by the Philadelphia Wings in the National League Lacrosse draft Wednesday evening at the Theater Lobby at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Most recently Snider was named Most Valuable Player at the World Lacrosse Championships tournament as the Canadians defeated the USA, 15-10, in July. Snider, a Calgary, Alberta, native, was selected 17th overall by the Denver Outlaws in the Major League Lacrosse draft in June. Snider recorded two points in five games, including one point in the Outlaws’ playoff game.

While at DU, Snider earned Third-Team USILA All-America and Scholar All-American honors after leading the nation and setting NCAA records in ground balls per game (11.41) and total groundballs (194). He finished second in face-off win percentage (.684) earned his first Scholar All-America honor after earning a 3.58 GPA in finance/marketing.

“I am very excited for Geoff to be selected so high in the draft,” said head coach Jamie Munro. “He’s a great competitor and I am sure he’ll have a tremendous professional career.”

The Wings kick off their 2007 schedule January 6 against Edmonton.

Torpey promoted to associate head coach of Denver Men’s Lacrosse

2006-09-14T17:25:00.000-06:00

Torpey promoted to associate head coach of Denver Men’s Lacrosse

After two seasons as an assistant coach, Jon Torpey has been promoted to associate head coach

DENVER – After two seasons as one of the assistant men’s lacrosse coaches at the University of Denver, Jon Torpey has been promoted to associate head coach, it was announced Thursday by head lacrosse coach Jamie Munro.

“We are excited to promote Jon to associate head coach,” said Munro. “He is one of the main reasons why our program has taken such huge steps in the last two years.”

The Pioneers are 21-10 in the past two seasons, including their first trip to the NCAA tournament last season. In 2006, Denver posted its best record in school history at 12-5, and won their second straight Great Western Lacrosse League title and were ranked as high as No. 12 in the final USILA Geico/STX Coaches Poll. They also set a school record for wins in a season with 12 and earned the first-ever undefeated league schedule with a 5-0 record and the first undefeated home schedule with a 9-0 record. The Pioneers finished the 2005 season with a 9-5 record, a share of the GWLL title and a No. 18 final ranking in the USILA Geico/STX Coaches Poll.

“I am excited to be able to continue working with this team,” said Torpey. “We have had a good couple of years and we hope to continue building on that. The University of Denver has shown tremendous support for lacrosse and for our staff, and that is important to our program’s continued success.”

Before Denver, Torpey was an assistant coach at Denison University where his team made it to the 2001 Division III final four. Torpey also spent three seasons at Goucher College.

Torpey was a four-year starter and three-year captain at Ohio State, where he was a four-time scholar-athlete, a three-time All-Academic Big Ten selection and a finalist for the Big Ten Medal of Honor and the Corwin A. Fergus Award. He earned All-America honors his senior season.

Upon graduation, Torpey was selected by the Columbus Landsharks of the NLL in the fifth round of the 2000 draft. He played with the Philadelphia Wings in the NLL and Philadelphia and Colorado in the Major Lacrosse League.

Torpey earned his bachelor's degree in education from Ohio State in 2000 and received a master's degree in both education and sports administration from Goucher College in 2004. He married the former Tegan Karl in August.

Outlaws Wrangle Riptide, Playoffs Next

2006-08-13T14:43:00.000-06:00

Jeff Zywicki scored three consecutive goals in the final quarter to propel the Outlaws (10-2) to a 13-9 victory over the Los Angeles Riptide (6-6) Saturday night at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Zywicki’s performance earned the newest Outlaw MVP honors as his four-goal game (4-0--4) helped Denver to complete its inaugural regular season with a league-tying best 10-2 record.

Denver held a slim lead heading into the final stanza. Sean Lindsay’s two-point shot just over two minutes into the final quarter tied the game at 9-9 as the Riptide looked to ride the hometown support. However Zywicki netted the next three goals followed by Josh Sims’ (1-1--2) lone score of the night as Denver closed out the game – extending its season-high winning streak to six games. The Outlaws also completed the 2006 schedule with an undefeated road record (6-0).

Matt Rewkowski’s goal and three assists (1-3--4) tied him with Zywicki for the team lead in points with four, while Hunter Lochte added a pair of scores and an assist (2-1--3). Trevor Tierney was tough in the pipes as he stopped 20-of-28 shots-on-goal.

Michael Watson led Los Angeles with a duo of goals and assists, while Anthony Kelly won 20-of-25 face-offs. The loss eliminated the Riptide from playoff contention.

The Outlaws return to the L.A.-area on Aug. 25 for the New Balance Championship Weekend. Denver’s win, coupled with San Francisco’s 16-15 nail-bitter over Chicago, clinches the final playoff spot for the Dragons. The Philadelphia Barrage and Boston Cannons complete the four-team title tournament.

Outlaws Corral Western Conference Crown

2006-08-05T14:59:00.000-06:00

The Outlaws (9-2) clinched the Western Conference championship with a 17-13 victory over the Machine (0-11) Saturday afternoon in front of a crowd of 2,054 in suburban Chicago. Matt Brown (5-0—5) and Jeff Sonke (3-1—5) had five points apiece to pace Denver, which guaranteed itself of finishing its inaugural season with a better record than fellow Major League Lacrosse expansion teams San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago.

The Machine were on the cusp of winning their first game of the season and franchise history when Dan Flannery’s goal 5:16 into the final quarter tied the score at 12-12. However, Jeff Sonke’s two-point shot from behind the arc less than two minutes later put the Outlaws up for good.

Denver – sensing the opportunity to take the inaugural Western Conference title and clinch at least the second seed in the Major League Lacrosse Championship Weekend – went for the close as Brown and Josh Sims each followed Sonke with a goal to place the game on ice.

Rookie Brendan Mundorf continued his stellar play for the Outlaws with three goals and an assist for four points, while Mike Law and Matt Rewkowski each had a pair of scores. Kevin Leveille moved the Machine with a trio of goals and an assist for four points.

Denver sweeps the three-game season series with Chicago, having won the previous two matches at INVESCO Field at Mile High.

The Outlaws end the regular season next Saturday in Los Angeles as they face the Riptide. Denver will return to the Los Angeles area on Aug. 25 as the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. will host the 2006 Major League Lacrosse Championship Weekend.

The semi-final games will be held at 5:30 PM PT and 8:00 PM PT on Friday, August 25. The two semi-final winners will advance to the New Balance Championship Game on Sunday, August 27. The Championship Game will air live on ESPN2.

The Boston Cannons and Philadelphia Barrage have clinched two of the remaining three spots.

Cercy Wins League's Weekly Defensive Award

2006-07-24T15:14:00.000-06:00

For Immediate Release

Cercy Wins League’s Weekly Defensive Award

DENVER – July 24, 2006 – Chris Cercy, midfielder for the Denver Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse, received the league’s Defensive Player of the Week honors for the ninth week of the season. He recorded 20 wins in 32 faceoffs (0.625) in the team’s 17-12 win over Chicago on Saturday night at INVESCO Field at Mile High.

Cercy, who was among the team’s five representatives at the league’s all-star game, has won 164-of-290 faceoffs (0.566) this season, which ranks as the third-highest winning percentage among those with at least 200 faceoffs taken.

The Outlaws return to action on Saturday night when they play their first-ever game in Long Island. The game is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. MDT.

Group and season tickets are available for the Denver Outlaws second season at INVESCO Field at Mile High. Call 720-258-3600 for ticket information.

OUTLAWS CORRAL MACHINE, 17-12

2006-07-22T15:13:00.000-06:00

Denver Outlaws 17 vs. Chicago Machine 12
July 22, 2006
INVESCO Field at Mile High

DENVER – Alex Smith stopped 14 shots in his first career MLL start as the Outlaws (7-2) defeated the Chicago Machine (0-9) 17-12 in front of a crowd of 12,739 Saturday night at INVESCO Field at Mile High.

Chris Cercy controlled the pace for Denver, winning 20-of-32 faceoffs for Denver to earn the game’s MVP honors.

Smith, a former Colorado State goaltender and native of Parker, Colo., started in place of Trevor Tierney, who was manning the pipes for Team USA at the World Games. Smith shined in front of his hometown fans, which accounted for the third-highest attendance figure in Major League Lacrosse history.

The Outlaws struck first as Brian Langtry scored 3:14 into the opening quarter followed by a shot by Law 1:27 later to give Denver an early 2-0 advantage.

Chicago responded as Kevin Leveille put the Machine on the board 5:23 into the first stanza.

The Outlaws opened their offensive flood gates 9:29 into the first as the quick release of Matt Brown expanded Denver’s lead to 3-1. With a flurry of goals, including Greg Bastis’ first marker of the season, Denver opened a 5-1 lead to end the opening frame.

The offensive barrage continued as Josh Sims opened the second quarter scoring with his league-leading seventh two-point goal. Sims, Brown and Law each scored again which gave the Outlaws a seemingly commanding 10-1 lead.

Chicago finally put a stop to Denver’s eight-goal streak as Dan Flannery’s shot 4:38 into the second quarter ended Chicago’s 15-minute scoring drought. The goal sparked a Chicago run as the visitors cut the Outlaws’ lead to 10-5 on four consecutive goals.

Denver began the second half with their guns blazing, scoring a trio of goals in the opening three minutes. Matt Rewkowski ripped a shot seven seconds into the third quarter, followed by the third goal each for Sims and Law for a 13-5 Denver lead.

Chicago answered, cutting its deficit to 13-11 three minutes into the fourth quarter.

Langtry put a wrench in the Machine’s streak, creating turnover on the defensive end, gathering the loose ball, racing up the field and ripping the twine for a 14-11 advantage.

Matt Rewkowski put the game on ice with his third goal of the game 11:25 into the final quarter for a 16-11 lead.

Dan Flannery added his fourth goal of the game with just over 1:30 left in the game, before Hunter Lochte capped the evening with his first score of the night with 1:10 remaining.

The win keeps Denver atop the Western Conference and in the hunt for a playoff spot.

The Outlaws were without four players from their roster, who were competing in the World Games; In addition to Tierney (U.S.A.), who had started each of Denver’s previous eight games, Outlaws Brendan Mundorf (Australia), Geoff Snider and Jeff Zywicki (Canada) were competing for their respective countries. The Machine were without Doug Shanahan and Todd Rassas, both of whom suited up for Team USA.

Snider earned World Games tournament MVP with 10 points (3-7—10) and 143-for-195 face-offs throughout the games.

The Outlaws are expected to have a full roster when they travel to Long Island to face the Lizards on July 29.

OUTLAWS RIP RIPTIDE, 17-7

2006-07-10T11:03:00.000-06:00

Carson, Calif. – The Denver Outlaws (6-2) used a stellar defensive effort and a balanced scoring effort to win Saturday afternoon’s contest against the Los Angeles Riptide (2-5) at the Home Depot Center. The win secures Denver’s spot atop the Western Conference. With wins in the first two games, Denver wins the three-game season series against Los Angeles. The third meeting will end Denver’s regular season on August 12 in Los Angeles.

The Outlaws limited Los Angeles to just two points in the first half – yielding just one goal in each of the opening quarters. Trevor Tierney was an integral to Denver’s defensive effort, making 18 saves, including 10 in the first half, for his sixth win of the season. Mike Law led Denver’s offensive effort with four goals. Josh Sims (2-1—4) recorded four points, including his league-leading sixth two-pointer of the season.

Rounding out Denver’s offensive performance were Brendan Mundorf (2-1—3), Jeff Sonke (2-0—2), Jeff Zywicki (1-1—2), Brian Langtry (1-1—2), Matt Brown (1-0—1), Hunter Lochte (1-0—1), Matt Rewkowski (0-1—1) and Casey Cittadino (0-1—1).

Sims recorded the game’s first goal with a two-pointer 1:58 into the fray. Thirty-six seconds later, Mundorf extended Denver’s lead with a diving shot off a feed from Jeff Zywicki. Zywicki, acquired last week in a trade with San Francisco, recorded his first point as an Outlaw on Mundorf’s tally.

With the score 4-0, the Riptide recorded their first marker with 97 seconds remaining in the first quarter with when Brian Nee leapt across the crease and tucked a shot past Tierney.

Later in the first quarter, Tierney stopped the Riptide’s leading scorer, Michael Watson, from point-blank range. The ensuing possession resulted in Mundorf notching his second marker of the game from Erwin. The Outlaws took a 5-1 lead to close the first quarter.

Denver duplicated the first quarter score in the second frame to take a 10-2 lead into the halftime.

The Riptide recorded three of the first four goals of the third quarter after making halftime adjustments to narrow Denver’s lead to 11-5. The Outlaws answered with goals by Law, Cercy (first of the season) and Sims in a 17-second span to take a 14-5 lead. The Outlaws added two more goals in the third frame, including one by Sonke with 1.1 seconds remaining, for a 15-5 lead.

Each team recorded one goal in the fourth quarter, with Los Angeles’ marker counting for two points. Cittadino recorded his first point as a pro, an assist, on Law’s final tally with 6:30 remaining.

Alex Smith relieved Tierney with 7:43 remaining in the tilt and stopped the only two shots he faced.

The Outlaws return to action in two weeks when they host the Chicago Machine at INVESCO Field at Mile High on July 22.

For complete statistics for this game, please go to www.pointstreak.com

VAIL LACROSSE SHOOTOUT 2006 DAY 11: July 4, 2006

2006-07-05T15:36:00.000-06:00

VAIL LACROSSE SHOOTOUT 2006
DAY 11: July 4, 2006
Contact: Alex Smith – alex@rock-itpocket.com

Vail, CO – After 11 long days, the Vail Lacrosse Shootout finally concluded on Tuesday with Team Mammoth and the reLAXers winning the Men’s and Women’s Elite Divisions fairly handily. Team Mammoth quickly emerged as favorites on Day 1 after they announced a roster full of players that will compete for Team Canada in the upcoming World Lacrosse Games.

