Saturday, March 5
Bethlehem, Pa.
3 p.m.
Lehigh University
vs
Navy
Photo by: Matt Smith
Lehigh Set to Open Patriot League Play vs. Navy Saturday
3/4/2022 2:37:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh men's lacrosse team will look to get back on track when it matters most, as the Mountain Hawks host Navy in the Patriot League opener on Saturday. Opening faceoff is set for 3 p.m. on ESPN+ following the women's game vs. Wagner at noon. Lehigh is coming off a tight 9-5 defeat against No. 14 Cornell in what was a one-goal (6-5) game in the fourth.
The story last Saturday was defense and goaltending on both sides. Cornell held a 5-3 lead at the half, then after no scoring in the third quarter (and 11 combined saves between the goalies), the Big Red extended their lead to 6-3 early in the fourth. Two Lehigh goals in 1:41 pulled the Mountain Hawks within 6-5, but the Big Red scored three times in 2:02 to wrap up the 9-5 final.
Offensively, sophomore Scott Cole scored three goals for his second straight hat trick. The other goals were scored by first year Dakota Eierman and junior Andrew Mapstone. Senior James Spence was especially impressive between the pipes, facing a high-powered Big Red offense. He made 11 stops, including all four sent his way in the third. Four different Mountain Hawks caused two turnovers apiece, including graduate student Teddy Leggett, who reached 66 in his career to move into top five in program history in that category. Senior Mike Sisselberger won 10-of-18 faceoffs with eight groundballs, and became just the seventh player in program history to eclipse 200-career GBs.
The Mountain Hawks will be facing Navy at home for a third straight season. Navy enters with a 3-2 record, coming off a 14-13 defeat to High Point. Lehigh has won four in a row against the Midshipmen and a fifth would tie a program-record win streak in the series (set in 2011-14). Following Saturday's game, the Mountain Hawks remain home next Saturday to host Holy Cross in a similar start to league play as 2020 (when Lehigh also opened with Navy followed by Holy Cross at home).
Navy stands 3-2 on the season. After an 11-9 season-opening loss to Mount St. Mary's, the Mids won the next three - over Mercer (15-5), Hofstra (13-6) and Manhattan (9-6) - before falling to High Points (14-13). Patrick Skalniak leads Navy in points with 22 via 12 goals and 10 assists. He's followed by Dane Swanson with 16 (10 goals, six assists) and Henry Tolker with 15 (11 goals, four assists). Jackson Bonitz leads the Mids with 10 caused turnovers, while Jacob Jarosz has won 64.0 percent of his faceoffs (32-of-50) with 20 groundballs. That faceoff percentage is good for seventh in the nation. Pat Ryan has started all five games in goal, owning an 8.62 goals against average (ninth nationally) and 53.3 save percentage. Navy is fourth in the nation in groundballs per game (38.6) and sixth in scoring defense (8.40).
Navy leads the all-time series against Lehigh, 33-10, but the Mountain Hawks have won four straight and nine of the last 13. Lehigh beat Navy 14-10 in 2011 for its first win over the Midshipmen since 1913 and just second in program history. That sparked a five-game winning streak, followed by four straight Navy wins, but Lehigh has responded with the next four in a row. Each of the last two meetings have come at Lehigh, with the Mountain Hawks winning 14-6 in 2020 and 13-7 last season. The first-ever meeting between Lehigh and Navy came in 1910 - a 4-2 Navy victory.
After Saturday's game, the Mountain Hawks remain home to host Holy Cross next Saturday at 1 p.m. on ESPN+.
Like Lehigh men's lacrosse on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
The story last Saturday was defense and goaltending on both sides. Cornell held a 5-3 lead at the half, then after no scoring in the third quarter (and 11 combined saves between the goalies), the Big Red extended their lead to 6-3 early in the fourth. Two Lehigh goals in 1:41 pulled the Mountain Hawks within 6-5, but the Big Red scored three times in 2:02 to wrap up the 9-5 final.
Offensively, sophomore Scott Cole scored three goals for his second straight hat trick. The other goals were scored by first year Dakota Eierman and junior Andrew Mapstone. Senior James Spence was especially impressive between the pipes, facing a high-powered Big Red offense. He made 11 stops, including all four sent his way in the third. Four different Mountain Hawks caused two turnovers apiece, including graduate student Teddy Leggett, who reached 66 in his career to move into top five in program history in that category. Senior Mike Sisselberger won 10-of-18 faceoffs with eight groundballs, and became just the seventh player in program history to eclipse 200-career GBs.
The Mountain Hawks will be facing Navy at home for a third straight season. Navy enters with a 3-2 record, coming off a 14-13 defeat to High Point. Lehigh has won four in a row against the Midshipmen and a fifth would tie a program-record win streak in the series (set in 2011-14). Following Saturday's game, the Mountain Hawks remain home next Saturday to host Holy Cross in a similar start to league play as 2020 (when Lehigh also opened with Navy followed by Holy Cross at home).
Navy stands 3-2 on the season. After an 11-9 season-opening loss to Mount St. Mary's, the Mids won the next three - over Mercer (15-5), Hofstra (13-6) and Manhattan (9-6) - before falling to High Points (14-13). Patrick Skalniak leads Navy in points with 22 via 12 goals and 10 assists. He's followed by Dane Swanson with 16 (10 goals, six assists) and Henry Tolker with 15 (11 goals, four assists). Jackson Bonitz leads the Mids with 10 caused turnovers, while Jacob Jarosz has won 64.0 percent of his faceoffs (32-of-50) with 20 groundballs. That faceoff percentage is good for seventh in the nation. Pat Ryan has started all five games in goal, owning an 8.62 goals against average (ninth nationally) and 53.3 save percentage. Navy is fourth in the nation in groundballs per game (38.6) and sixth in scoring defense (8.40).
Navy leads the all-time series against Lehigh, 33-10, but the Mountain Hawks have won four straight and nine of the last 13. Lehigh beat Navy 14-10 in 2011 for its first win over the Midshipmen since 1913 and just second in program history. That sparked a five-game winning streak, followed by four straight Navy wins, but Lehigh has responded with the next four in a row. Each of the last two meetings have come at Lehigh, with the Mountain Hawks winning 14-6 in 2020 and 13-7 last season. The first-ever meeting between Lehigh and Navy came in 1910 - a 4-2 Navy victory.
After Saturday's game, the Mountain Hawks remain home to host Holy Cross next Saturday at 1 p.m. on ESPN+.
Like Lehigh men's lacrosse on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
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