Men's Lacrosse Ready for #1 Le Moyne in Final Four Saturday; Free Webcast Available

MERRIMACK MEN'S LACROSSE

NCAA Division II Final Four

#4 Merrimack at #1 Le Moyne, Saturday May 16, 2009, 1 p.m., Syracuse, NY

Complete Game Notes (.pdf)

Free Live Webcast

WEBCAST UPDATE

A free webcast will be available for Saturday's game at www.ncaa.com. After logging on to ncaa.com, click on the multimedia link, then video and scroll down to find the Merrimack-Le Moyne men's lacrosse game. The game begins at 1 p.m. (not 12 p.m. as noted on the website).

TODAY’S GAME
The Merrimack men’s lacrosse team battles top-ranked and unbeaten Le Moyne College Saturday in the NCAA semifinals. This is the first time the Warriors have appeared in the Final Four.

LIFETIME AGAINST LE MOYNE
Merrimack is 7-11 lifetime against Le Moyne and has lost three straight, including two this season. The Warriors last defeated Le Moyne in 2007 in North Andover. Merrimack has not beaten the Dolphins in Syracuse since a 12-7 victory in the 2000 Northeast-10 Championship game, spanning seven away meetings.

THIS SEASON VS. LE MOYNE
Both of Merrimack’s losses this season were to Le Moyne.
April 11 @ MC: LEM 5, MC 4: The Warriors had the last possession with 10.6 seconds left in the fourth, but Bryan MacPhie’s shot was stopped by Doug McIver as time expired. Brian Welch scored the game-winning goal, breaking a 4-4 tie with 6:30 to play in regulation, as he took a feed from Brooks Robinson, with the Dolphins up a man, and beat Cory Spinale. There were just two goals in the second half, with the Warriors tying the game at four with 3:01 to play in the third, as David Robinson picked up his eighth of the season with Michael Balbuena getting the assist. Spinale was sensational in net, stopping 12 shots in the loss while picking up seven ground balls, while McIver had 11 saves.
May 3 @ LEM: LEM 10, MC 2 (NE-10 Finals): Matt Chadderdon and Jack Venditti combined for nine goals, as the Dolphins jumped out a 6-0 lead before David Robinson got the visitors on the board with a third-quarter goal. Kevin Laplante also scored for Merrimack, with 1:42 to play in the third. The Dolphins were 3-for-7 on the man-advantage, compared to 0-for-5 for the Warriors. Greg Rogowski, who had a team-high five groundballs, was held scoreless, marking the first time the Northeast-10 Player of the Year did not score this season.

MERRIMACK IN THE NCAAS
This is the first time Merrimack has been selected to the NCAA Final Four.

LE MOYNE IN THE NCAAS
The Dolphins will be making their eighth consecutive Final Four appearance, having advanced to the NCAA Championship three straight years and having won three times in the last five years (2004, 2006, 2007).

ROGOWSKI LEAVES HIS MARK IN NCAA RECORD BOOKS
Senior Greg Rogowski enters his 63rd career game Saturday with 211 goals and 311 points. His 211 goals is third in NCAA Division II history, four shy of second all-time, while his 311 points is fourth all-time. Rogowski, the two-time Northeast-10 Player of the Year and three-time All-American, has 52 goals and 82 points this season.
Rogowski and the NCAA Record Book

NORTHEAST-10 ALL-CONFERENCE RECAP
Rogowski was named the 2009 Northeast-10 Men’s Lacrosse Player of the Year, headlining an all-conference team that includes six other Warriors. Joining Rogowski on the first team are midfielder Jo Pisano and defenseman Michael Miano. Michael Balbuena, Mark Webber and Cory Spinale were named to the second-team, while faceoff specialist Nick Maggio was selected to the all-rookie team.

SPINALE SENSATIONAL IN GOAL
After debuting in Division II last season earning Northeast-10 Goalkeeper of the Year and All-American honors, Cory Spinale has led Merrimack to the Final Four, anchoring the backline. Spinale is 14-2 with a .650 save percentage and a 6.71 goals-against average, both of which rank in the top four in the country. A junior captain, he was named to the all-conference second team this season. Spinale played at Nazareth College as a freshman before transferring to Merrimack for the 2008 season.