With NLL and MLL stars such as John Grant Jr. (Delaware), Brodie Merrill (Georgetown), Gary Gait (Syracuse), Gavin Prout (Loyola) and Jeff Zywicki (UMass), Team Mammoth was able to use Vail as a tune-up for the World Games. MLL players usually not allowed to participate in Vail were given an exemption since Team Canada was calling the Shootout their exhibition schedule.

Rolling through the tournament, Team Mammoth’s only challenge came in the semifinals against defending tournament champion GMH. GMH’s only loss in three previous years was to Team Mammoth in the finals of the 2004 tournament and they played the Canadian boys tough for most of the day before falling 10-7 on Monday.

On Tuesday, Team Mammoth had their way with Go Fast, playing a physical and intimidating brand of lacrosse on their way to an 18-6 victory. Team Canada had competed in Vail before, but this year marks the first time they have won the tournament. A full game summary of the finals by John Schuett is below.

You can find full statistics and game reports on www.vaillacrosse.com.

Men’s Elite Championship
Team Mammoth 18, Go Fast 6
It all came down to this. Go Fast returned to their second consecutive championship game with wins over the Generals, Merrill Lynch, and Jammin' Salmon. They would face a powerhouse Mammoth team, which consists mainly of Team Canada players from the upcoming World Championships. Mammoth eliminated the A-Team, Team 21, and defending champion GMH on their way to the finals.

The field was all dried up from yesterday's rain and the Mammoth were in control of the play right out of the gate. Andrew Turner (Lakehead,'00) started the scoring on a pass from John Grant Jr. less than three minutes into the game. The Mammoth would add goals from Gavin Prout (Loyola, '98) and Jeff Zywicki (UMass, '05) to bring the lead to 3-0. The rest of the first quarter brought seven more goals from the teams, as the scoring was running wild. Mammoth led 7-3 after one.

Michael Donegar (Johns Hopkins, '08) opened the scoring in the 2nd for Go Fast with a man-up tally by rocketing a shot over the right shoulder of goalie Chris Sanderson (Virginia, '98). Evan Kay added to the effort by scoring less tan two minutes later to bring Go Fast within two goals. Lewis Ratcliff would answer for the Mammoth on a pass from Zywicki. The clouds started to roll in near the middle of the second quarter and the defenses started to shine, allowing no goals the rest of the way. Go Fast goalie Jesse Schwartzman (Johns Hopkins, '07) finished the half with seven saves. Sanderson recorded four for the Mammoth.

It was all Mammoth in the third quarter, as they started to pull away by scoring six goals and firing several other point blank shots that were stopped by Schwartzman. Grant Jr. recorded two goals and two assists and Ryan Ward had a pair of goals. The lone tally for Go Fast in the third came from Donegar.

The fourth quarter was much of the same as the Mammoth picked up three goals in the first three minute to force running time. Gary Gait (Syracuse, '92), Geoffrey Snider (Denver, '06), and Steve Govett finished the tune-up for Mammoth, many of whom were getting ready for the World Championships. Go Fast failed to convert on a three-man advantage (for a full minute) late in the quarter.

Final Score: Mammoth 18, Go Fast 6.

Congratulations to Team Mammoth for winning the 2006 Vail Shootout Men's Elite Championship!

3rd Place Game
Jammin' Salmon 6, GMH 5

Consolation Championship (9th Place Game)
A-Team 8, City Grille/Flying Dog 4

VAIL LACROSSE SHOOTOUT 2006 DAY 10: July 3, 2006

2006-07-04T15:35:00.000-06:00

VAIL LACROSSE SHOOTOUT 2006
DAY 10: July 3, 2006
Contact: Alex Smith – alex@rock-itpocket.com

Vail, CO – On a day that was marred by several long lightening and rain delays, semifinal action was finally completed at about 7:00 pm. Team Canada – err, Team Mammoth struggled a little with GMH before finally dispatching the defending champs 10-7 while Go Fast defeated Lacrossewear/Jammin’ Salmon in a truncated 6-3 game. Detailed reports by John Schuett are below.

On the women’s side of things, the reLAXers and PA Express moved through their groups to the finals.

Detailed game reports and stats can be found at www.vaillacrosse.com.

Monday July 3rd's Men's Elite Semifinals @ Ford Field:
#2 Go Fast 7, #6 Lacrossewear/Jammin’ Salmon 3
It seemed as if the game might never start, as the first semifinal between Go Fast and Jammin' Salmon was repeatedly delayed by rain and lightning. Originally scheduled for 1pm, the game finally started around 3:30pm and officials were forced to use running clocks for the first three quarters.

The goals in this game came in bunches for each team. After a tight game for the majority of the first quarter, the Salmon broke the silence with a pair of goals from Peter Troup (Salisbury, 1999) to take a 2-0 lead by the end of the quarter. They continued the assault, adding another goal just three minutes into the second, with a tally from midfielder Alex Hufnagel (Dartmouth, 07).

That was all that would come from the Salmon, as Go Fast would start their attack that would eventually score seven unanswered goals to end the game. Contributing to the effort was Spencer Cooperman(Colgate, 2009), Evan Kay (UMBC, 2007), and Greer Hanlon (Denver, 2005) with a pair of goals each. Dillon Roy (Denver, 2010) also added a goal.

Go Fast will advance to meet Team Mammoth in the Men's Elite Championship tomorrow at 2:30pm at Ford Field.

#5 Team Mammoth 10, #1 GMH 7
The second semifinal of the day was also pushed back due to the rain delay earlier in the day. The game got underway about 5:30pm, and featured what many considered to be the premier match-up of the tournament. Joining Team Mammoth for the first time in the tournament was superstar attackman John Grant Jr. (Deleware, '01) and all-star midfielder Brodie Merrill (Georgetown, '05).

Both teams started the game anxious and determined, but it was GMH that would strike first on an unassisted goal from Pete Cannon (Georgetown, '06). The Mammoth would respond with three consecutive goals from Grant Jr., Gavin Prout (Loyola, '98) and Colin Doyle (Kitchener, ON). The sides would trade goals one more time before halftime, as Mark Morley (UMass, '02) tallied for GMH and Doyle responded with his second of the game for Mammoth. The score at halftime had the Mammoth leading 4-2.

The scoring doubled in the 3rd quarter, with each team recording three goals. Morley recorded two more goals and Pete Cannon had his second for GMH, who started to get the momentum swinging in their favor towards the end of the quarter. Gary Gait (Syracuse, '92) got on the board for Mammoth with his first of the game, as did Jordan Hall (Deleware, '07) and Billy Dee Smith (St. Catherines, ON).

After an early Mammoth strike from Andrew Turner (Lakehead, '00), GMH would pull within a goal midway through the 4th quarter on shots from Cannon and Mike Holloway (Villanova, '02). However, the team ultimately hurt themselves with a pair of slashing penalties that lead to Colin Doyle's third strike of the game. That gave Mammoth a two goal lead that they would not surrender. Grant Jr. added an additional tally with 1:11 remaining to make the final score Mammoth 10, GMH 7.

The Mammoth will advance to the championship game tomorrow at 2:30pm to take on Go Fast at Ford Field.

Men’s Championship Bracket Consolation Games @ Ford Field
Merrill Lynch 10, 5280/Tap Room 7
Team 21 13, Rocky Mountain Oysters 9

Men’s Consolation Semifinals @ Edwards Field
City Grille/Flying Dog 9, Rock-it Pocket 7
The A-Team 8, Club All-Stars 3

Other Consolation Games @ Edwards Field
IAS Select 16, The Foot Clan 4
Vineyard Vines 6, The Tigers 3
Team Guttman 13, The Generals 10

Tuesday Match-ups:

Men’s Elite Championship
#2 Go Fast vs. #5 Team Mammoth

3rd Place Game
GMH vs. Lacrossewear/Jammin’ Salmon

5th Place Game
Merrill Lynch vs. Team 21

7th Place Game
5280/Tap Room vs. Rocky Mountain Oysters

Consolation Championship (9th Place Game)
City Grille/Flying Dog vs. The A-Team

Women’s Elite – Day 3 Results:

Women’s Semifinals:
PA Express 7, MadLax 5
Two rain delays and continuing foul weather moved the game down the valley to Edwards. This was the most exciting game of the day as two very evenly matched teams battled back and forth until PA Express pulled ahead and secured the win. Katie Doolittle of PA and Lauren Gallagher of MadLax led the scoring with 2 goals apiece.

ReLAXers 12, Lockton Loaded 7
reLAXers continued to fool everyone by playing anything but relaxed. After a 3 hour weather delay and moving teams to different locations, the last game of the day was to determine who would play in the championship game. Lockton Loaded just couldn't get their sights set on the reLAXers and watched the team in red pull away slowly and steadily for the victory. Allison Evans scored 4 goals for reLAXers and Laura Dosdall had 2 in the losing effort.

Other Women’s Games
Lakeshore 11, Ski+Bar 7
Team Ohio 9, Juan's Mexicali 4
Rammit 12, Liquid Lax 11
Detroit 14, Last Chance 2
Ski+Bar 7, Juan's Mexicali 6
Liquid Lax 13, Last Chance 4
Lakeshore 4, Team Ohio 3
Detroit 8, Rammit 7
PA Express 11, Hootenannies 8
MadLax 13, Team Wild 8
ReLAXers 19, Colorado Chillax 3
Lockton Loaded 8, Tap This 7
Team Wild 9, Hootenannies 7
Tap This 1, Colorado Chillax 0

Monday Women’s Elite Championship Game
ReLAXers vs. PA Express

VAIL LACROSSE SHOOTOUT 2006 DAY 9: July 2, 2006

2006-07-03T15:35:00.000-06:00

VAIL LACROSSE SHOOTOUT 2006
DAY 9: July 2, 2006
Contact: Alex Smith – alex@rock-itpocket.com

Vail, CO – Day 2 of the Men’s Elite Tournament produced several exciting quarterfinal match-ups and one complete display of domination. With GMH, Go Fast and Lacrossewear/Jammin’ Salmon moving through to the semis, all eyes were on Team Mammoth as many got a look at what will be Team Canada next month in the World Lacrosse Championships. Team Mammoth did not disappoint, routing Cornell’s Alumni-based Team 21 17-5 on the way back to the semifinals after finishing fifth last year.

The Rocky Mountain Oysters looked very good, challenging top seeded GMH from start to finish. Trailing late in the third quarter, the Philly-based GMH squad finally went on a run to take the lead, but this was the most vulnerable they have looked in years. In other action, Go Fast and Merrill Lynch had a spirited 15-13 battle that found Go Fast on top.

Tomorrow’s semifinals feature two exciting match-ups as GMH takes on Team Mammoth and Lacrossewear/Jammin’ Salmon faces Go Fast.

In Women’s Elite action, the reLAXers continued to show dominance, finishing on top of their pool moving into Tuesday. Other pool winners were Team Wild, PA Express and Tap This. The women will play both the quarterfinals and semifinals on Monday.

All game stats and detailed write-ups for the quarterfinals are posted at www.vaillacrosse.com.

Men’s Elite – Day 2 Results:
Men’s Elite Quarterfinals on Ford Field:
#1 GMH 10, #8 Rocky Mountain Oysters 6
#2 Go Fast 15, #7 Merrill Lynch 13
#5 Team Mammoth 17, #4 Team 21 5
#6 Lacrossewear/Jammin’ Salmon 15, #14 5280/Tap Room 9
Men’s Consolation at Edwards:
The Club All-Stars 8, Team Guttman 7 in OT
Rock-it Pocket 12, IAS Select 8
City Grille/Flying Dog 15, The Generals 0
The A-Team 10, Vineyard Vines 9
The Tigers 10, The Foot Clan 8

Monday Match-ups:

Men’s Elite Semifinals @ Ford Field
#2 Go Fast vs. #6 Lacrossewear/Jammin’ Salmon @ 1:00 pm
#1 GMH vs. #5 Team Mammoth @ 3:00 pm

Men’s Championship Bracket Consolation Games @ Ford Field
Merrill Lynch vs. 5280/Tap Room @ 9:00 am
Rocky Mountain Oysters vs. Team 21 @ 11:00 am

Men’s Consolation Semifinals @ Edwards Field
Rock-it Pocket vs. City Grille/Flying Dog @ 11:00 am
Club All-Stars vs. The A-Team @ 1:00 pm

Other Consolation Games @ Edwards Field
IAS Select vs. The Foot Clan @ 9:00 am
Vineyard Vines vs. The Tigers @ 3:00 pm
Team Guttman vs. The Generals @ 5:00 pm (on Ford Field)

Women’s Elite – Day 2 Results:
Colorado Chillax 14, Detroit 10
Juan's Mexicali 13, Lakeshore 3
Detroit 11, Liquid Lax 4
Hootenannies 16, Lakeshore 5
PA Express 11, Team Ski+Bar 3
Lockton Loaded 14, Last Chance 3
Tap This 12, Liquid Lax 8
Team Wild 11, Hootenannies 10
Tap This 8, Colorado Chillax 7
Team Wild 10, Juan's Mexicali 8
MadLax 12, Team Ohio 4
reLAXers 14, Rammit 1

Pool Play Results:
Pool A -
reLAXers
Lockton Loaded
Rammit
Last Chance

Pool B –
Team Wild
Hootenannies
Juan’s Mexacali
Lakeshore

Pool C
PA Express
Madlax
Team Ski + Bar
Team Ohio

Pool D
Tap This
Colorado Chillax
Detroit
Liquid Lax

Monday Match-ups:

Women’s Elite Quarterfinals
Game 1: Hootenannies vs. PA Express @ 7:45 am
Game 2: Mad Lax vs. Team Wild @ 8:55 am
Game 3: Colorado Chillax vs. reLAXers @ 10:05 am
Game 4: Lockton Loaded vs. Tap This @ 11:15 am

Elite Semifinals:
Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 @ 2:45 pm
Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4 @ 3:55 pm

Elite Consolation:
Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 @ 12:25 pm
Loser of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4 @ 1:35 pm

VAIL LACROSSE SHOOTOUT 2006 DAY 8: July 1, 2006

2006-07-02T15:34:00.000-06:00

VAIL LACROSSE SHOOTOUT 2006
DAY 8: July 1, 2006
Contact: Alex Smith – alex@rock-itpocket.com

Vail, CO – After much anticipation, the 34th annual Men’s Elite Division of the Vail Lacrosse Shootout finally got underway on Saturday. There were some very competitive games on Day 1, including an upset of the #3 seed by the #14 team. A few of Vail’s perennial favorites moved through as well, including top seeded GMH, #2 Go Fast and the #5 Team Mammoth. The only top seeded team not to go through was #3 Rock-it Pocket, who suffered an 11-10 loss to Team 5280/Tap Room.

