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April 29, 2004
#12 Notre Dame (7-4) vs. #3 Maryland (10-2)
Saturday, May 1, 1:00 p.m. (EDT) * Byrd Stadium
No. 12 IRISH HEAD TO No. 3 MARYLAND FOR REGULAR-SEASON FINALE: The 12th-ranked University of Notre Dame men’s lacrosse team (7-4) can virtually assure itself an at-large berth to the 2004 NCAA Championship with a win Saturday against #3 Maryland (10-2) in its regular-season finale. The Irish and Terrapins will meet at 1 p.m. (EDT) in Notre Dame’s first-ever regular-season trip to Byrd Stadium.
LIVE STATS, INTERNET RADIO AVAILABLE FOR ND-MARYLAND GAME: Fans and media unable to attend Saturday’s game will have a variety of ways of following the action. WMUC will provide a radio broadcast of the contest, which can be accessed via www.WMUCSports.com. Additionally, the official website of Maryland athletics, www.umterps.com, will provide real-time scoring updates during the game. For other ways to follow the Irish, see “Keeping Up With ND Men’s Lacrosse” at the end of this release.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS NOTES PACKAGE: Below are some of the top points from this notes package. For more details on any topic, consult the remainder of this release.
* Notre Dame comes into its season finale with on a five-game winning streak. The Irish are 7-4 on the season and ranked 12th in this week’s USILA national rankings.
* The Irish finished 4-1 in Great Western Lacrosse League play, with its lone loss a 9-8 decision against Ohio State on a Buckeye goal with 12 seconds remaining. Notre Dame could still gain a share of the conference title, if OSU loses to Fairfield on Saturday, but the Buckeyes have clinched the GWLL’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
* Notre Dame’s losses came at #3 Syracuse (19-13), at home vs. #9 North Carolina (14-11), at #16 Loyola (13-7), and at home against #17 Ohio State (9-8).
* A win today would virtually assure Notre Dame its first-ever at-large berth in the NCAA Championship. No GWLL team has ever garnered an at-large selection to the NCAAs. The Irish have made 10 NCAA tournament appearances since 1990, all due to garnering automatic bids from either the GWLL or Great Lakes Conference. The NCAA field will be announced May 10 on ESPNews.
* Notre Dame will take on a nationally-ranked team for the eighth time in 12 games this season. In all, only two Irish opponents were not ranked or receiving votes at the time of the game.
* The Irish have not played since April 18 and are in the midst of playing just one game in 25 days between a home contest against Fairfield and the first round of the NCAA tournament. Prior to this stretch, Notre Dame had played six games in the previous 19 days.
* Sophomore A Pat Walsh (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh H.S.) leads the Great Western Lacrosse League in scoring (4.18) and assists (2.27) and ranks fifth and sixth, respectively, in those categories among all Division I players. Walsh, who has 21 goals and 25 assists in ’04, led all DI freshmen in scoring last season en route to setting a Notre Dame rookie scoring record and becoming the first Irish freshman to earn All-America accolades (honorable mention by USILA). In addition, he was the GWLL Newcomer of the Year.
* Sophomore A Pat Walsh (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh H.S.) is one of 15 nominees for the Tewaaraton Trophy, presented to the top player in collegiate lacrosse at the end of the season. He is one of seven attackmen up for the honor.
* Sophomore A Pat Walsh (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh H.S.) has 98 career points (41 goals, 57 assists) heading into the game. He could become the first Irish sophomore – and second-fastest player in games played – to reach 100 career points. He already ranks eighth on the Notre Dame career assists list and 16th in scoring.
* Notre Dame comes into the weekend ranking first in the GWLL and third in the nation in scoring offense at 12.91 goals per game. The Irish have scored 12 or more goals on seven occasions this season.
* The Irish are seventh in Division I in scoring margin, outscoring opponents by 3.64 goals per game, 12.91-9.27.
* Maryland comes into the game ranked third with a 10-2 record, having beaten Duke and Virginia to win the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament last weekend. The Terrapins opened 8-0 and rose to No. 1 in the national rankings before losing back-to-back games to the current top two teams in the nation: Navy (9-6) and Johns Hopkins (14-10).