HEAD COACH MICHAEL MORGAN
In just his second season as head coach, Mike Morgan has led Merrimack to its first-ever Final Four appearance and a school-record 14 wins to go with its highest national ranking since 2000 when he was a player at Merrimack. He led the Warriors to a 12-4 record and a third place finish in 2008, while earning the NE-10 Coach of the Year and the NEILA Coach of the Year honors. Morgan was an All-American in 2000 when he earned New England Player of the Year honors. He was a key member of the 2000 squad that captured Merrimack’s first Northeast-10 Championship.

BALBUENA, MacPHIE, PISANO, WEBBER STAR IN SECONDARY OFFENSIVE ROLES
With Rogowski attracting the best defenders all season, Michael Balbuena, Bryan MacPhie, Jo Pisano and Mark Webber stepped up, providing excellent secondary offense. Balbuena, a sophomore, is second on the team in scoring with 29 goals and 42 points. He tallied a goal and an assist against Le Moyne on April 11. MacPhie, who scored three goals in a 9-6 NE-10 semifinal win over Bentley, has 27 goals and 36 points. Pisano, who has 23 goals and five man-advantage tallies, has at least a point in 13 of 15 games this season, while Webber, who is pointless in four games, has scored three of his eight goals on the man advantage.

MIANO, MAHAR, SCHIELKE ANCHOR THE DEFENSE
Merrimack’s scoring defense, led by Michael Miano, is ranked fourth nationally, allowing just 6.63 goals per game this season. Miano, who was a preseason All-American in 2008 but missed the season with an injury, was a first-team all-conference honoree this year, tallying 33 ground balls, tops among Merrimack defenders. Joining Miano on the backline are Shane Mahar, who netted his first goal of the season against Bentley in the NE-10 semis, and freshman Peter Schielke, who stepped into the starting lineup and tallied two assists and 29 ground balls. Tim Roy and Matthew Sweeney also see significant minutes on defense.

SCORING BY CLASS
Seniors Greg Rogowski and and Jo Pisano have accounted for 38.2% of the team’s scoring. The junior and sophomore classes have chipped in with 47.8% of the team’s scoring, with the freshmen, led by Brad McAdam, netting 14% of the scoring.

FOR THE RECORD BOOKS
For the second straight year, the Warriors set a school record with 14 wins. Merrimack started the season 8-0 and scored at least ten goals in 12 of 16 games.

QUALITY WINS
Merrimack is 5-2 against ranked teams this season, earning wins over #7 Dowling, #9 Mars Hill, #10 Notre Dame de Namur, #7 Bentley and #8 Bentley. The Warriors also defeated Adelphi, who was ranked nationally to begin the season.

TRIPLE-OVERTIME THRILLER
Greg Rogowski’s unassisted triple-overtime goal in the thrilling 6-5 victory over seventh-ranked Bentley on April 22 in Waltham clinched the second seed in the NE-10 championship for Merrimack. Rogowski, who had scored at least one goal in every game this year, had not scored through regulation. Following a Falcon timeout, the Warriors forced a turnover as Matthew Sweeney picked up a ground ball. The Warriors then called timeout 1:28 into the third overtime; and, 13 seconds after beginning the play they designed during the stoppage, Rogowski netted his 49th goal of the season. The Warriors led 5-3 at the end of the third quarter, but the Falcons rallied for a pair of goals in the fourth period to tie the game at 5 with 8:06 remaining in regulation. After tying the game in the fourth, Bentley had its chances to win, but Spinale came up big with three saves. Four other Warriors scored, including Bryan MacPhie, who had two goals and an assist.

MAGGIO A FACEOFF EXPERT
Freshman Nick Maggio’s first collegiate season proved crucial to the Warriors’ success, as he had a 60.8% win percentage in the face-off circle, sixth highest in the country. Maggio, who scored his first career goal in a 9-6 win over Bentley in the NE-10 semifinals, won 196 of 319 draws. Against Le Moyne this year, Maggio, who was named to the NE-10 All-Rookie team, won 14 of 27 face-offs.

MORE ROGOWSKI
The all-time leader in every offensive category at Merrimack, game, season and career, Rogowski is a three-time All-American, sure to be a four-time All-American, and a two-time Northeast-10 Player of the Year. He scored in every game this season before the 10-2 loss to Le Moyne. Rogowski became the all-time scoring leader in school history early in his junior season when he picked up his 184th point and now has 128 more points than anyone in school history.