Day 2 will be interesting in the winner’s bracket with Team 21 vs. Team Mammoth as the featured match-up. Team Mammoth is loaded with Canadian players getting ready to take part in next month World Games. For the most part, Team Mammoth is Team Canada and includes MLL players who gained an exemption to play in Vail.

The women also got started on Saturday with a huge tournament field taking flight. They will continue with pool play on Sunday before breaking into their quarterfinals on Monday.

Men’s Elite – Day 1 Results:

“Play-in Games”
#15 Club AllStars 13, #18 Tigers 1
#16 Generals 13, #17 Foot Clan 3

#1 GMH 15, #15 Club All-Stars 5
#8 Rocky Mountain Oysters 12, #9 Team Guttman 8
#5 Team Mammoth 20, #12 The A-Team 6
#4 Team 21 13, #13 Vinyard Vines 6
#6 Lacrossewear/Jammin' Salmon 15, #11 IAS Select 9
#14 5280/Tap Room 11, #3 Rock-it Pocket 10
#7 Merrill Lynch 19, #10 City Grille/Flying Dog 10
#2 Go Fast 14, #15 Generals 1

Day 2 Match-ups:

Men’s Quarterfinals:
#1 GMH vs. #8 Rocky Mountain Oysters
#2 Go Fast vs. #7 Merrill Lynch
#4 Team 21 vs. #5 Team Mammoth
#6 Lacrossewear/Jammin’ Salmon vs. #14 5280/Tap Room

Men’s Consolation:
Team Guttman vs. The Club All-Stars
Rock-it Pocket vs. IAS Select
The Foot Clan vs. The Tigers
The Generals vs. City Grille/Flying Dog
Vineyard Vines vs. The A-Team

Women’s Elite Day 1 Results:
ReLAXers 15, Last Chance 0
MadLax 10, Team Ski+Bar 5
ReLAXers 10, Lockton Loaded 5
Team Ski+Bar 9, Team Ohio 5
Tap This 10, Detroit 7
Team Wild 16, Lakeshore 2
Lockton Loaded 11, Rammit 4
PA Express 13, Team Ohio 2
Rammit 17, Last Chance 6
PA Express 11, MadLax 5
Chilllax 14, Liquid Lax 3
Hotenannies 15, Juan's Mexicali 3

OUTLAWS OUT RIDE RIPTIDE, 22-11

2006-07-01T13:36:00.000-06:00

Denver Outlaws 22 vs. Los Angeles Riptide 11
July 1, 2006
INVESCO Field at Mile High

DENVER – The Denver Outlaws (5-2) used strong first-half performances from Matt Brown and Mike Law to cruise to a 22-11 win over the Los Angeles Riptide (2-4) on Saturday in front of a Major League Lacrosse-record crowd of 15,981.

Brown, who collected his second most valuable player of the game honors, recorded seven goals in the first half while Law tallied three markers in the opening two quarters. The two University of Denver products each tallied seven points in the game to pace Denver’s offense, which eclipsed the 20-point-plateau for the fourth time this season.

The league’s reigning Rookie of the Week, Brendan Mundorf, added to his rookie-leading goal total with a pair of tallies (15), while dishing the first three assists of his MLL career. Rounding out Denver’s offensive barrage were Jeff Sonke (1-3—4), Josh Sims (2-1—3), Matt Rewkowski (2-1—3), Matt Hanna (1-1—2), Hunter Lochte (1-0—1), Brian Langtry (0-1—1) and Benson Erwin (0-1—1).

MLL All-Star Chris Cercy showed his merit, winning 21-of-34 faceoffs (0.618). The Outlaws also dominated the Riptide in shots on goal, peppering Los Angeles’ cage with 45 shots, while the visitors managed only 22 shots on net. Outlaws goaltender Trevor Tierney stifled 11 shots before yielding to Colorado State University product Alex Smith (1 save) for the last 6:30 of the fourth quarter.

The crowd came to the game expecting a display of fireworks after the game. They were treated to a display of firepower earlier than they expected. Matt Brown got the home side on the board early as he gathered a rebound and deposited it behind Riptide netminder Tillman Johnson. Brown added the team’s second goal when he fired a shot behind his head after collecting the rebound of Langtry’s shot at 2:44 of the first quarter.

The Outlaws, sporting their black jerseys for the first time at home this season, opened a 6-3 lead at the end of the first quarter and a 14-5 edge at halftime.

With the Riptide focusing defensively on Brown to start the third quarter, Denver’s offense was limited to one goal. Los Angeles narrowed the margin to 15-7 after three quarters. Sims, who is heading to the MLL All-Star Game on Thursday, tallied the Outlaws’ first two goals of the fourth quarter to open a 17-6 lead. The Riptide answered with two goals, but MLL All-Star Law responded for Denver with two goals sandwiched around a Mundorf marker to open a 20-9.

If including last season’s All-Star Game, Denver owns the league’s top four attendance figures and six of the circuit’s top eight marks in that category.

Five Outlaws will play in the MLL All-Star Game in Boston on Thursday as Chris Cercy, Mike Law, Josh Sims and Jeff Sonke will face the U.S. National Team which includes Outlaws netminder Trevor Tierney.

The Outlaws and Riptide will square off again week at The Home Depot Center at 2 p.m. Denver returns to INVESCO Field at Mile High on July 22 for its last home game against the Chicago Machine.

For complete statistics for this game, please go to www.pointstreak.com

VAIL LACROSSE SHOOTOUT 2006 DAY 6: June 29, 2006

2006-06-30T15:33:00.000-06:00

VAIL LACROSSE SHOOTOUT 2006
DAY 6: June 29, 2006
Contact: Alex Smith – alex@rock-itpocket.com

Featured Game:
Dr. Tom Watts Memorial Boys U-19 Championship Game
Baltimore Crabs 11, Team Colorado 10

Vail, CO – The third time was indeed the charm for the boys from the “Charm City” as the Baltimore Crabs finally collected their first Vail U-19 Championship with an 11-10 win over Team Colorado on Friday afternoon. Baltimore had reached the finals in both 2004 and 2005, but finally got over the hump thanks to a four point effort from attackmen Collins Carey and five points from Nate Matthews. The game was well-played from start to finish, despite a thirty minute lightening delay late in the third quarter.

Trailing 4-1 after one quarter and 5-2 shortly thereafter, Baltimore got a huge spark from Matthews to close out the half. Thanks to three goals by the rangy attackman, Baltimore closed the gap and tied the score at the end of the half.

The Crabs continued their run in the fourth quarter, finally scoring the last of their six straight goals to push out to an 8-5 lead. Carey had both of his assists in the early stages of the third quarter as Baltimore threatened to put the game away.

But Team Colorado was not about to lie down. A gutsy effort from attackmen Kyle Greenberg (4 goals) and Josh Reichert (3g, 1a) helped the home team claw back to within one as the third quarter was winding down. Unfortunately for everyone, however, a storm was winding up the Vail Valley and halted play late in the quarter with Colorado behind 8-7.

As the field started to become a little sloppy, Baltimore pumped in the first two goals within a minute early in the fourth quarter to make the lead three. Not unlike the Crabs before them, Colorado went on their own run, scoring three goals in just over one and a half minutes to tie the score.

With time running down, Baltimore got a huge goal from Kevin Carroll at the 2:51 mark of the quarter. Carroll scored both of his goals in the fourth quarter and was credited with the game winner as the Crabs converted on an extra man opportunity late. Colorado killed off a three-man down situation at one point in the fourth, but they were unable to tie the score in search of their third Vail title.

Standing out for Team Colorado was University of Denver-bound goalie Peyton Tyrie, who registered 10 saves in the second half. First half goalie Piet Dudley had six saves. Baltimore’s two goalies, Chris Kunhardt and Brian Phipps combined for 12 saves in the victory. Baltimore also got a strong performance from midfielder Dave Marshall, who ended the day with two goals and two assists.

Game Stats:

Score by Quarter: 1 2 3 4 T
Baltimore Crabs 1 4 3 3 11
Team Colorado 4 1 2 3 10

Goals:
Baltimore – Nate Matthews (4); Kevin Carroll, Dave Marshall and Collins Carey (2); Cryder Dipietro (1)
Colorado – Kyle Greenberg (4); Josh Reichert (3); Jared Houghton (2); Matt Kelsci (1)

Assists:
Baltimore – Mike Kimmel, Collins Carey and Dave Marshall (2); Nate Matthews and Casey Creaney (1)
Colorado – Collin Bolling, Josh Reichert and Matt Kelsic (1)

Goaltenders:
Baltimore – Chris Kunhardt (24:00 minutes, 6 saves, 5 goals against); Brian Phipps (24:00 minutes, 6 saves, 5 goals against)
Colorado – Piet Dudley (24:00 minutes, 6 saves, 6 goals against); Peyton Tyrie (24:00 minutes, 10 saves, 6 goals against)

VAIL LACROSSE SHOOTOUT 2006 DAY 6: June 29, 2006

2006-06-30T15:32:00.000-06:00

VAIL LACROSSE SHOOTOUT 2006
DAY 6: June 29, 2006
Contact: Alex Smith – alex@rock-itpocket.com

Featured Games:
Boy’s U-19 Semifinals
Baltimore Crabs 11, Team Ohio 7
In a game plagued by penalties, Baltimore advanced to their third consecutive U-19 championship game with an 11-7 victory over Team Ohio. Ohio stayed within reach for most of the game, but it became clear later on that they simply did not have the midfield offense to penetrate Baltimore’s defense.

Baltimore slowly paced to an 8-4 halftime lead, but the difference in this game was the third quarter. Team Ohio really struggled to clear the ball in the third and Baltimore stayed on the offensive end for long periods at a time. Ohio outscored the Crabs in the third, but they likely could have moved even closer if they had been able to clear better.

Baltimore was paced by attackman Kimmel, who scored six goals on the day. Ohio’s leading point-man Wolford, who ended up with three points. Both teams used two goalies with Baltimore making 8 combined saves and Ohio making 10.

As the game wore on, unsportsmanlike penalties piled up for both teams. Ohio’s coaches were visibly upset at times and cost their teams several penalties and possessions. Combined, there were over 25 penalties called in this game.

Baltimore will move on to the championship game for the third straight year. They lost to New England in 2004 and Colorado last year.

Team Colorado 10, New England 5
Team Colorado used smothering defense and goals from eight different players as they defeated New England in the U-19 semifinals. Colorado moves to their second straight championship game where they take on Baltimore in a rematch of last year’s finals.

Colorado started the game fast, scoring four goals in the first six minutes of action. Colorado face-off man Matt Kelsic did a great job controlling New England’s Charlie Kenney, who had previously been dominant over the past two days of competition.

With good possessions and aggressive defensive checks from Dillon Roy, Team Colorado led 9-1 at one point in the fourth quarter before New England was able creep a little closer. Much like the previous game, this match-up also degenerated a little bit due to some physical play late.

A skirmish broke out in the third quarter, but the referees did well to control the extra-curricular activities. New England scored four of the last five goals, but it obviously wasn’t enough for a victory.

Team Colorado looks for a second straight championship against the Crabs on Friday. They also won the U-19 championship in 2003 over Ohio.

Dr. Tom Watts Memorial Boys U-19 Division

Thursday’s Results
Division I Semifinals
Baltimore Crabs 11, Team Ohio 7
Team Colorado 10, Team New England 5

Division I Consolation
Ariziona 8, Moose Jaw 6
Minnesota 14, Southeast 12

Friday Schedule
Division I Finals
Team Colorado vs. Baltimore Crabs – Ford Field @ 1:00pm

Division I 3rd Place Game
Team Ohio vs. New England – Ford Field

Division I Consolation
Arizona vs. Minnesota
Moose Jaw vs. Southeast

Girls U-19
Gold Division
Quarter Finals
FLC 13, Team Dixie 8
PA Express 16, Team Colorado 5
Heros 2007 12, Houston Heat 1
Team 180 13, Element 5 5
Semifinals
PA Express 13, FLC 10
Heros 2007 12, Team 180 6
Consolation Semifinals
Team Colorado 14, Team Dixie 11
Element 5 8, Houston Heat 7

Friday's Gold Schedule
Championship Game
PA Express vs. Heros 2007 on Edwards 1 @ 12:00 pm
3rd Place Game
FLC vs Team 180 on Edwards 1 @ 10:30 am
5th Place Game
Team Colorado vs Element 5 on Edwards 1 @ 9:15 am
7th Place Game
Team Dixie vs Houston Heat on Edwards 1 @ 8:00 am

Silver Division
Quarter Finals
First Nations 7, Team Idaho 6
Team Denver 9, CTLF 6
Colorado Futures 10, Lakeshore 7
Ultimate 7, Team Utah 4
Semifinals
Team Denver 9, First Nations 7
Ultimate 11, Colorado Futures 6
Consolation Semifinals
CTLF 15, Team Idaho 5
Team Utah 9, Lakeshore 5

Friday's Silver Schedule
Championship Game
Team Denver vs Ultimate on Edwards 2 @ 12:00 pm
3rd Place Game
Colorado Futures vs First Nations on Edwards 2 @ 10:30 am
5th Place Game
CTLF vs Utah on Edwards 2 @ 9:15 am
7th Place Game
Team Idaho vs Lakeshore on Edwards 2 @ 8:00 am

Bronze Division
Quarter Finals
Midwest Elite 9, Cardinal Elite 8
Detroit 13, North Texas 1
Semifinals
NorCal Elite 9, Midwest Elite 4
Detroit 11, Indy Girls 5
Consolation Semifinals
Midwest Elite 12, North Texas 6
Indy Girls 8, Cardinal Elite 4

Friday's Bronze Schedule
Championship Game
NorCal Elite vs Detroit on Edwards 3 @ 12:00 pm
3rd Place Game
Midwest Elite vs Indy Girls on Edwards 3 @ 9:15 am
5th Place Game
North Texas vs Cardinal Elite on Edwards 3 @ 8:00 am

Special Event
Sixth Grade All-Stars Game on Edwards 3 @ 10:30 am

VAIL LACROSSE SHOOTOUT 2006 DAY 5: June 28, 2006

2006-06-29T15:31:00.000-06:00

VAIL LACROSSE SHOOTOUT 2006
DAY 5: June 28, 2006
Contact: Alex Smith – alex@rock-itpocket.com

Dr. Tom Watts Memorial Boys U-19 Division
When the Boys U-19 tournament kicked off, it was pretty clear that four teams were a level higher than everyone else. Colorado, New England, Baltimore and Ohio have all left their mark on Vail as the teams to beat over the past 10 years. In Wednesday’s quarterfinal contests, only Ohio was tested, but Arizona did not have enough in the tank in the fourth quarter to pull the upset. Colorado, New England and Baltimore all “mercy-ruled” their opponents to move through to the semifinals eaily.