* In the national statistics, the Terps are eighth in scoring offense (11.67), ninth in scoring defense (7.50), and third in both scoring margin (+4.17) and winning percentage (.833).
* Sophomore A Joe Walters ranks second in Division I in goals (3.00) and third in scoring (4.25). Senior G Tim McGinnis is eighth in save percentage (.622) and 10th in goals-against average (7.39).
* A win over the Terrapins would make Maryland the highest-ranked team ever to fall victim to Notre Dame in the regular season (currently #4 Hofstra in a 10-9 decision in 1997), and it would match the highest-ranked win overall in the history of the Irish varsity program. Notre Dame topped #3 Johns Hopkins 13-9 in the NCAA quarterfinals in 2001.
* Maryland has won both previous meetings with the Irish, taking a 14-11 decision in the 1995 NCAA quarterfinals at Byrd Stadium before winning 10-4 at Moose Krause Stadium a season ago.
* The Terps held a 5-1 halftime lead and added five more in the fourth quarter in downing the Irish 10-4 in Notre Dame’s 2003 season finale at Moose Krause Stadium. The Irish needed a victory in order to get in to the NCAA tournament.
* Senior A Matt Howell (Huntington, N.Y./Huntington H.S.) was named the GWLL Player of the Week on April 20 after posting 12 points in wins against Butler and Fairfield.
* Senior A Matt Howell (Huntington, N.Y./Huntington H.S.) fell just shy of the school record for points in a game with five goals and three assists against Fairfield on April 18.
* Senior G Stewart Crosland (Bethesda, Md./Landon School) has a 5.39 goals-against average and .726 save percentage (26 GA, 69 saves) during Notre Dame’s five-game winning streak. On the season, he ranks fourth in the GWLL and 14th nationally with a .596 save percentage.
* Senior A Matt Howell (Huntington, N.Y./Huntington H.S.) and sophomore Brian Hubschmann (Short Hills, N.J./Delbarton H.S.) are second and third, respectively, on the Irish in scoring this season, having turned in their career-best scoring totals. Howell has 20 goals and 17 assists, while Hubschmann has 18 goals and 11 assists. Howell is third in the GWLL and 19th nationally in assists (1.55).
* Seven Notre Dame players have 17 or more points this season, while six have scored 14 or more goals.
* Over the five-game winning streak, Notre Dame is outscoring its opponents by nearly eight goals per game (13.40-5.80), as well as taking an average of 19 more shots per contest (49.2-30.2).
* The Irish defense has been outstanding over the last five games, holding foes to just 5.80 goals on 30.2 shots per contest. Opponents have scored just twice on 17 extra-man opportunities (.118) and have been successful on just 61.3% of clear attempts (73-119).
* Notre Dame posted the top back-to-back defensive performances in school history earlier this season, holding Dartmouth to just three goals (10-3 final score) and Air Force to only a pair (12-2) in consecutive games. The five goals in back-to-back games was one fewer than the previous Irish record.
* Over the past six games, Notre Dame has allowed opponents to be successful on just 60.1% (83-138) of clearing opportunities. The Irish have held foes under 70% on clear attempts seven times this season, highlighted by Fairfield’s 9-19 (.474) performance on April 18.
* Notre Dame is second in the GWLL and 12th in Division I in converting extra-man opportunities (19-51, .373). The Irish had a streak of nine consecutive goals on EMOs earlier this season (last six chances vs. Penn State and first three at Syracuse).
* After not holding a lead after one quarter of play in the first four games of the season, Notre Dame has had an advantage following 15 minutes of action in each of the last seven contests. That streak started against Hofstra, when the Irish outscored the Pride 7-0 in the opening frame and held Hofstra without a shot (ND took 17).
* The Irish have outscored opponents 35-19 (3.18-1.73) in the third quarter this season, including 18-3 (3.60-0.60) during the current five-game winning streak. Only one team, Syracuse (6-2), has scored more goals than Notre Dame in the third period.