ALL EYES ON GILLETTE
Merrimack needs one more win to reach the NCAA Championship at nearby Gillette Stadium. The Warriors, along with Bryant University, who was then in Division II, played in the first-ever Division II lacrosse game at Gillette Stadium on April 5, 2008, with Bryant edging the Warriors 7-5.

PRESEASON POLL

Merrimack was picked second in the Northeast-10 preseason poll behind Le Moyne.


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After logging on to ncaa.com, click on the multimedia link, then video and scroll down to find the Merrimack-Le Moyne men's lacrosse game. The game begins at 1 p.m. (not 12 p.m. as noted on the website). TODAY’S GAME The Merrimack men’s lacrosse team battles top-ranked and unbeaten Le Moyne College Saturday in the NCAA semifinals. This is the first time the Warriors have appeared in the Final Four. LIFETIME AGAINST LE MOYNE Merrimack is 7-11 lifetime against Le Moyne and has lost three straight, including two this season. The Warriors last defeated Le Moyne in 2007 in North Andover. Merrimack has not beaten the Dolphins in Syracuse since a 12-7 victory in the 2000 Northeast-10 Championship game, spanning seven away meetings. THIS SEASON VS. LE MOYNE Both of Merrimack’s losses this season were to Le Moyne. April 11 @ MC: LEM 5, MC 4: The Warriors had the last possession with 10.6 seconds left in the fourth, but Bryan MacPhie’s shot was stopped by Doug McIver as time expired. Brian Welch scored the game-winning goal, breaking a 4-4 tie with 6:30 to play in regulation, as he took a feed from Brooks Robinson, with the Dolphins up a man, and beat Cory Spinale. There were just two goals in the second half, with the Warriors tying the game at four with 3:01 to play in the third, as David Robinson picked up his eighth of the season with Michael Balbuena getting the assist. Spinale was sensational in net, stopping 12 shots in the loss while picking up seven ground balls, while McIver had 11 saves. May 3 @ LEM: LEM 10, MC 2 (NE-10 Finals): Matt Chadderdon and Jack Venditti combined for nine goals, as the Dolphins jumped out a 6-0 lead before David Robinson got the visitors on the board with a third-quarter goal. Kevin Laplante also scored for Merrimack, with 1:42 to play in the third. The Dolphins were 3-for-7 on the man-advantage, compared to 0-for-5 for the Warriors. Greg Rogowski, who had a team-high five groundballs, was held scoreless, marking the first time the Northeast-10 Player of the Year did not score this season. MERRIMACK IN THE NCAAS This is the first time Merrimack has been selected to the NCAA Final Four. LE MOYNE IN THE NCAAS The Dolphins will be making their eighth consecutive Final Four appearance, having advanced to the NCAA Championship three straight years and having won three times in the last five years (2004, 2006, 2007). ROGOWSKI LEAVES HIS MARK IN NCAA RECORD BOOKS Senior Greg Rogowski enters his 63rd career game Saturday with 211 goals and 311 points. His 211 goals is third in NCAA Division II history, four shy of second all-time, while his 311 points is fourth all-time. Rogowski, the two-time Northeast-10 Player of the Year and three-time All-American, has 52 goals and 82 points this season. Rogowski and the NCAA Record Book NORTHEAST-10 ALL-CONFERENCE RECAP Rogowski was named the 2009 Northeast-10 Men’s Lacrosse Player of the Year, headlining an all-conference team that includes six other Warriors. Joining Rogowski on the first team are midfielder Jo Pisano and defenseman Michael Miano. Michael Balbuena, Mark Webber and Cory Spinale were named to the second-team, while faceoff specialist Nick Maggio was selected to the all-rookie team. SPINALE SENSATIONAL IN GOAL After debuting in Division II last season earning Northeast-10 Goalkeeper of the Year and All-American honors, Cory Spinale has led Merrimack to the Final Four, anchoring the backline. Spinale is 14-2 with a .650 save percentage and a 6.71 goals-against average, both of which rank in the top four in the country. A junior captain, he was named to the all-conference second team this season. Spinale played at Nazareth College as a freshman before transferring to Merrimack for the 2008 season. HEAD COACH MICHAEL MORGAN In just his second season as head coach, Mike Morgan has led Merrimack to its first-ever Final Four appearance and a school-record 14 wins to go with its highest national ranking since 2000 when he was a player at Merrimack. He led the Warriors to a 12-4 record and a third place finish in 2008, while earning the NE-10 Coach of