Scouting tomorrow’s Division I semifinals, it appears at first glance to be two evenly matched games. Baltimore should have the overall talent edge over Ohio, but the Midwestern boys have some serious size at the long pole position. Baltimore’s attack combined for 17 points against Moose Jaw on Wednesday and will be a handful for whoever they play. Colorado does not have the superstars they have had in the past, but they are continuing to play a team game that will give them a chance to return to the finals. They are matched up with a fiery New England team that wins seemingly every face-off and scraps hard for every loose ball. The Colorado/New England match-up will be a rematch of last year’s semifinals. Colorado won that game on the way to their second ever Vail championship.

Wednesday’s Results
Division I Quarterfinals
Team Colorado 23, Minnesota Elite 8
Team New England 19, Southeast All-Stars 3
Team Ohio 10, Arizona 6
Baltimore Crabs 20, Moose Jaw 2

Division II Quarterfinals
Florida Lacrosse Club 16, Westlake/Austin 3
Chowdaheads 14, Indiana 4
Utah 13, Southern Cal 8
Idaho 17, Winnipeg 9
Northern Cal 13, Local Favorites 5

Thursday Schedule
Division I Semifinals
Baltimore vs. Ohio – Avon 1 @ 11:00am
Colorado vs. New England – Avon 1 @ 1:00pm

Division I Consolation
Moose Jaw vs. Minnesota – Avon 1 @ 9:00am
Arizona vs. Southeast – Avon 1 @ 3:00pm

Division II Semifinals
FLC vs. Chowdaheads Avon 2 @ 10 am
Utah vs. Idaho on Avon 2 @12pm

Division II Consolation
Southern Cal vs. Northern Cal on Avon 2 @ 8am
Westlake/Austin vs. Indiana on Avon 2 @ 2pm
Local Favorites vs. Winnipeg on Avon 2 @ 4pm

Girls U-19
First Nations 11, Midwest 9
Cardinal 7, Indy Girls' 8
First Nations 5, Element 5 11
Team 180 16, Indy Girls 4
Houston Heat 10, FLC 11
CTLF 7, Team Dixie 9
Team Idaho 5, Team Colorado 16
Ultimate 6 , CTLF 7
Team 180 10, PA Express 7
Co. Futures 14, Midwest 10
Lakeshore 6, Team Colorado 18

Outlaws Acquire Zywicki from Dragons

2006-06-29T13:36:00.000-06:00

Outlaws Acquire Zywicki from Dragons
Denver gets Zywicki from San Francisco for LaMonica

DENVER – June 29, 2006 – The Denver Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse acquired attack Jeff Zywicki from the San Francisco Dragons in exchange for midfielder Mike LaMonica.

In two games with the Dragons, Zywicki posted a pair of assists and fired three shots. A member of the Canadian National Team that will compete in the World Championships from July 13-22, the 25-year-old Zywicki played in three NCAA tournaments while at the University of Massachusetts.

LaMonica netted three goals while adding an assist in two games with Denver.

The Outlaws return to action on Saturday night when they host the Los Angeles Riptide in a Western Conference game on July 1 at INVESCO Field at Mile High. The game is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.

Group tickets are available for the Denver Outlaws inaugural season at INVESCO Field at Mile High. Call 720-258-3600 for ticket information.

-- www.DenverOutlaws.com --

VAIL LACROSSE SHOOTOUT 2006 DAY 4: June 27, 2006

2006-06-28T15:31:00.000-06:00

VAIL LACROSSE SHOOTOUT 2006
DAY 4: June 27, 2006
Contact: Alex Smith – alex@rock-itpocket.com

Feature Story:
Supermasters Championship
Elder Statesmen 13, Navy Old Goats 12
As if yesterday’s one-goal Masters Division final game wasn’t enough, the Supermasters Division answered with what might have even been a more exciting one-goal game on Tuesday. Trailing 7-5 at halftime and 8-7 after three, the Elder Statesmen scored five goals in the fourth quarter to pull out an intense 13-12 victory over the Navy Old Goats. The game saw six lead changes in one of the better games of the tournament, regardless of age.

While many of the players from both teams are reaching the twilights of their careers, their maturity did not prevent them from playing a spirited and oftentimes rough style of game. There were several legitimately stellar goals in this game, including several behind the back shots and one diving, whirling dervish from Chris Rossi to tie the game late for the Statesmen.

The Statesmen got scoring from 10 different players in an extremely balanced effort. Bob Zimmerman helped lead the Old Goats from the midfield throughout the day.
In a hard fought fourth quarter, Navy held a two goal lead before the Elder Statesmen scored just :47 in to narrow the lead to one. When the Statesmen tied it up a few minutes later, Navy answered again in less than thirty seconds to retake the lead. Back and forth it went for much of the fourth quarter until the Statesmen scored with 4:09 left.

Navy continued to battle hard, but were unable to punch one home. When time expired, the Statesmen lit up a few cigars and celebrated. In what was easily the best attended game of the tournament, the Supermasters Championship had moments of brilliance. It also had its moments of fury. In the end, it was simply another good lacrosse game.

A person of any age could see that.

SUPERMASTERS DIVISION
The Supermasters division finished with a bang on Tuesday after the Elder Statesemen defeated the Navy Old Goats 13-12 in the championship game. In a tournament that did not see many more competitive games, the finals had a little extra panache and flavor. Most teams out of the championship race seemed content to play hard and get out of the sun as quickly as possible.

Tuesday Results:
Supermasters Championship Game
Elder Statesmen 13, Navy Old Goats 12

3rd Place Game
CVLC 8,Tri-City Canadians 5

5th Place Game
Tombstone 12, FROGs 3

7th Place Game
One West 15, Princeton 5

Consolation Bracket Finals
Middlebury 8, Magic Wands 0

Other Consolation Games
Rockies 13, AFA Gray Birds 5
NYAC defeated WahoosWoofs as both teams used other players – no official score.
Cactus Lacrosse vs. Los Viejos (Grandmasters)

Dr. Tom Watts Memorial Boys U-19 Division
Pool play in the highly anticipated U-19 Division kicked off on Tuesday with all four of the favored teams moving through their brackets easily. Much like the World Cup of Soccer, the top two teams in each group move through to the knockout stages in days 2-4. There, they are separated into a Division I and Division II and they move through like a normal tournament from then on.

Defending champion Team Colorado had their way in Conference A with Arizona getting past FLC to move to the quarterfinals. Baltimore blasted their way through Conference B with no games closer nine goals. Southeast also got through to the second round. In Conference C, New England didn’t have much trouble either. Moose Jaw, a Canadian entrant, surprised many by making it to the Division I quarterfinals. Finally, in Conference D, Team Ohio looked as strong as ever and won all three games. Team Minnesota also showed promise, defeating the Chowdaheads for the last Division I spot.

Quarterfinals on Day 2 should be exciting as New England, Baltimore, Colorado and Ohio look poised to move through to the semifinals. The top four would be smart not to overlook some of the upstart teams, however, or they could be watching the final four from the stands.

Tuesday's Results
CONFERENCE A
9:00 am Team Colorado 12, Winnipeg 1
10:20 am Arizona 5, FLC 3
11:40 pm Team Colorado 12, FLC 1
1:10 pm Arizona 13, Winnipeg 4
2:30 pm Team Colorado 7, Arizona 3
4:00 pm FLC 14, Winnipeg 3

CONFERENCE B
9:00 a.m Baltimore 16, Westlake/Austin 3
10:20 am Southeast 11, Team Idaho 2
11:40 am Baltimore 12, Team Idaho 0
1:10 pm Southeast 11, Westlake/Austin 4
2:30 pm Baltimore 13, Southeast 4
4:00 pm Team Idaho 9, Westlake/Austin 2

CONFERENCE C
9:00 am New England 5, Moose Jaw 0
9:50 am Utah 8, Indiana 1
10:40 am New England 11, NorCal 1
11:30 am Moose Jaw 7, Utah 3
12:20 pm Indiana 6, NorCal 1
1:10 pm New England 10, Utah 4
2:00 pm Moose Jaw 5, Indiana 3
2:50 pm Utah 6, NorCal 0
3:40 pm New England 6, Indiana 1
4:30 pm Moose Jaw 5, NorCal 0

CONFERENCE D
9:00 am Ohio 8, Minnesota 6
10:20 am Chowdaheads 8, Southern Cal 3
11:40 am Ohio 10, Chowdaheads 3
1:10 pm Minnesota 12, Southern Cal 6
2:30 pm Ohio 13, Southern Cal 4
4:00 pm Minnesota 5, Chowdaheads 4

Wednesday's Games:
Division I Games at Avon 1
A1 Colorado vs D2 Minnesota at 3:00 pm
C1 New England vs B2 Southeast at 9:00 am
D1 Ohio vs A2 Arizona at 1:00 pm
B1 Baltimore vs C2 Moosejaw 11:00 am

Division II Games at Avon 2
A3 FLC vs B4 Westlake/Austin at 10:00 am
D3 Chowdaheads vs C4 Indiana/Sasquatch at 8:00 am
C3 Utah vs D4 Southern Cal at 12:00 pm
B3 Idaho vs A4 Winnepeg at 2:00 pm
Local Favorites vs C5 NorCal at 4:00 pm

Girls U-19
Girls U-19 kicked off as well on Tuesday. The teams will have two days of pool play before getting into their tournament stages.

Tuesday’s Results

FIELD 1—Edwards
8:30 am Team Denver 0, Heros 2007 15
11:00 am Team Denver 3,Team Utah 9
12:15 pm Team Idaho 1, Ultimate 20
1:30 pm First Nations 7, Colorado Futures 18
2:45 pm Team FLC 21, North Texas 0

FIELD 2—Edwards
8:30 am Team Utah 8, Detroit Lacrosse Club 7
9:45 am Ultimate 11, Team Dixie 12
11:00 am Detroit Lacrosse 1, Heros 2007 15
12:15 pm Team FLC 14, Nor-Cal Elite 5
1:30 pm Midwest Elite 5, Element 5 14
2:45 pm Houston Heat 16, Nor-Cal Elite 2

FIELD 3—Edwards
8:30 Team Idaho 7, Lakeshore Lacrosse 9
9:45 am Indy Girls 5, PA Express 15
11:00 am Lakeshore Lacrosse 4, CTLF 10
12:15 pm North Texas 6, Houston Heat 14
1:30 pm Team Dixie 8, Team Colorado 11
2:45 pm Cardinal Elite 1, Team 180 21

VAIL LACROSSE SHOOTOUT 2006 DAY 2: June 25, 2006

2006-06-26T15:30:00.000-06:00

VAIL LACROSSE SHOOTOUT 2006
DAY 2: June 25, 2006
Contact: Alex Smith – alex@rock-itpocket.com
Day 2 in Vail saw the action heat up as the Masters semifinals were the highlight. Two top teams moved through to the finals, setting up what could be the most anticipated championship games in quite some time. While the lacrosse was good, the weather was nearly better – at least until about 3:30, when the typical Vail thundershower moved through the Valley.

MASTERS DIVISION
As expected, both Rusty Red and Lacrosse Unlimited moved into the finals pretty easily with huge wins over their opponents. The two teams have been the class of the division so far and tomorrow’s finals are eagerly anticipated. Neither team have been tested, but both are solid up and down their lineups. Look for Rusty Red to rely on a stout defense that includes Gerry Byrne (UMass), Dan Pratt (Syracuse) and Dave Stilley (Duke). Their attack is also as good as anyone with Canadian Steve Govett and John Zulberti (Syracuse) helping create chances. Pete White and Kenny Garcia lead the Long Island-based Lacrosse Unlimited. Rusty Red has won the pat three Masters Division titles, but tomorrow’s game could be their toughest test yet.