* Notre Dame’s 19 goals against Hofstra on March 24 week are tied for the fifth-most by a Division I teams this season. It marked the highest-scoring output for the Irish in nearly four years and the most tallies surrendered by the Pride since 1993.
* Senior A Dan Berger (Phoenix, Md./Boys’ Latin H.S.) and sophomore A Pat Walsh (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh H.S.) earned preseason honorable mention All-America honors from Inside Lacrosse magazine.
* Notre Dame boasts one of the most experienced coaching staffs in the nation. Head coach Kevin Corrigan and assistants Kevin Anderson and Guy Van Arsdale combine for 50 years of college and pro coaching experience heading into 2004. Thirty-two of those years have been as head coaches. Only three Division I teams have more years of combined coaching experience than the Irish, and just four have more previous seasons as head coaches.
LAST TIME ON THE FIELD: Playing in his final collegiate home game, senior A Matt Howell (Huntington, N.Y./Huntington H.S.) turned in the best performance of his career, scoring five times and dishing off three assists to end up one shy of the school record for points in a game, as Notre Dame beat Fairfield 16-7 on April 18 at Moose Krause Stadium.
The Huntington, N.Y. native opened the scoring with an unassisted tally 1:08 into the contest and scored on a wraparound off an assist from senior M Owen Mulford (Ocean City, Md./Loyola Blakefield H.S.) to give the Irish a 7-4 advantage midway through the second quarter. Howell then scored the first two goals of the second half, first taking a pass from junior LSM Chris Richez (Freeport, N.Y./Freeport H.S.) for a goal 13 seconds after the opening faceoff and then tallying off a pass from sophomore A Pat Walsh (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh H.S.) three minutes later. Howell scored the final Irish goal of the day, which came off an assist from freshman A Brian Boyle (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) with 7:43 remaining in the game. Howell took just seven shots in the contest, hitting the post on Notre Dame’s first possession of the game and having freshman G Michael Krueger save an attempt on an Irish man-up chance in the fourth quarter in his only two unsuccessful tries.
After the Irish went up 2-0 early, the Stags scored three times in less than three minutes to take their only lead of the game, 3-2. Following a Fairfield goal that cut the lead to 7-5 with 6:45 remaining in the first half, Notre Dame held Fairfield scoreless for a 25:42 stretch spanning the final three periods, scoring eight straight goals to take control of the contest.
Notre Dame played without its entire first midfield, but got strong performances from a variety of players in its absence. Most notably, freshman M Lucius Polk (Washington, D.C./St. Albans H.S.) had two goals and an assist for the second game in a row after playing in just four of the first nine games of the season and not registering a point. Polk, who scored on half of his shots, notched a pair of points in 21 seconds in the first period to put the Irish ahead for good. He assisted on a Mulford goal that tied the score at 3-3 with 4:14 left in the opening period. Senior M Nick Petcoff (Troy, Mich./Detroit Country Day H.S.) won the ensuing faceoff, picked up the ground ball and the Notre Dame possession led to Walsh finding Polk, who scored from the close left wing to give the Irish a 4-3 advantage. Polk scored again from Walsh early in the fourth to give Notre Dame its largest lead of the day, 15-5.
Walsh,who is tops in the GWLL and sixth nationally in scoring and assists, was held without a goal for the first time this season, as the Stag defense committed itself to denying him scoring chances. He nonetheless had three assists.
Notre Dame, which came into the week first in the GWLL and third in the nation in scoring, registered 12 or more goals for the fourth straight game and seventh time in 11 contests this season. The Irish outshot the Stags 57-26 on Sunday, including 18-4 in the opening period.
In all, 11 different players registered points for Notre Dame, while nine had multiple points. Senior A Dan Berger (Phoenix, Md./Boys’ Latin H.S.) finished his home career with the 21st multiple-goal game of his time at Notre Dame, including his seventh in ’04. Junior M Colin Fatti (Skaneateles, N.Y./Skaneateles H.S.) took advantage of increased playing time, scoring his first two goals of the season, while taking six shots and picking up his first ground ball of ’04. He nearly netted a hat trick, as he also had one point-blank shot saved.
