Men’s Lacrosse set to host NCAA Second and Third Round games

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. – RIT is set to host second and third-round games of the NCAA Division III Men’s Lacrosse Tournament this Saturday and Sunday, May 13-14.
 
RIT will take on Western Connecticut at 12:00 p.m. before Williams and Babson square off at 3:00 p.m. The two winners will meet on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. in the third round.
 
Tickets can be purchased at the gate and are $5.00 for adults and $3 for students/children. All RIT students will also be admitted free to the game with proper ID
 
Saturday, May 13
RIT v. Western Connecticut – 12:00 p.m.
Williams v. Babson – 3:00 p.m.
 
Sunday, May 14
Winner Game 1 v. Winner Game 2 – 3:00 p.m.
 
RIT TIGERS (18-1) ROSTER | RESULTS | STATISTICS
RIT is making its 24th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and 13th straight. The Tigers are 38-21 in NCAA Tournament games, including a 32-10 mark since 2010. RIT has reached the quarterfinals 13 times, 12 semifinals and played in four national championship games, winning back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022. The Tigers are one of six Division III program to repeat as national champions (Hobart, Middlebury, Nazareth, Salisbury and Tufts).
 
RIT defeated Union 18-9 to win its 11th straight Liberty League title last Sunday. Graduate student long-stick midfielder Taylor Jensen was named the Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after causing four turnovers, grabbing six ground balls and scoring a goal in the title game.
 
RIT is 20th in Division III averaging 16.47 goals per game. The Tigers are third nationally, converting 57.1 % (32-of-56) of their man-up chances and tenth with 196 assists and 509 points.
 
Senior Luke Pilcher leads RIT with 81 points and 55 goals, including a team-high 11 man-up tallies. Senior John Mozrall is second in scoring with 59 points and leads the Tigers with 41 assists. Sophomore Clifford Gaston is third with 56 points (43g, 13a).
 
RIT allows 9.84 goals per game, causing 10.6 turnovers per contest. The Tigers have killed off 50-of-72 penalties (69.4%) and won 53.4 percent (305-of-571) of their face-offs. RIT is third nationally, clearing the ball 90.6 percent (415-of-458) of the times and ninth with 793 ground balls.
 
Graduate student goalie Will Sterrett is 11-0 with an 8.27 goals against average and a .572 save percentage. He made 13 saves against Union in last Sunday’s Liberty League title game. Jensen and junior Michael Grace lead the Tigers with 30 caused turnovers apiece. Jensen leads RIT with 73 ground balls and senior Ethan Stiles has won 117-of-212 face offs. Junior Nick Farrell has won 52.2 percent of his draws and is second on the team with 66 ground balls.

WESTERN CONNECTICUT WOLVES (16-4)

ROSTER | RESULTS | STATISTICS
Western Connecticut is making its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2008.
 
The Wolves earned the automatic bid into this year’s tournament with a 14-9 win over UMass Boston in the Little East title game. Sophomore Julien Duque scored five goals, while first-year Tristan McMahon tallied three goals and three assists. Junior Brendan Grove made 15 saves to earn the win.
 
The Wolves advanced to the second round with a 17-9 win over New England College in Wednesday’s first round game. Duque led Western Connecticut with four goals, while senior Benjamin Hawthorne tallied two goals and three assists. Grove made one save in net to earn the win.
 
The Wolves average 14.7 goals per game and 26-of-81 (32.1%) on man-up. Duque leads the Wolves with 81 points and 68 goals. Senior Trey Aronow is second with 74 points (41g, 33a) and Hawthorne is third with 59 points and leads the Wolves with 34 assists.
 
Western Connecticut allows 9.55 goals per game and killed off 47-of-74 (63.5%) penalties. Grove is 14-4 with a 9.88 goals against average and a .521 save percentage. Senior Chris Comizio leads the Wolves with 34 caused turnovers and is second with 66 ground balls. Senior Ryan Kinsley is second on the team with 41 caused turnovers, while senior Matt Griffin has 23. Senior Jonathan Russack-Baker is 286-of-482 (59.3%) on face-offs and leads the team with 197 ground balls.

WILLIAMS EPHS (10-7)

ROSTER | RESULTS | STATISTICS
The Ephs are making their third NCAA Tournament appearance all under current head coach George McCormack. The Ephs first appeared in the NCAA tourney in 2008 when they won the NESCAC title and again in 2019.

Williams is 10-7 overall and 3-2 in its last five games, including a 13-7 loss to Middlebury in the NESCAC Semifinals.
The Ephs average 11.06 goals per game and are 22-of-60 (36.7%) on man-up. Junior Calvin Caputo leads Williams with 56 points and 38 goals. Junior Finlay McKnight is second with 46 points and leads the team with 21 assists. First-year Ryan Johnson is third with 29 points (19g, 10a).

Williams allows 10.2 goals per game and has killed off 32-of-45 penalties (71.1%). The Ephs average 9.3 caused turnovers and 27.6 ground balls per contest. Senior long-stick midfielder Ian Di Pietro leads the team with 23 caused turnovers and 61 ground balls. Junior defenseman Patrick Gaul is second with 22 caused turnovers, while sophomore Eddie Loyd has 24 ground balls and 20 caused turnovers.

Senior goalie Matthew Freitas is 10-7 with 10.17 goals against average and a .579 save percentage. First-year Ian Kim has won 118-of-278 face-offs and has 51 ground balls.
 
BABSON BEAVERS (12-4) ROSTER | RESULTS | STATISTICS
Babson is making its third appearance in the NCAA Tournament and second in three years. The Beavers earned the automatic berth with a 15-14 overtime win over MIT in Saturday’s NEWMAC championship. Junior Topher Bower scored the game-winner with 2:55 remaining in overtime to send the Beavers to the tournament.
 
Babson is 12-4 overall and 4-1 in their last five games. The Beavers average 16.0 goals per game and are 25-of-62 (40.3%) on man-up. Graduate student Will Spangenberg leads Babson with 79 points and 34 assists to go along with 45 goals. Senior Chi Chi Price is second in scoring with 70 points and leads the Beavers with 61 goals. Graduate student Ryan Kenney is third with 58 points (45g, 13a).
 
The Beavers allow 11.79 goals per game and killed off 10-of-17 (58.8%) penalties. Senior goalie Will Parducci is 12-4 with an 11.62 goals against average and a .525 save percentage. Junior Dillon Quinn leads Babson with 22 caused turnovers and senior Hayden Bean is second with 13. Junior Grey Sunderland has won 208-of-371 (56.0%) face offs and leads the team with 138 ground balls.