Sunday Results:
Masters Semifinals
Lacrosse Unlimited 18, Noreaster 4
Rusty Red 16, Middlebury 5

Consolation
Lax Gear 9, Barely Legal 7
Rhino Linings 16, Lodo’s Lacrosse Club 1

Monday Schedule:
Masters Championship Game
Rusty Red vs. Lacrosse Unlimited at 1:00 pm

3rd Place Game
Noreaster vs. Middlebury at 11:00 am

5th Place Game
Rhino Linings vs. Lax Gear at 3:00 pm

7th Place Game
Lodo’s Lacrosse Club vs. Barely Legal at 9:00 am

SUPERMASTERS DIVISION
Aside from the CVLC vs.. Tombstone game, the Supermasters quarterfinals lacked any real drama as Navy, Tri-City and the Elder Statesmen moved through with relative ease. CVLC’s one goal victory was probably the game of the day for any division as they snuck past perennial tournament contestant Tombstone. Tomorrow’s semifinals should have some better match-ups as the cream rises to the crop.

Sunday Results:
Supermasters Quarterfinals
Navy Old Goats 12, Princeton Obsoletes 4
Tri-City Canadians 11, Frogs 6
CVLC 7, Tombstone 6
Elder Statesmen 17, One West 4

Consolation Games
AFA Gray Birds defeated Majestic Rockies (Grandmasters)
Magic Wands 8, NYAC Founding Fathers 7 in Double Overtime
Middlebury12, Cactus Lacrosse 5
Rockies 8, WahoosWoofs 6

Monday Schedule
Supermasters Semifinals
Navy Old Goats vs. Tri-City Canadians on Ford West at 1:00 pm
CVLC vs. Elder Statesmen on Ford West at 11:00 am

Winner’s Bracket Consolation Games
Princeton Obsoletes vs. Frogs on Ford West at 9:00 am
Tombstone vs. One West on Ford East at 9:30 am

Consolation Bracket Semifinals
AFA Gray Birds vs. Magic Wands on Ford East at 11:30 am
Middlebury vs. Rockies on Ford East at 1:30 pm

Other Consolation Games
Cactus Lacrosse vs. NYAC Founding Fathers on Donovan at 10:00 am
Disciples of Norm (Grandmasters team) vs. WahoosWoofs on Donovan at 12:00 pm

GRANDMASTERS DIVISION
The Grandmasters Division got started on Sunday with two games. While the play was a little rusty at times, there was no question that the teams were there to win. Everyone played hard. Unfortunately, the scoresheets were lost in the shuffle and we’re left to wonder who won the games . . . We will have the updates tomorrow.

Bellarmine Knights Become Seventh Member of GWLL

2006-06-26T13:39:00.000-06:00

Bellarmine Knights Become Seventh Member of GWLL
Louisville, Ky. private university joins Great Western Lacrosse League after first full DI schedule

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Great Western Lacrosse League (GWLL) commissioner Jon Hind announced today that the Bellarmine University Knights will be joining the GWLL next season. The Knights just completed their first full NCAA Division I lacrosse schedule after being a provisional DI member in 2005. This past season's highlights featured a 9-4 win over then-No. 16 Binghamton and four wins in their final five contests. Other highlights from this past season included playing two No. 1 ranked teams, Duke and Virginia, and two top 25 GWLL programs in Notre Dame and Denver (who also made the NCAA tournament). Bellarmine added men's lacrosse as a sport in 2004, but did not compete until the 2005 season. The Knight's remaining 18 men and women's sports compete in the Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference. BU joins the Air Force Academy, Butler University, the University of Denver, Notre Dame University, The Ohio State University and Quinnipiac in the league.

"Joining the Great Western is a great opportunity for us to compete at a very high level in one of the best leagues in the country," said head Bellarmine lacrosse coach Jack McGetrick. "Playing with such prestigious programs will be a big boost for us in terms of recognition, competition, and recruiting. It also guarantees that year in and year out we will host some of the nation's top teams right here in Louisville. Plus, the GWLL has an automatic qualifier to the (NCAA) national tournament, giving us a chance to compete for that spot every year. We are really looking forward to this opportunity for Bellarmine lacrosse."

Bellarmine broke ground on the $4.6 million dollar Owsley B. Frazier stadium in April which the men's lacrosse team will call home in 2007. The stadium will be a 2,100 seat multi-sport facility with a synthetic grass playing surface, an eight-lane poured-surface track and Joseph P. Clayton Field for the university's soccer and lacrosse programs.

Bellarmine Quick Facts:
Location: Louisville, Ky.
Address: 2001 Newburg Road, 40205
President: Dr. Joseph J. McGowan (Notre Dame '66)
Athletic Director: Scott Wiegandt (Bellarmine '89)
Founded: 1950
Enrollment: 2,494 (1,954 undergraduate, 540 graduate)
Nickname: Knights
Colors: Silver/Scarlet
Home Facility: Owsley B. Frasier Stadium (capacity: 2,100)
Head Coach: Jack McGetrick (Cortland State '72)
Record at Bellarmine (% / Yrs.): 20-10 (.667 / 2)
Overall Record (% / Yrs.): 107-84 (.560 / 13)
Assistant Coach: Tony Vallance (Penn State '98)
2006 Record: 7-8
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 36/6
Starters Returning/Lost: 6/4

Bellarmine Lacrosse Key Contacts:
Athletic Director
Scott Wiegandt
502-452-8496 - swiegandt@bellarmine.edu

Head Men's Lacrosse Coach
Jack McGetrick
502-452-8397 - jmcgetrick@bellarmine.edu

Media Relations Contact
Nels Popp
502-452-8078 - npopp@bellarmine.edu

Great Western Lacrosse League Key Contacts:
Commissioner / Associate AD of Operations - Butler University
Jon Hinds
317-940-9523 - jhind@butler.edu

Mundorf Wins League's Weekly Rookie Award

2006-06-26T13:35:00.000-06:00

Mundorf Wins League’s Weekly Rookie Award

DENVER – June 26, 2006 – Brendan Mundorf, attack for the Denver Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse, received the league’s Rookie of the Week honors for the sixth week of the season. He recorded six goals in the team’s 20-19 loss to the San Francisco Dragons on Saturday night at INVESCO Field at Mile High.

Mundorf, drafted with the team’s fourth pick in the second round (21st overall) in the 2006 MLL Collegiate Draft, leads all of the league’s draftees with 13 goals and is tied for the lead among that group with 13 points.

The former UMBC Retriever is fourth on the Outlaws with 13 goals and sixth on the team with 13 points.

The Outlaws return to action on Saturday night when they host the Los Angeles Riptide in a Western Conference game on July 1 at INVESCO Field at Mile High. The game is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.

Group tickets are available for the Denver Outlaws inaugural season at INVESCO Field at Mile High. Call 720-258-3600 for ticket information.

-- www.DenverOutlaws.com --

VAIL LACROSSE SHOOTOUT 2006 DAY 1: June 24, 2006

2006-06-25T15:29:00.000-06:00

VAIL LACROSSE SHOOTOUT 2006
DAY 1: June 24, 2006
Contact: Alex Smith – alex@rock-itpocket.com

The 34th annual Vail Lacrosse Shootout got underway on Saturday with Masters and Supermasters divisions taking the field. This year’s version of the Shootout is a little more drawn out in 2006. What used to be “Eight Days at 8,000 Feet” has expanded to “Ten Days at 8,000 Feet” as the tournament works around a pesky July 4th that falls on a Tuesday.

The Masters Division has moved back to the Athletic Field near the Vail Golf Club, much to the general delight of both participants and organizers. The Athletic Field has been home to some of the most memorable moments in Vail lacrosse history, so this is a bit of a return home for some of the older players who have been in Vail since their glory days. Day 2 should be interesting as most of the pre-tournament favorites moved through.

MASTERS DIVISION
Day 1 of the 2006 Masters Division kicked off on Saturday with most of the favored seeds moving through. Three-time champion Rusty Red moved through with an easy 14-6 win over Barely Legal while Lacrosse Unlimited beat Lodo’s 14-7. The bracket’s other two games were more competitive as Middlebury and Noreaster moved through with one and two point victories over Lax Gear and Rhino Linings. Rusty Red and Lacrosse Unlimited seem destined to meet in the finals Monday, but they both have to move through their semifinals first.

Saturday Results:
Quarterfinals
Rusty Red 14, Barely Legal 6
Middlebury 8, Lax Gear 7
Noreaster 5, Rhino Linings 3
Lacrosse Unlimited 14, LoDo's 2

Sunday Schedule:
Masters Semifinals
Rusty Red vs Middlebury at 1:00 pm
Noreaster vs Lacrosse Unlimited at 11:00 am

Masters Consolation Bracket
Barely Legal vs Lax Gear at 9:00 am
Rhino Linings vs LoDo at 3:00 pm

SUPERMASTERS DIVISION
The last thing the Vail Shootout needs is extra confusion and with the unfortunate dropout of Tap Room (last year’s champions), the Supermasters Division was thrown for a loop before it even started. One grandmasters team per day will fill in where needed. The brackets have been completely reworked, making for a lot of head scratching, even for tournament organizers. While some were confused, the rest of the division just got on with their business and there were several entertaining games on day 1. The Princeton Obsoletes defeated the Magic Wands 6-5 while the Tri-City Canadians won a spirited 9-6 contest with NYAC. Favorites thus far are the Navy Old Goats, Tombstone and the Elder Statesmen, all who won handily in the first round. With four games in four days, the Supermasters Division is often a test of attrition more than anything else, so we will see who gets through on day 2.

Saturday Results:
First Round
Navy Old Goats 11, AFA Gray Birds 2
Princeton Obsoletes 6, Magic Wands 5
Tri-City Canadians 9, NYAC Founding Fathers 6
Frogs won by forfeit over Tap Room
CVLC 17, Cactus Lacrosse 4
Tombstone 8, Middlebury 3
One West 11, Rockies 6
Elder Statesmen 16, WahoosWoofs 0

Sunday Schedule:
Supermasters Quarterfinals
Navy Old Goats vs Princeton Obsoletes on Ford West at 1:00 pm
Tri-City Canadians vs Frogs on Ford East at 11:30 am
CVLC vs Tombstone on Ford East at 1:30 pm
Corrected Location:
One West vs Elder Statesmen on Ford West at 11:00 am

Supermasters Consolation Games
Modified from published schedule:
AFA Gray Birds vs Majestic Rockies (Grandmasters) on Ford East at 4:00 pm
Modified from published schedule:
NYAC Founding Fathers vs Magic Wands on Ford West at 9:00 am
Cactus Lacrosse vs Middlebury on Donovan at 10:00 am
Rockies vs WahoosWoofs on Ford East at 9:30 am

GRANDMASTERS DIVISION PREVIEW:
Three teams made it up to Vail to participate in the first ever Grandmasters Division (ages 50+). The Majestic Rockies, Disciples of Norm and Los Viejos are all set to take to field on Sunday. One team per day will fill into the Supermasters Division as well.

Sunday Schedule:
Majestic Rockies vs. AFA Gray Birds (Supermasters) on Ford East at 4:00 pm
Disciples of Norm vs. Los Viejos on Ford West at 4:00 pm

DRAGONS BURN OUTLAWS, 20-19

2006-06-24T13:34:00.000-06:00

Denver Outlaws 19 vs. San Francisco Dragons 20
June 24, 2006
INVESCO Field at Mile High

DENVER – Tim Booth had a trio of two-point goals and Ryan Powell tallied seven points on four goals and three assists as the San Francisco Dragons (3-2) defeated the Denver Outlaws (4-2) 20-19 on Saturday night at INVESCO Field at Mile High. The win tilts the season series to the Dragons, winners of two of the teams’ three meetings.

Brendan Mundorf led the Outlaws with a career-high six-goal performance, earning the rookie attack a shower of socks from the 8,847 fans in attendance. Denver’s offense got significant contributions from Brian Langtry’s five points (3-2—5) and four points each from Matt Brown (3-1—4) and Jeff Sonke (1-2–4). Sonke and Sims each netted his league-leading fifth two-pointer of the season.

Mundorf, who compiled seven goals through his first three games, helped Denver to an early 2-0 lead with a dive across the crease, followed by his second goal 45 seconds later.

The Dragons ended the quarter with six unanswered points, including two goals from Powell and the first of Booth’s two-point shots, to end the opening quarter with a 6-2 lead.

Brad Reppert scored 18 seconds into the second quarter, extending the Dragons’ advantage to 7-2.

Mundorf ended San Francisco’s run at 1:49 of the second stanza with his third marker of the game, followed by a man-up goal from Hunter Lochte 41 seconds later to cut the Dragons’ lead to 7-4.

Denver continued to chop at San Francisco’s advantage as Matt Brown’s drive through traffic and a man-up laser from Sims deep beyond the two-point arc brought the Outlaws to within a point at 8-7.

The two teams battled back and forth as consecutive goals from Langtry and Mike Law tied the game, 9-9 at halftime.

Denver opened a 15-12 lead on a two-pointer by Sonke and tallies by Brown, Langtry and a pair by Mundorf. The Dragons responded by scoring the quarter’s final three goals, including Booth’s second of the night with 17 seconds remaining in the third frame, tying the game at 15.

San Francisco opened up a 20-17 lead on a pair of two-point goals by Booth in the fourth quarter.

Brown scored with 18.6 seconds remaining in the game to cut the lead to 20-19, but the Outlaws were unable to get off a solid shot in the game’s waning seconds.

The Outlaws remain on their homestand when they welcome their conference-rivals Los Angeles Riptide on Saturday, July 1 to INVESCO Field at Mile High.

For complete stats of all Denver Outlaws games, please go to www.pointstreak.com

2006-06-21T14:56:00.000-06:00

For Immediate Release

Outlaws Announce “Sunday Sessions” and “Stix for Tix” Programs
Partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods to benefit less fortunate – Develop lacrosse

DENVER – (June 21, 2006) – The Denver Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse on Wednesday announced two community initiatives, “Sunday Sessions” and “Stix for Tix.”

“Sunday Sessions” will provide fans a chance to meet, ask questions of and play lacrosse with various members of the Denver Outlaws. Fans can register by sending their information reserving a spot for the session of their choice.

The Sunday Sessions will be held on June 25 and July 23 with each session starting at 10 a.m. and lasting two hours at INVESCO Field at Mile High.