Four players — Mulford, Richez, Boyle, and senior M Steve Clagett (Chesapeake Beach, Md./DeMatha Catholic H.S.) — had a goal and an assist apiece, while sophomore M Matt Karweck (Penn Yan, N.Y./Penn Yan Academy) also had an assist. Sophomore M Drew Peters (Babylon, N.Y./Babylon H.S.) took advantage of a Fairfield turnover in the second period, singlehandedly clearing the ball and continuing his weave between Stag defenders and finishing with a fastbreak goal. It was his second score in three games after not garnering a point prior to that this season.
Notre Dame won the ground ball battle 45-38, as senior D Brennan Creaney (Baltimore, Md./Loyola Blakefield H.S.) picked up eight, the most by an Irish player in a game this season. Sophomore LSM Brandon Schultheis (Babylon, N.Y./Babylon H.S.) corralled six ground balls after having not picked one up in his career prior to Sunday. Freshman M Bill Liva (Bryn Mawr, Pa./Malvern Preparatory School) collected a season-high five.
The Stags came into the game leading the GWLL and ranking fifth in the nation with a .630 faceoff winning percentage, but were victorious on just 55.6% (17-27) against Notre Dame. Petcoff turned in one of his best performances in his final game at Krause Stadium, winning nine of 16 draws he took, setting season highs in both wins and attempts. Senior M Peter Vlahakis, the top faceoff man in the conference and fourth in the country, won 11 of 19 (.578), which was below his season average of .650. Notre Dame junior M Craig Bishko (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip H.S.) won three of his five attempts.
Notre Dame’s defense surrendered seven or fewer goals for the fifth time this season. The Irish allowed Fairfield to successfully convert on just nine of 19 clearing opportunities and also denied the Stags a goal on four man-up chances. Fairfield came in as the top EMO team in the GWLL and the eighth-best in the nation.
Senior G Stewart Crosland (Bethesda, Md./Landon School) failed to stop the first three Stag shots on goal, but then allowed just three more the remainder of the game, making 13 saves for a .684 percentage. Sophomore G Daniel Hickey (Garden City, N.Y./Chaminade H.S.) replaced Crosland for the final 3:08, giving up a Fairfield goal in his collegiate debut.
Clagett and freshman M John Greaney (Babylon, N.Y./Babylon H.S.) both started for the first time this season for the Irish, while Karweck earned his second starting nod in as many games.
SNAPSHOT OF THE IRISH: Notre Dame’s men’s lacrosse program has experienced a wealth of success since the arrival of head coach Kevin Corrigan in 1989. In his 15 seasons, Corrigan has guided Notre Dame to a winning record 12 times, including 10 seasons with nine or more victories, compiling a 139-78 (.641) mark. The Irish have earned 10 berths to the NCAA Championship, including quarterfinal apperances in 1995 and 2000 and a Final Four trip in 2001. Notre Dame has 35 victories over ranked opponents, including eight vs. top-10 teams and hold a 72-23 (.760) overall record at home. Notre Dame has won 12 conference titles (9 Great Western Lacrosse League, 3 Great Lakes Conference) in that span. Since the formation of the GWLL in 1994, the Irish are 38-5 (.884) in conference play — including 21-2 (.913) at home — winning at least a share of the league championship in every season except 1998. Notre Dame has had at least one All-American in each of the last 11 seasons, a total of 22 honorees since 1994. In addition, the Irish have garnered 79 all-conference honors, highlighted by four GWLL player-of-the-year awards.
The 2004 Irish team returned 20 monogram winners and eight starters from last year’s squad that was 9-5, won a share of a fifth consecutive GWLL title and finished 18th in the final USILA national rankings.