the Year and the NEILA Coach of the Year honors. Morgan was an All-American in 2000 when he earned New England Player of the Year honors. He was a key member of the 2000 squad that captured Merrimack’s first Northeast-10 Championship. BALBUENA, MacPHIE, PISANO, WEBBER STAR IN SECONDARY OFFENSIVE ROLES With Rogowski attracting the best defenders all season, Michael Balbuena, Bryan MacPhie, Jo Pisano and Mark Webber stepped up, providing excellent secondary offense. Balbuena, a sophomore, is second on the team in scoring with 29 goals and 42 points. He tallied a goal and an assist against Le Moyne on April 11. MacPhie, who scored three goals in a 9-6 NE-10 semifinal win over Bentley, has 27 goals and 36 points. Pisano, who has 23 goals and five man-advantage tallies, has at least a point in 13 of 15 games this season, while Webber, who is pointless in four games, has scored three of his eight goals on the man advantage. MIANO, MAHAR, SCHIELKE ANCHOR THE DEFENSE Merrimack’s scoring defense, led by Michael Miano, is ranked fourth nationally, allowing just 6.63 goals per game this season. Miano, who was a preseason All-American in 2008 but missed the season with an injury, was a first-team all-conference honoree this year, tallying 33 ground balls, tops among Merrimack defenders. Joining Miano on the backline are Shane Mahar, who netted his first goal of the season against Bentley in the NE-10 semis, and freshman Peter Schielke, who stepped into the starting lineup and tallied two assists and 29 ground balls. Tim Roy and Matthew Sweeney also see significant minutes on defense. SCORING BY CLASS Seniors Greg Rogowski and and Jo Pisano have accounted for 38.2% of the team’s scoring. The junior and sophomore classes have chipped in with 47.8% of the team’s scoring, with the freshmen, led by Brad McAdam, netting 14% of the scoring. FOR THE RECORD BOOKS For the second straight year, the Warriors set a school record with 14 wins. Merrimack started the season 8-0 and scored at least ten goals in 12 of 16 games. QUALITY WINS Merrimack is 5-2 against ranked teams this season, earning wins over #7 Dowling, #9 Mars Hill, #10 Notre Dame de Namur, #7 Bentley and #8 Bentley. The Warriors also defeated Adelphi, who was ranked nationally to begin the season. TRIPLE-OVERTIME THRILLER Greg Rogowski’s unassisted triple-overtime goal in the thrilling 6-5 victory over seventh-ranked Bentley on April 22 in Waltham clinched the second seed in the NE-10 championship for Merrimack. Rogowski, who had scored at least one goal in every game this year, had not scored through regulation. Following a Falcon timeout, the Warriors forced a turnover as Matthew Sweeney picked up a ground ball. The Warriors then called timeout 1:28 into the third overtime; and, 13 seconds after beginning the play they designed during the stoppage, Rogowski netted his 49th goal of the season. The Warriors led 5-3 at the end of the third quarter, but the Falcons rallied for a pair of goals in the fourth period to tie the game at 5 with 8:06 remaining in regulation. After tying the game in the fourth, Bentley had its chances to win, but Spinale came up big with three saves. Four other Warriors scored, including Bryan MacPhie, who had two goals and an assist. MAGGIO A FACEOFF EXPERT Freshman Nick Maggio’s first collegiate season proved crucial to the Warriors’ success, as he had a 60.8% win percentage in the face-off circle, sixth highest in the country. Maggio, who scored his first career goal in a 9-6 win over Bentley in the NE-10 semifinals, won 196 of 319 draws. Against Le Moyne this year, Maggio, who was named to the NE-10 All-Rookie team, won 14 of 27 face-offs. MORE ROGOWSKI The all-time leader in every offensive category at Merrimack, game, season and career, Rogowski is a three-time All-American, sure to be a four-time All-American, and a two-time Northeast-10 Player of the Year. He scored in every game this season before the 10-2 loss to Le Moyne. Rogowski became the all-time scoring leader in school history early in his junior season when he picked up his 184th point and now has 128 more points than anyone in school history. ALL EYES ON GILLETTE Merrimack needs one more win to reach the NCAA Championship at nearby Gillette Stadium. The Warriors, along with Bryant University, who was then in Division II, played in the first-ever Division II lacrosse game at Gillette Stadium on April 5, 2008, with Bryant edging the Warriors 7-5. PRESEASON POLL Merrimack was picked second in the Northeast-10 preseason poll behind Le Moyne.