“Stix for Tix” encourages lacrosse players to donate their used lacrosse sticks to be used at “Sunday Sessions” before being donated to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado. Sticks will be collected at local Dick’s Sporting Goods Stores starting immediately.

The program encourages lacrosse players to bring used lacrosse sticks to any Dick’s Sporting Goods store in the Denver-metro area. The sticks will be collected and distributed to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado. For each donated lacrosse stick, fans will receive a pair of tickets to an upcoming Denver Outlaws game, along with a coupon for 10% off a purchase of new lacrosse gear from Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Denver Outlaws General Manager Brian Reese said, “Since day one, a major goal of the Outlaws has been to develop the sport of lacrosse in the community. The Outlaws have partnered locally with Dick’s Sporting Goods to create a program called ‘Stix for Tix’ that puts lacrosse sticks in the hands of kids who may not be fortunate enough to purchase them.”

"Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado is proud to partner with the Denver Outlaws and Dick's Sporting Goods for the Stix for Tix campaign,” Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado Community Relations Manager Michael McCubbin said. “Sports can play a tremendous role in youth development and this campaign will bring lacrosse to a new audience of deserving kids. We really appreciate the support the Outlaws and Dick's are giving our community's kids."

-- DenverOutlaws.com --

OUTLAWS OUTLAST PRIDE, PUSH RECORD TO 4-1

2006-06-17T13:40:00.000-06:00

Denver Outlaws 19 at New Jersey Pride 15
June 17, 2006
Yurcak Field

Piscataway, N.J. – The Denver Outlaws (4-1) scored eight of the game’s first 10 goals, including a two-pointer, to open a 12-5 halftime lead and held on for a 19-15 win over the New Jersey Pride (3-2) in front of 2,822 at Yurcak Field.

Denver’s offense was paced by Matt Brown who tallied seven points (5-2—7) and Brian Langtry who recorded six points (3-2—6), including a two-pointer. The defense kept the clamps on the league’s leading scorer, limiting Pride attack Scott Urick to one goal.

In a homecoming of sorts, Princeton University alums, Trevor Tierney and Josh Sims impacted the outcome. MLL All-Star Sims posted five points (3-1—5), including a two-pointer while Team USA netminder Tierney made 15 saves for his fourth win of the season. In his season debut, University of Denver product, Geoff Snider won two-of-five faceoffs and gathered three groundballs for the Outlaws.

Denver received a pair of goals from Brendan Mundorf and Hunter Lochte and one from Mike Law to round out the night’s scoring.

Brown opened the game’s scoring with a bounce shot that evaded New Jersey netminder Rob Scherr 28 seconds into the contest. He added the game’s second goal when he took a feed from Langtry and tucked a shot under Scherr.

Mundorf notched his first of two markers 5:39 into the first quarter to open a 3-0 lead. After New Jersey notched its first goal of the game, Matt Rewkowski found the twine to open a 4-1 lead. Law gathered the ensuing faceoff, dashed to the cage and slipped a shot past Scherr to stretch the Outlaws’ lead to 5-1 just 14 seconds later.

After the Pride crept within three at 5-2, Langtry stretched the lead to 7-2 with a two-pointer with 2:42 remaining in the opening quarter.

In the second quarter, Josh Sims recorded the first of his three goals (including his fourth two-pointer of the season) with under a minute remaining in the first half to open a 12-4. New Jersey’s A.J. Haugen answered with 37 seconds remaining in the half to narrow the score to 12-5.

The Pride started the second half with three consecutive goals, including a two-pointer by Adam Doneger to move within 12-9.

The teams traded goals through the third quarter, as the Outlaws clung to a 16-12 lead to start the fourth quarter.

New Jersey’s Liam Banks and Jesse Hubbard made it a one-point game on Hubbard’s 200th career goal (a two-pointer) with over 11 minutes left in the game.

Sims answered Hubbard’s two-pointer with one of his own with 10:24 remaining from Matt Hanna. Langtry provided the game’s final goal with a nifty shot from 10 feet out with over two minutes remaining.

The Outlaws return home for two-straight home games against Western Conference rivals. San Francisco returns to INVESCO Field at Mile High on Saturday night before Los Angeles makes its first trip to Denver on July 1.

For complete statistics for this game, please go to www.pointstreak.com

DU Men’s Lacrosse Names 2007 Captains

2006-06-16T13:42:00.000-06:00

DU MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Friday, June 16, 2006

CONTACT: Erich Bacher (303) 871-2390

DU Men’s Lacrosse Names 2007 Captains

Hahn, Barcus, Zordani and Koll to lead Pioneers next season

DENVER – Seniors Brandon Barcus (Dublin, Ohio), Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) and David Hahn (Aurora, Colo.) and junior Brett Koll (Fort Collins, Colo.) were named team captains for the 2007 University of Denver men’s lacrosse team, announced today by head coach Jamie Munro.

Barcus finished second on the team with 25 goals and tied for second in scoring with 33 points. He led the team with five man-up goals and three game-winning goals. Barcus netted a career-high six goals in DU’s 13-5 win over Bellarmine on April 7.

Zordani led the team with career highs in points (39), assists (20) and groundballs (41). He tallied career highs in points (7) and goals (4) in a 14-11 win over Drexel on March 28. He added hat tricks against North Carolina and Butler.

Hahn is one DU’s most-skilled players. He helped limit opponents to just 7.82 goals per game. Hahn chipped in 34 groundballs and added two goals and one assist in 14 games.

Koll captured the Team Spirit Award for the second consecutive season. The Fort Collins native tallied 20 points on 10 goals and 10 assists. He added 24 ground balls and tallied his first career hat trick in DU's 11-8 win over Bucknell on April 16.

“We have four fine captains who are dedicated student-athletes and talented lacrosse players,” Munro said. “They are ready to take this program to the next level.”

Outlaws Activate Snider

2006-06-15T13:43:00.000-06:00

Outlaws Activate Snider
University of Denver product expected to play this weekend in NJ

DENVER – June 15, 2006 – The Denver Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse on Thursday announced that midfielder Geoff Snider has been activated. The Outlaws waived attack Chris Cara to make room for Snider on the team’s active roster.

Snider, selected with the team’s first choice (17th overall) of the 2006 MLL Collegiate Draft two weeks ago, is expected to be available to play when Denver travels to New Jersey to play the Pride on Saturday, June 17. Snider spent the spring leading the University of Denver Pioneers to their first-ever spot in the NCAA Tournament.

Cara started the team’s opening game and contributed a goal to a 24-14 win over Chicago at INVESCO Field at Mile High.

Season and group ticket deposits are now available for the Denver Outlaws’ inaugural season at INVESCO Field at Mile High. Call 720-258-3600 for ticket information.

-- DenverOutlaws.com --

Five Outlaws to Participate in MLL All-Star Game

2006-06-13T13:45:00.000-06:00

Five Outlaws to Participate in MLL All-Star Game
Cercy, Law, Sims, Sonke and Tierney selected to play in MLL showcase event

DENVER – June 13, 2006 – Five members of the Denver Outlaws have been selected to play in the Major League Lacrosse All-Star Game the league announced Tuesday. Midfielders Chris Cercy, Mike Law, Josh Sims, Jeff Sonke and goaltender Trevor Tierney will represent the Outlaws in the league’s showcase event.

The game, to be held at Nickerson Field in Boston on July 6 at 5:30 p.m. MDT, will pit the MLL All-Stars against Team USA.

Team USA, which will play in the World Championships in London, Ont. from July 13-22, will feature Denver Outlaws goaltender Trevor Tierney. Tierney, who was selected for the 2006 Team USA after tryouts last summer, is tied for second in the MLL with three wins, ranked fourth with 70 saves in leading the Outlaws to the Western Conference’s top spot at 3-1.

Cercy, who is making his second trip to the MLL All-Star Game, has won 56 percent of the 144 faceoffs he has taken and scooped 10 groundballs through four games.

Law, who is making his initial trip to the game, is tied for second in the league with 18 points (13-3—18) while placing second on the circuit with 13 goals, including a pair of two-pointers.

Sims, who is making his fourth appearance in the game, has recorded six goals, three two-pointers (tied for second in the league) and four assists while gathering 13 groundballs through the team’s first four games.

Sonke has appeared in three of the showcase events. He paces the circuit with four two-point goals to help him tie for seventh among the league’s points leaders with 16 (11-1—16).

The MLL All-Star team will be coached by Long Island Lizards Head Coach Jim Mule, Rochester’s Head Coach B.J. O’Hara and Boston’s bench boss Bill Daye. The head coach at Syracuse University, John Desko, will lead Team USA in the MLL All-Star Game as well as through the World Championships.

Season and group ticket deposits are now available for the Denver Outlaws’ inaugural season at INVESCO Field at Mile High. Call 720-258-3600 for ticket information.

-- DenverOutlaws.com --

DRAGONS DEAL DENVER FIRST DEFEAT, 25-20

2006-06-10T13:46:00.000-06:00

Denver Outlaws 20 vs. San Francisco Dragons 25
June 10, 2006
INVESCO Field at Mile High

DENVER – The San Francisco Dragons (2-1) used nine goals and three assists from attackman Ryan Powell to hand the Denver Outlaws (3-1) their first defeat of the season on Saturday in front of 8,951 fans at INVESCO Field at Mile High.

Powell’s nine goals tie two other players for the league record for most goals in a single game, while his 12 points tie for the second-most in a single game.

Two weeks ago, the Outlaws spoiled the Dragons’ inaugural game with a 15-11 decision at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco. The teams will meet again in two weeks when the Dragons return to Denver for the teams’ third contest of the campaign.

The Outlaws scoring was paced by Matt Brown who netted five goals, including a two-pointer and Jeff Sonke who also hit a two-pointer among his three markers.

The Dragons opened a 3-0 lead early in the game, but the Outlaws battled back behind tallies from Brown and Sonke.

Powell found the net five times in the second quarter to lead San Francisco to a 12-6 halftime lead.

The Outlaws opened the second half determined to narrow San Francisco’s lead. The home team scored the first two goals of the third stanza as Brian Langtry and Sonke beat San Francisco netminder Alex Cade in the first minute of the frame.

As was the story through the game, the Dragons found an answer each time the Outlaws crept close. Late in the third quarter, the Outlaws used a five-goal flurry to take a 15-14 lead. Josh Sims used several moves to evade four Dragon defenders to give Denver its first advantage of the game.

Facing their first deficit of the night, San Francisco regained the lead 29 seconds later, as Tom Zummo hit the team’s first two-pointer of the night to take a 16-15 lead. Powell extended the lead to 17-15 with 13 seconds remaining.

The Dragons outscored the Outlaws 8-5 in the fourth quarter to provide the final 25-20 margin.

The Outlaws will travel to New Jersey next week for their first game against the New Jersey Pride.

For complete statistics for this game, please go to www.pointstreak.com

Outlaws Win Two League Weekly Awards

2006-06-05T13:47:00.000-06:00

For Immediate Release

Outlaws Win Two League Weekly Awards

DENVER – June 5, 2006 – Two Denver Outlaws earned Major League Lacrosse’s weekly awards the league announced on Monday.

Midfielder Mike Law earned the league’s Offensive Player of the Week as he recorded a league-high nine points (4-3—9) – included in his four goals were a pair of two-pointers – in Denver’s 24-14 win over the Baltimore Bayhawks on Saturday night. Law leads the league with 12 goals and 17 points (12-3—17), including two two-point tallies through the season’s first three games.

Defender Lee Zink garnered the league’s Defensive Player of the Week honors as he held the 2005 Co-MVP Mark Millon to just two assists. Zink led a defense that held Millon without a goal for just the fourth time in his career. The Outlaws have limited their opponents to 12.0 points per game, which is tied for third in the league.

As the Outlaws are new to MLL, the two awards are the first in team history.

Denver, who is a perfect 3-0 in its inaugural season, will host the San Francisco Dragons on Saturday at INVESCO Field at Mile High at 7:30 p.m.

Group tickets are available for the Denver Outlaws inaugural season at INVESCO Field at Mile High. Call 720-258-3600 for ticket information.

-- www.DenverOutlaws.com --

OUTLAWS REMAIN PERFECT, SHOOT DOWN BAYHAWKS 24-14

2006-06-03T13:48:00.000-06:00

The Outlaws used a six-point, three-goal showing by Mike Law to defeat the defending Major League Lacrosse champion Baltimore Bayhawks 24-14 in front of a crowd of 10,157 Saturday at INVESCO Field at Mile High. Matt Brown added four goals for the Outlaws, who trailed early 3-0. Law put Denver on the scoreboard 5:42 into the first quarter before the teams traded goals to end the opening stanza, giving Baltimore a 4-2 lead.

The Outlaws shifted gears and hit the accelerator, scoring the last five points of the first half and seven of the final eight. Brendan Mundorf, selected by Denver in the second round (21st overall) of the 2006 MLL Collegiate Draft, tallied a trio of goals during a 9-0 run for the Outlaws that began in the second quarter and stretched early into the third. The former UMBC standout made his professional debut with Denver and became the first rookie this season to tally a hat trick.

Trevor Tierney, who earned the game’s MVP honors, held his ground, turning aside 25 of the 37 shots he faced. Tierney benefited from another explosive offensive outburst. The Outlaws ripped four shots from behind the arc (two from Law and one each from Benson Erwin and Jeff Sonke) to equal the third-best mark by a team in a single game in league annals.

The Outlaws lead the league this season with nine two-point goals. Tom Marechek scored four goals to lead the Bayhawks, who fell to 1-2 on the season. Law added three assists to go along with his six points, giving the University of Denver product the league lead with 12 goals and 17 points (12-3—17) on the season.

The crowd of 10,157 ranked second all-time for an MLL game, trailing only the 13,167 that witnessed the Outlaws’ 24-14 victory over the Chicago Machine in the teams’ inaugural game. Denver leads the MLL in attendance this season, averaging 11,662 through two home games.