There are few teams in Division I that can match the offensive firepower Notre Dame boasts this season, as evidenced by the Irish leading the GWLL and ranking third in the nation in scoring (12.91 per game). Headlining that group is sophomore A Pat Walsh (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh H.S.), one of the 15 nominees for the Tewaaraton Trophy, presented to the top player in collegiate lacrosse. He leads the conference in scoring (46/4.18) and assists (25/2.27) and ranks fifth and sixth, respectively, in Division I in those categories. Walsh was the highest-scoring freshman in the country last season en route to setting a Notre Dame freshman scoring record and becoming the first Irish rookie ever to earn All-America honors. His 32 assists matched the Notre Dame record, led the GWLL, and ranked sixth nationally (2.29 per game), including tops by far among freshmen (the second-best mark was 1.73). Senior A Matt Howell (Huntington, N.Y./Huntington H.S.), who joins Walsh as an All-America candidate this season, is Notre Dame’s second-leading scorer, with 37 points (20 goals, 17 assists). He ranks third in the GWLL and 18th in Division I in assists (1.55). In the last Irish game, Howell had five goals and three assists to come within one point of the Notre Dame record for points in a game. Despite missing five contests in 2003 due to injury, he ranked ninth in the nation in points per game (3.78) and eighth in assists per game (2.11). Senior A Dan Berger (Phoenix, Md./Boys’ Latin H.S.) has been Notre Dame’s leading goal scorer in each of the last two seasons and is third on the team this spring, with 19 (also three assists). A two-time first-team all-GWLL honoree and preseason honorable mention All-America selection by Inside Lacrosse, he had 32 goals in 2003, which ranked 18th in the nation (2.29 per game). Freshman A Brian Boyle (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) is the only reserve attackman to have played in every game this season (2 g, 3 a).
As on attack, Notre Dame’s midfield boasts outstanding depth. Back as a starter for the third consecutive season is junior M Brian Giordano (Princeton, N.J./Hun School), who has been Notre Dame’s top offensive middie over the last two-plus seasons. A first-team all-GWLL honoree last season, he has 21 points in ’04 (16 g, 5 a) despite missing the last two games with an injury. Joining Giordano in starting roles are sophomores M Matt Ryan (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley H.S.) and M Brian Hubschmann (Short Hills, N.J./Delbarton H.S.), who were top reserves a year ago. Hubschmann leads midfielders in scoring, with 29 points (18 goals, 11 assists), though he missed the Fairfield game. He matched his season total from ’03 with a six-point (two goals, four assists) performance in this year’s season opener and had four goals and an assist against Hofstra, against whom Ryan also had a goal and career highs in assists (3) and points (totals he matched against Denver). Ryan has seven goals and 10 assists, as well as 32 ground balls. Another sophomore, M Matt Karweck (Penn Yan, N.Y./Penn Yan Academy), had four goals against Penn State and has 14 on the season, as well as five assists. Among the other top reserves are seniors M Steve Clagett (Chesapeake Beach, Md./DeMatha Catholic H.S.) and M Owen Mulford (Ocean City, Md./Loyola Blakefield H.S.), who are two of just three players on the Irish roster to have already won three monograms. Clagett leads the Irish with 40 ground balls to go with eight points (5 g, 3 a). Sophomore M Drew Peters (Babylon, N.Y./Babylon H.S.) and freshmen M Bill Liva (Bryn Mawr, Pa./Malvern Preparatory School), M John Greaney (Babylon, N.Y./Babylon H.S.), and M Lucius Polk (Washington, D.C./St. Albans H.S.) also have been key players off the bench. After playing in just four of the first nine games (and not scoring a point), Polk has had two goals and an assist in each of the last two games. Another rookie, M Ryan Cunn (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip H.S.), started in the Irish midfield in fall ball before suffering a season-edning anterior cruciate ligament injury in a scrimmage against the MLL’s Boston Cannons on Feb. 14.
Notre Dame has won just 44.4% of faceoffs (124-155) this season, taking a majority of them in just one contest (14-23 at Butler). Juniors M Craig Bishko (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip H.S.) and M Frank Matarazzo (Franklin Lakes, N.J./Bergen Catholic H.S.), as well as senior M Nick Petcoff (Troy, Mich./Detroit Country Day H.S.) have split time at the X for the Irish this spring. Bishko was Notre Dame’s top draw man a year ago and has won 61-128 (.477) this season (12-16 vs. Hofstra), while Matarazzo has been successful on 43-118 (.364) attempts, including a career-high 10 won against Syracuse. Petcoff has become a regular part of the rotation over the past two games, and he is 19-30 (.633) on the year, including 9-16 against Fairfield, which came in as the fourth-best faceoff team in Division I.
