Lehigh University Athletics
Saturday, March 16
West Point, N.Y.
12:00 PM
Lehigh University
at
No. 1 Army
Mountain Hawks Face No. 1 Army West Point on Saturday
3/15/2024 10:31:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Lehigh men's lacrosse will play its third ranked opponent of the season on Saturday when the Mountain Hawks face off against No. 1 Army West Point at 12 p.m. at Michie Stadium. Lehigh comes into the game with a 3-3 overall record after picking up a 12-10 victory over Navy in the Patriot League Opener on March 9. Saturday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+.Â
The Black Knights are 6-0 overall and 2-0 in league play. Army most recently defeated Holy Cross 18-8 on March 9.Â
Two of Lehigh's three losses this season have been to ranked opponents. The last time Lehigh played the No. 1 team in the nation was in 2020, when the Mountain Hawks suffered a 12-8 loss to Virginia. If Lehigh wins on Saturday, it would mark the first time in program history that the Mountain Hawks knocked off the No. 1 team in the nation in lacrosse.Â
Senior goalkeeper Nick Pecora was named the Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week on March 11 following an outstanding performance against the Midshipmen, where he tallied a career-tying 16 saves. Pecora posts a 53.7% save percentage through six games played so far. The Congers, N.Y. native has recorded double-digit saves in every game this season. Pecora ranks 14th in the NCAA in saves per game (13.17).Â
Sophomore attackman Andrew Kelly earned a Patriot League honorable mention after leading the way in the victory over the Midshipmen with four goals. Kelly has posted 12 points this season and has stepped up into a bigger role after scoring just one goal last season. Kelly has now recorded two four-point games.Â
Sophomore attackman Grant Rodny was the only other player besides Kelly to record multiple goals as he scored the first hat trick of his career. Rodny now has 10 points this season after scoring nine goals and notching one assist.Â
While senior attackman Scott Cole notched just one goal against Navy, which was a season-low, he tied Andrew Lucas '05 for the eighth-most goals scored in program history with 108. Cole needs one more goal to tie Dante Fantoni '13 and Christian Mule' 23 for the seventh-most goals scored in program history (109).Â
Army has three players who have put up at least 20 points already. Jackson Eicher leads the way with 26 points (16 G, 10A), Reese Burek is next with 24 points (10G, 14A) and Evan Plunkett is third with 20 points (12 G, 8A). Matt Chess has seen the most action in the net for Army, starting all six games. Chess has tallied a 49.5% save percentage so far.Â
Saturday's game will also be a rematch of the 2023 Patriot League semifinal, where the Mountain Hawks suffered a 19-13 loss. The Black Knights scored the game''s first goal just eight seconds into the game and they would continue to remain in control for the rest of the game. Army went onto win the Patriot League Championship last season against Loyola.Â
Although Lehigh lost by six goals in the semifinal, the first meeting of the season was much closer with the Mountain Hawks suffering a 12-10 loss.Â
The Black Knights lead the all-time series 28-11. The last time Lehigh beat Army was on March 19, 2022.Â
Following Saturday's game against Army, Lehigh returns home on March 23 to The Ulrich Sports Complex against Bucknell. Game time is slated for 3:30 p.m.Â
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The Black Knights are 6-0 overall and 2-0 in league play. Army most recently defeated Holy Cross 18-8 on March 9.Â
Two of Lehigh's three losses this season have been to ranked opponents. The last time Lehigh played the No. 1 team in the nation was in 2020, when the Mountain Hawks suffered a 12-8 loss to Virginia. If Lehigh wins on Saturday, it would mark the first time in program history that the Mountain Hawks knocked off the No. 1 team in the nation in lacrosse.Â
Senior goalkeeper Nick Pecora was named the Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week on March 11 following an outstanding performance against the Midshipmen, where he tallied a career-tying 16 saves. Pecora posts a 53.7% save percentage through six games played so far. The Congers, N.Y. native has recorded double-digit saves in every game this season. Pecora ranks 14th in the NCAA in saves per game (13.17).Â
Sophomore attackman Andrew Kelly earned a Patriot League honorable mention after leading the way in the victory over the Midshipmen with four goals. Kelly has posted 12 points this season and has stepped up into a bigger role after scoring just one goal last season. Kelly has now recorded two four-point games.Â
Sophomore attackman Grant Rodny was the only other player besides Kelly to record multiple goals as he scored the first hat trick of his career. Rodny now has 10 points this season after scoring nine goals and notching one assist.Â
While senior attackman Scott Cole notched just one goal against Navy, which was a season-low, he tied Andrew Lucas '05 for the eighth-most goals scored in program history with 108. Cole needs one more goal to tie Dante Fantoni '13 and Christian Mule' 23 for the seventh-most goals scored in program history (109).Â
Army has three players who have put up at least 20 points already. Jackson Eicher leads the way with 26 points (16 G, 10A), Reese Burek is next with 24 points (10G, 14A) and Evan Plunkett is third with 20 points (12 G, 8A). Matt Chess has seen the most action in the net for Army, starting all six games. Chess has tallied a 49.5% save percentage so far.Â
Saturday's game will also be a rematch of the 2023 Patriot League semifinal, where the Mountain Hawks suffered a 19-13 loss. The Black Knights scored the game''s first goal just eight seconds into the game and they would continue to remain in control for the rest of the game. Army went onto win the Patriot League Championship last season against Loyola.Â
Although Lehigh lost by six goals in the semifinal, the first meeting of the season was much closer with the Mountain Hawks suffering a 12-10 loss.Â
The Black Knights lead the all-time series 28-11. The last time Lehigh beat Army was on March 19, 2022.Â
Following Saturday's game against Army, Lehigh returns home on March 23 to The Ulrich Sports Complex against Bucknell. Game time is slated for 3:30 p.m.Â
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Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Lacrosse
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/ Men's Lacrosse
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/ Men's Lacrosse
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/ Men's Lacrosse
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