With this win Denver (3-0) remains undefeated and atop the Western Conference standings. The Outlaws also became the first MLL expansion team to defeat one of the league’s original six squads, joining the Philadelphia Barrage as the league’s remaining undefeated teams. The Outlaws will put their perfect start on the line next week when the San Francisco Dragons make their first visit to Denver on Saturday, June 10.

Though the Outlaws and Bayhawks battled for the first time, the two teams share common bonds. Six Denver players were on Baltimore’s roster last season. Outlaws Head Coach Jarred Testa and General Manager Brian Reese have also played for the Bayhawks.

Snider Named DU Men’s Lacrosse MVP

2006-06-01T13:53:00.001-06:00

DU MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Thursday, June 1, 2006

CONTACT: Erich Bacher (303) 871-2390

Snider Named DU Men’s Lacrosse MVP

Goodwin, Shepard, Patterson and Koll also earn team honors

DENVER – University of Denver senior midfielder Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta) was named team Most Valuable Player, it was announced by Great Western Lacrosse League Coach of the Year Jamie Munro. Senior Adam Goodwin (Columbus, Ohio) earned Offensive MVP honors, sophomore Rory Shepard (Riverside, Conn.) was Defensive MVP, junior Brad Patterson (Allentown, Pa.) was Most Improved Player and sophomore Brett Koll (Fort Collins, Colo.) earned the Team Spirit Award as DU capped its finest NCAA Division I season in school history.

Snider, who earned Third-Team USILA All-America and Scholar All-American honors earlier this week, led the nation and set NCAA records in ground balls per game (11.41) and total groundballs (194). He also finished second in face-off win percentage (.684) en route to his first All-America honor. Snider earned GWLL Player of the Week honors twice (March 1 and April 25) and was named to the Tewaaraton Watchlist. Snider was named MVP of the 2006 Pioneer Face-Off Classic for his play against Manhattan and then-No. 13 North Carolina. He earned his first Scholar All-America honor after earning a 3.58 GPA in finance/marketing.

Goodwin led the Pioneers in scoring by tallying career bests in points (34), goals (26), assists (8) and groundballs (25). He scored a career-high five goals in the Pioneers' 17-8 win over Quinnipiac on April 9 and earned GWLL Player of the Week honors April 12. He posted a 3.38 GPA in finance/real estate and earned USILA Scholar All-American honors.

Shepard, who guarded the opponent’s top player every game, led the team lead with 51 caused turnovers and finished second behind Snider with 58 groundballs. He helped DU limit its opponents to just 7.74 goals per game. Shepard added three goals and two assists for five points.

Patterson, who played 10 games as a long stick midfielder last year, captured his second consecutive Most Improved Player award. He appeared in all 17 games as both a close defenseman and long stick midfielder this season. Patterson collected a career-high 40 ground balls, finished second in caused turnovers and played on the man-down unit.

Koll captured the Team Spirit Award for the second consecutive season. The Fort Collins native tallied 20 points on 10 goals and 10 assists. He added 24 ground balls and tallied his first career hat trick in DU’s 11-8 win over Bucknell on April 16.

The Pioneers captured their first outright GWLL championship with a perfect 5-0 league mark. DU posted a 12-5 overall record and advanced to its first NCAA Tournament.

Snider Selected 17th Overall by Denver Outlaws in MLL Collegiate Draft

2006-06-01T13:53:00.000-06:00

DU MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Thursday, June 1, 2006

CONTACT: Erich Bacher (303) 871-2390

Snider Selected 17th Overall by Denver Outlaws in MLL Collegiate Draft

Goodwin picked in fifth round by Chicago Machines

DENVER – University of Denver senior standouts Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta) and Adam Goodwin (Columbus, Ohio) were selected in the 2006 Major League Lacrosse collegiate draft held yesterday. Snider was selected 17th overall in the second round by the Denver Outlaws, while Goodwin was picked 42nd overall in the fifth round by the Chicago Machines.

“We’re very happy for Geoff and Adam to be picked in this year’s MLL collegiate draft,” head coach Jamie Munro said. “They have worked extremely hard the past four years and will be solid contributors at the next level. Geoff is a face-off specialist and Adam is a gifted offensive player.”

Snider earned Third-Team USILA All-America and Scholar All-American honors earlier this week after leading the nation and setting NCAA records in ground balls per game (11.41) and total groundballs (194). He finished second in face-off win percentage (.684) earned his first Scholar All-America honor after earning a 3.58 GPA in finance/marketing.

The Outlaws are currently leading the Western Conference with a 2-0 record in their first season in the MLL. Denver leads the MLL with 17 goals per game, while former Pioneer All-American is tied for the league lead with eight goals.

Goodwin led the Pioneers in scoring by tallying career bests in points (34), goals (26), assists (8) and groundballs (25). He scored a career-high five goals in the Pioneers' 17-8 win over Quinnipiac on April 9 and earned GWLL Player of the Week honors April 12. He posted a 3.38 GPA in finance/real estate and earned USILA Scholar All-American honors.

Chicago is 0-2 in the Western Conference after giving up a league-leading 39 goals to start this season.

The Pioneers captured their first outright GWLL championship with a perfect 5-0 league mark. DU posted a 12-5 overall record and advanced to its first NCAA Tournament.

Outlaws Acquire Philadelphia's 2007 First Round Choice in a Trade

2006-06-01T13:50:00.000-06:00

For Immediate Release

Outlaws Acquire Philadelphia’s 2007 First Round Choice in a Trade
Outlaws active Mundorf in separate transaction

DENVER – June 1, 2006 – The Denver Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse on Thursday acquired the Philadelphia Barrage’s first round choice in the 2007 MLL Collegiate draft in exchange for midfielder Marc Young, defender Brett Moyer - their second pick in second round (18th overall) of Wednesday’s collegiate draft – and their first round choice in the 2007 MLL Supplemental Draft.

Young appeared in the season-opening game against Chicago and lost his only faceoff.

In separate transactions, the Outlaws activated attack Brendan Mundorf their fourth second round pick (21st overall) in Wednesday’s collegiate draft, and placed midfielder Greg Bastis on the one-game injured reserve extension list.

Season and group ticket deposits are now available for the Denver Outlaws inaugural season at INVESCO Field at Mile High. Call 720-258-3600 for ticket information.

-- www.DenverOutlaws.com --

Outlaws Draft Five in Collegiate Draft

2006-05-31T13:51:00.000-06:00

For Immediate Release

Outlaws Draft Five in Collegiate Draft

DENVER – May 31, 2006 – The Denver Outlaws drafted five players in their first Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft Wednesday night.

The 2-0 team had four picks in the second round and one in the fifth round.

With their first selection (17th overall), the Outlaws drafted University of Denver product Geoff Snider. Snider (5-11, 200) earned 2006 STX/USILA All-American Third Team recognition to lead the Pioneers to their first ever NCAA Tournament berth.

With the next pick in the draft, the Outlaws chose defender Brett Moyer (6-1, 183) from Hofstra University. Moyer placed third on the Pride with 69 groundballs en route to a spot on the 2006 STX/USILA All-American Team.

Denver used the 20th pick on midfielder Casey Cittadino (5-10, 185) from Towson University. He led the Tigers with 20 caused turnovers.

The Outlaws concluded the second round (21st overall) by choosing attack Brendan Mundorf (5-11, 195) from the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. Mundorf tied for the lead on the Retrievers with 47 points (28-19—47) in 15 games to earn a spot on the 2006 STX/USILA All-American Third Team.

The Outlaws used their last selection of the night (fifth round, 43rd overall) on defender Sean McCarthy (6-0, 202) from Hofstra. McCarthy led the squad with 6.5 minutes in penalties.

All of the team’s draftees are expected to be available to play in the Outlaws game against Baltimore on Saturday night.

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 --

Snider Named Third-Team All-American

2006-05-30T13:54:00.000-06:00

DU MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Tuesday, May 30, 2006

CONTACT: Erich Bacher (303) 871-2390

Snider Named Third-Team All-American

Snider and Adam Goodwin also named Scholar All-Americans

DENVER – University of Denver senior midfielder Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta) was named to the 2006 STX/USILA All-American Third Team, it was announced today. Snider and senior midfielder Adam Goodwin (Columbus, Ohio) also earned Scholar All-Americans honors for the 2006 Great Western Lacrosse League (GWLL) champion Pioneers, who advanced to their first NCAA Tournament in school history.

Snider led the nation and set NCAA records in groundballs per game (11.41) and total groundballs (194). He also finished second in face-off win percentage (.684) en route to his first All-America honor. Snider earned GWLL Player of the Week honors twice (March 1 and April 25) and was named to the Tewaaraton Watchlist. Snider was named MVP of the 2006 Pioneer Face-Off Classic for his play against Manhattan and then-No. 13 North Carolina. He earned his first Scholar All-America honor after earning a 3.58 GPA in finance/marketing.

Goodwin earned Scholar All-America honors after excelling on the field and in the classroom. He tallied career bests in points (34), goals (26), assists (8) and groundballs (25). Goodwin scored a career-high five goals in the Pioneers' 17-8 win over Quinnipiac on April 9 and earned GWLL Player of the Week honors April 12. He posted a 3.38 GPA in finance/real estate.

OUTLAWS SLAY DRAGONS, IMPROVE TO 2-0

2006-05-28T13:52:00.000-06:00

Denver Outlaws 15 at San Francisco Dragons 11
May 28, 2006
Kezar Stadium

San Francisco – The Denver Outlaws used a pair of two-point goals by Jeff Sonke and 14 saves by Trevor Tierney to coast to a 15-11 win over the San Francisco Dragons at Kezar Stadium.

Both of the two point goals came in man-up situations, as Denver spoiled San Francisco’s first-ever game. Offensively, the Outlaws were paced by Sonke’s five points (2-1—5) and Matt Brown’s four points (3-1—4). Denver also got two scores from Mike Law, Kyle Barrie and Hunter Lochte while Brian Langtry and Matt Rewkowski each notched one.

In the first quarter, the team split eight points as the teams traded scores. Denver capped the frame with Sonke’s first tally during a man-up situation to even the score 4-4.

The teams remained within one of each other, until Denver went on a six-goal run late in the second quarter to open a 11-6 advantage into halftime. Lochte popped in his second goal of the game despite San Francisco netminder Alex Cade doing a split in an effort to make the save. Sonke recorded his second two-pointer of the contest with eight seconds remaining in the half on a man-up opportunity.

The Outlaws were held scoreless in the third quarter, but clung to a one-point edge heading into the final frame.

Denver wasted no time in the fourth quarter asserting itself as Barrie tickled the twine 13 seconds into the final frame for a two-goal advantage. Lou Braun, who shared the afternoon’s faceoff duties with Chris Cercy, assisted on Barrie’s low shot. After Law’s tally made the score 13-10, Barrie recorded his second of the quarter when he spun backwards and fired a backwards shot that beat Cade for a 14-10 lead.

San Francisco crept with in three when Taylor Simmers scored midway through the final quarter.

The Outlaws regained their four-point cushion when Brian Langtry found the back of the net with 4:04 remaining to provide the final margin.

Denver will put its perfect 2-0 record on the line on Saturday when the Baltimore Bayhawks, the MLL’s defending champions, pay their first visit to INVESCO Field at Mile High at 7:30 p.m.

For complete statistics for this and other Major League Lacrosse games, please visit http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/scoreboard.html?leagueid=323

University of Northern Colorado Men’s Lacrosse Earns First Ever National Championship Tournament Bid.

2006-05-26T14:26:00.000-06:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Grant Platt – 303.910.5089
laxgoalieman@yahoo.com

University of Northern Colorado Men’s Lacrosse
Earns First Ever National Championship Tournament Bid.

Greeley, CO (May 26, 2006) – The UNC Men’s club Lacrosse team, led by head coach Joe Darnell, and assistant coach Kevin Ferris, participated in the U.S. Lacrosse Intercollegiate Associates “B” Division National Championship in Dallas, Texas from May 9-13, 2006. The UNC Bears received an at-large bid by finishing second in the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Conference Tournament. UNC beat Montana State University 11-10 in the semifinals to advance to play Utah Valley State College. Although they lost the RMLC Championship to UVSC 9-7, the National Tournament Committee rewarded their effort with an at-large bid to the USLIA “B” Division National championships. UNC won their first game 7-6 in overtime in Dallas against Calvin College, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This win advanced UNC to the quarterfinal round against the University of San Diego. UNC then lost to USD, the eventual National Champion of the “B” Division.
UNC was led by seven all-conference selections. The first team included freshman Brian Evans, attack, senior Connor Webster, defense, and senior Alan Smith, defense. The second team selections were senior Andrew Vance, attack, junior Jake Smith, midfield, sophomore Nick Riley, defense, and freshman Charlie Sipes, long stick midfield. The UNC Bears Men’s Lacrosse team is looking forward to building on this National Championship experience under the leadership of Jake Smith, Grant Platt and Brian Evans in the 2006-2007 season.
The University of Northern Colorado men’s lacrosse team is a student-run organization that participates in intercollegiate club lacrosse. The team provides an opportunity for UNC students to continue to participate in the great game of lacrosse at a competitive level. The 2005-2006 team traveled to Irvine, California for an early season tournament, and also to Durango, Gunnison and Golden for regular season play. UNC had the privilege of playing Denver University’s men’s club lacrosse team at Peter Barton Stadium, the only lacrosse-only stadium in the U.S. The Bears also had the unique opportunity of playing the “A” Division National Champions Colorado State University Rams at their home field in Fort Collins, Colorado. In addition to these trips, UNC also played in Logan, Utah at the RMLC Conference Championships and Dallas, Texas for the National Championships.

Outlaws Form Final Roster

2006-05-15T15:32:00.000-06:00

Outlaws Form Final Roster

DENVER – May 15, 2006 – The Denver Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse trimmed their roster to meet the league required 23-man active roster and three-man practice squad.

The Outlaws will be comprised of four Attack: Kyle Barrie, Matt Brown, Chris Cara and Matt Hanna; 12 Midfield: Lou Braun, Chris Cercy, Benson Erwin, Mike LaMonica, Brian Langtry, Mike Law, Hunter Lochte, Brian Myers, Matt Rewkowski, Josh Sims, Jeff Sonke and Marc Young; five Defense: Tom Ethington, Tom Garvey, Brandon Testa, Cory Vann and Lee Zink; two Goalies: Alex Smith and Trevor Tierney. The team’s three-man practice squad will be Nick Carlson (Attack), Jon Torpey (Defense) and Brian Sanders (Goalie).

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 --

Three Falcons Earn All-GWLL Honors

2006-05-11T16:06:00.000-06:00

May 11, 2006

Three Falcons Earn All-GWLL Honors

USAFA, Colo. - Three Air Force players were honored with the Great Western Lacrosse League’s 2006 season awards, as announced by Commissioner Jon Hind today. Senior goalkeeper Justin Pavoni (Park City, Utah) earned first-team All-GWLL honors for the second-straight season while junior attack Will Meister (Denver, Colo.) and freshman midfielder Griffin Nevitt (Charlotte, N.C.) were both named to the second team.

Pavoni, who was also named the Falcons’ most valuable player at the team banquet Wednesday evening, shared first-team goalkeeper honors with Notre Dame’s Joey Kemp. Pavoni, the Falcons’ primary netminder, helped lead Air Force to its best win total since 1997, while averaging a league-leading 10.53 saves per game. He also finished the year ranked second in the GWLL in ground balls per game (5.0) and save percentage (.575). Pavoni ends his career with 458 total saves, which is good for seventh on the career list at the Academy, despite seeing just three full years of action.

Meister, one of the Falcons’ three team captains this season, scored a team-best 44 points (17 goals, 27 assists) in 2006 and finished the year as one of the nation’s assist leaders. One of Air Force’s most consistent and hardworking players, Meister needs just three more assists to break into the Falcons’ career top-10 list.

Nevitt had a breakout season in his rookie campaign, leading the Falcons with 26 goals, while adding nine assists on the season. As a result, Nevitt is one of the top scorers in the nation in both his class and at his position and should enjoy a successful career at the Academy.

In addition to announcing the all-league first and second teams, the GWLL’s individual awards (Newcomer of the Year, Player of the Year and Coach of the Year) were released Thursday as well. The GWLL Newcomer of the Year award went to Ohio State attacker Joel Dalgarno, while Player of the Year honors went to Denver’s senior midfielder Geoff Snider, the nation’s leader in ground balls per game and face-off win percentage. Meanwhile, Jamie Munro was named 2006 GWLL Coach of the Year after leading Denver to a 12-4 overall record, a league championship and its first-ever bid to the NCAA tournament.

Head Coach Jamie Munro and Senior Geoff Snider Named Great Western Lacrosse League Coach Of The Year and Player Of The Year

2006-05-11T15:35:00.000-06:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 11, 2006
MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

Head Coach Jamie Munro and Senior Geoff Snider Named Great Western Lacrosse League Coach Of The Year and Player Of The Year
Five Pioneers earn all-league honors

DENVER- University of Denver head men’s lacrosse coach Jamie Munro and senior midfielder Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta) were named Great Western Lacrosse League Coach of the Year and Player of the Year it was announced by league officials today. Snider, Adam Goodwin (Columbus, Ohio), David Hahn (Aurora, Colo.) and Rory Shepard (Riverside, Conn.) all earned first-team honors. Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) took home second-team honors.

Head coach Jamie Munro is the all-time winningest coach at DU with a 64-47 record through eight seasons. DU completed the 2006 regular-season with a 12-4 (5-0 GWLL) record, its best record in school history. Munro has led the Pioneers to their finest season in school history and their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth. Under Munro’s leadership the Pioneers completed their first-ever undefeated home schedule by going 9-0 in Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium and also went undefeated in Great Western Lacrosse League action by posting a perfect 5-0 conference record and earning their first-ever outright GWLL title. The Pioneers also set a school record for wins in a single season by picking up their 12th win in a 7-3 victory over Air Force on April 29. This marks the second time that Munro has been named Coach of the Year. He also received the honor in 2000.

Snider had been an important piece of the Pioneer offense this season. He leads the nation in groundballs per game, averaging 11.38 and in face-off win percentage (.695). He has scooped up a record 182 groundballs this season. He earned GWLL Player of the Week honors twice (March 1 and April 25) for his efforts. He earned Preseason All-America honors and was named to the Tewaaraton Watchlist. Snider was named MVP of the 2006 Pioneer Face-Off Classic for his play throughout the weekend.

Goodwin has also been a valuable piece of the offense this season. He tallied 20 points this season on 23 goals and six assists. He scored a career-high five goals in the Pioneers’ 17-8 win over Quinnipiac on April 9. He earned GWLL Player of the Week honors April 12.

Hahn and Shepard have been staples in the Pioneer backfield this season. Hahn tallied his first career goal against Virginia February 20 and added another against Harvard April 1. He has picked up 33 groundballs and caused eight turnovers. Shepard has been equally impressive on the defensive end. He has started all 16 games this season and has tallied five points on three goals and two assists, while picking up 58 groundballs. Shepard was named to the 2006 Pioneer Face-Off Classic All-Tournament team

Zordani paces the Pioneers offensively. He leads the team in points with 38 on 19 goals and 19 assists. He tallied a career-high seven points against Drexel on March 28, scoring four goals and tallying three assists. Zordani has two hat tricks on the season. Zordani was also named to the 2006 Pioneer Face-Off Classic All-Tournament team.

The No.12 Denver Pioneer men’s lacrosse team heads to the East Coast for an NCAA first-round match-up with the No.2-seeded Maryland Terrapins on Saturday, May 13. Face-off is scheduled for noon (MT) at Maryland’s Byrd Stadium. An internet broadcast of the game will be available at www.wmucsports.com. This trip marks the third meeting between the Pioneers and the Terrapins, with the Terrapins holding the 2-0 series lead.

The winner of the Denver/Maryland game will advance to the NCAA quarterfinals and will take on the winner of the Princeton/Maryland-Baltimore County game. The quarterfinal game will take place May 21 at Towson University. A game time will be announced at a later date.

— www.DenverPioneers.com —

Pioneers Face Off Against No. 2 Seed Maryland In NCAA Tournament First Round

2006-05-10T15:35:00.000-06:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 10, 2006
MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

Pioneers Face Off Against No. 2 Seed Maryland In NCAA Tournament First Round
This marks the third time the Terps and Pioneers have met and the first time in the NCAA Tournament

DENVER-The No.12 Denver Pioneer men’s lacrosse team heads to the East Coast for an NCAA first-round match-up with the No.2-seeded Maryland Terrapins on Saturday, May 13. Face-off is scheduled for noon (MT) at Maryland’s Byrd Stadium. An internet broadcast of the game will be available at www.wmucsports.com. This trip marks the third meeting between the Pioneers and the Terrapins, with the Terrapins holding the 2-0 series lead.

The Pioneers enter the game fresh off their finest regular-season in school history. DU completed the regular-season with a 12-4 (5-0 GWLL) record, its best record in school history. The Pioneers recorded their first-ever undefeated home schedule by going 9-0 in Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium and also went undefeated in Great Western Lacrosse League action by posting a perfect 5-0 conference record. The Pioneers also set a school record for wins in a single season by picking up their 12th win in a 7-3 victory over Air Force on April 29. The previous record was 10 and was set during the 2000 season. DU is currently on a seven-game win streak and hasn’t dropped a game since April 3 when they fell 9-6 at Stony Brook.

Junior midfielder Ryan Zordani (Littleton, Colo.) continues to pace the Pioneers offensively. He leads the team in points with 38 on 19 goals and 19 assists. Senior Geoff Snider (Calgary, Alberta) leads the nation in groundballs per game (11.38) and face-off win percentage (.695). Goalkeeper Jeb Hollingsworth (Darien, Conn.) owns a 10-4 record on the season. His goals against average of 7.44 ranks him 14th in the nation and his saves percentage of 57.5 percent ranks him 18th in he nation. DU is nationally-ranked as a team in several categories as well. The Pioneers are sixth in scoring offense (11.00), ninth in scoring defense (7.31), second in face-off win percentage (.673), sixth in man down defense (.770), fifth in scoring margin (3.69) and seventh in win percentage (.750).

Maryland enters the game with a 10-4 (2-1 ACC) record after defeating then-No.10 Penn on May 6. The Terrapins were defeated by No.1 Virginia 11-5 in the ACC Championship on April 30. The Terps are led by ACC Player of the Year and Tewwaraton finalist Joe Waters. Waters has seen action in every game this season and leads Maryland in points with 50 on 33 goals and 17 assists. Harry Alford is in the cage for the Terrapins and owns a 9-3 record on the season and boasts a 6.39 goals against average and a 6.31 saves percentage.

The winner of the Denver/Maryland game will advance to the NCAA quarterfinals and will take on the winner of the Princeton/Maryland-Baltimore County game. The quarterfinal game will take place May 21 at Towson University. A game time will be announced at a later date.

— www.DenverPioneers.com —

Get Your Tickets For The Men’s Lacrosse First Round NCAA Tournament Game Against Maryland

2006-05-08T14:51:00.000-06:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 8, 2006
MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

Get Your Tickets For The Men’s Lacrosse First Round NCAA Tournament Game Against Maryland
Tickets are available at www.DenverPioneers.com or by calling the Ritchie Center Box office at (303) 871-4625

DENVER-Tickets are now on sale for the University of Denver men’s lacrosse NCAA Tournament first-round game against the Maryland Terrapins Saturday, May 13 at Maryland’s Byrd Stadium. Face-off is scheduled for noon (M.T.). Tickets are general admission and prices are $10 for adults and $5 for students, children and seniors. Tickets can be purchased through the Ritchie Center box office by calling (303) 871-4625 or through the Denver Pioneers website at www.DenverPioneers.com. Credit cards will be accepted and orders must be placed by 5 p.m. (MT) on Thursday. Tickets will be available at Byrd Stadium the day of the game and sales will be cash only.

Those fans wishing to purchase tickets through the University of Maryland box office should contact them at 1-800-462.8377. The Maryland ticket office is located at the Comcast Center on the University of Maryland campus. Tickets that are ordered through the Maryland ticket office will be available at the Comcast Center M-F from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Tickets will be moved to Byrd Stadium on Saturday May 13 and will be available for pick-up at Booth 6 beginning at noon.

There will be a Pioneer fan section behind the Pioneer bench and parking is free. Tailgating is allowed at Maryland’s Byrd Stadium. For more information please refer to the Byrd Stadium fan guide on Maryland’s website at www.umterps.com.

The winner of the Denver/Maryland game will meet the winner of the Princeton/UMBC first round game in the quarterfinals on Sunday, May 21, at Towson's Unitas Stadium.

— www.DenverPioneers.com —

DU Men’s Lacrosse Team Draws No. 2 Seed Maryland In First Round of NCAA Tournament

2006-05-07T14:50:00.000-06:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 7 2006
MEN’S LACROSSE NEWS

DU Men’s Lacrosse Team Draws No. 2 Seed Maryland In First Round of NCAA Tournament
The Pioneers will play the Terrapins May 13 in Maryland

DENVER- The 12th-ranked University of Denver men’s lacrosse team will travel to College Park, MD to face the No.2-seeded Maryland Terrapins in the first round of the 2006 Men’s Lacrosse NCAA Tournament. The Pioneers and Terrapins will square off at noon (M.T.) Saturday May 13 in Maryland’s Byrd Stadium.

“We are very excited to be heading to our first NCAA Tournament,” head coach Jamie Munro said. “We’ve been anxious to find out who we are going to play and now that we know we can really begin preparing. Maryland is a great team and we’re ready to step up to the challenge.”

“This is a great experience for our team,” senior captain Andrew McCuiston said. “We are excited to be in the tournament for the first time. We have worked hard all season long, we’re happy to be here but we really want to win.”

The Pioneers earned one of the six automatic bids by winning the Great Western Lacrosse League. The Pioneers concluded the 2006 season with a record of 12-4 (5-0 GWLL). Maryland was awarded one of 10 at-large bids after falling to No.1-seed Virginia in the final of the ACC Tournament. The Pioneers are the only team in the field of 16 that is making its NCAA Tournament debut.

This will be the third time that the Pioneers and Terrapins have met with Maryland taking the two previous meetings. Maryland took a 13-5 win in 1999 in College Park and defeated the Pioneers 10-7 in the 2001 Pioneer Face-Off Classic in Denver.

The winner of the Denver/Maryland game will meet the winner of the Princeton/UMBC first round game in the quarterfinals on Sunday, May 21, at Towson's Unitas Stadium.

Ticket information will be available Monday morning and can be found at www.DenverPioneers.com or by calling the Ritchie Center box office at (303) 871-2336.

— www.DenverPioneers.com —

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

2006-04-29T16:55:00.000-06:00

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

2006-04-29T15:34:00.000-06:00

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)

2006-04-27T16:08:00.000-06:00

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

2006-04-27T11:45:00.000-06:00

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

2006-04-26T12:35:00.000-06:00

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

2006-04-23T11:36:00.000-06:00

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

2006-04-23T11:35:00.000-06:00

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

2006-04-21T16:26:00.000-06:00

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

2006-04-21T15:50:00.000-06:00

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

2006-04-21T11:56:00.000-06:00

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

2006-04-21T11:37:00.000-06:00

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

2006-04-20T10:12:00.000-06:00

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)

2006-04-18T15:18:00.000-06:00

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)

2006-04-18T15:17:00.000-06:00

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

2006-04-16T15:29:00.000-06:00

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.