Junior LSM Chris Richez (Freeport, N.Y./Freeport H.S.), sophomore LSM Brandon Schultheis (Babylon, N.Y./Babylon H.S.), and senior LSM Chris Masterson (West Hempstead, N.Y./Chaminade H.S.) are Notre Dame’s top longstick midfielders. The role is new for Richez, who had 10 goals and seven assists in his first two seasons as a regular middie, and his athleticism and prior experience make him an occasional offensive threat. He has three goals and an assist this season.
Though Notre Dame’s defense is not quite as experienced as the other Irish units, it nonetheless boasts a number of battle-tested players. Senior D Mickey Blum (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City H.S.) is in his third year as a starter, while another senior, D Brennan Creaney (Baltimore, Md./Loyola Blakefield H.S.), also is back after starting the first 10 games of last season before suffering an injury. Sophomore D D.J. Driscoll (Downington, Pa./Malvern Preparatory School) became the first defenseman and just the second freshman ever to lead Notre Dame in ground balls a year ago, with 61. A second-team all-GWLL honoree, he was a large reason the Irish ranked second in the nation in ground balls per game. Creaney is second on the team with 39 ground balls in ’04, while Driscoll is third with 34.
The final line of defense has senior G Stewart Crosland (Bethesda, Md./Landon School) manning the cage again in 2004. He got a taste of being the top Notre Dame goalie two seasons ago before establishing himself as not only the best goalkeeper on the Irish, but one of the elite players at the position in the country in 2003. Crosland was fifth in Division I in save percentage (.626) a year ago and ranked 11th in goals-against average (7.49), leading the Great Western Lacrosse League in both categories. He set a career high in save percentage by stopping 12 of 13 (.923) shots he faced against Dartmouth, and he has a 5.39 GAA and .726 save percentage over the last five games. Overall this season, he ranks 14th in Division I with a .596 save percentage, while carrying a 9.15 GAA.
IRISH REMAIN 12TH IN USILA RANKINGS: An idle week saw Notre Dame remain 12th in this week’s United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Associaion (USILA) Geico/STX Coaches Poll. Three Great Western Lacrosse League teams are ranked, as Ohio State moved up one to seventh and Denver dropped one to 16th after falling 9-8 to the Buckeyes. Six of Notre Dame’s 12 opponents this season — #3 Maryland, #4 Syracuse, #6 North Carolina, #7 Ohio State, #16 Denver, and #20 Dartmouth — are ranked, while Hofstra is receiving votes.
IRISH-TERPS SERIES: Notre Dame and Maryland will meet for just the third time, with the Terrapins having taken both previous meetings. Maryland won 14-11 in the 1995 NCAA quarterfinals at Byrd Stadium and then took the first-ever regular-season meeting by a 10-4 score a year ago at Moose Krause Stadium.
WALSH ON VERGE OF BECOMING FIRST-EVER IRISH SOPHOMORE WITH 100 CAREER POINTS: Sophomore A Pat Walsh (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh H.S.) enters the weekend with 98 career points (41 goals, 47 assists). He could become the first Notre Dame sophomore ever to reach the 100-career-point plateau. Only one player – the school’s all-time leading scorer, Randy Colley – reached 100 career points faster in games played than Walsh. It took Colley 23 games, while Walsh will be playing in the 26th of his career on Saturday. Colley, who missed his entire freshman year with a knee injury, ended with 273 career points (173 goals, 100 assists).
WALSH ONE OF 15 NOMINEES FOR TEWAARATON TROPHY: Sophomore A Pat Walsh (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh H.S.) was one of 15 players tabbed as nominees this week for the 2004 Tewaaraton Trophy, awarded to the nation’s top collegiate player at the conclusion of the season. Five finalists for the award, which will be presented at a banquet in Washington, D.C. on June 3, will be announced in early May. Walsh, who leads the GWLL and ranks fifth nationally in scoring, was one of just seven attackmen on the list. He joins A Tom Glatzel, who was one of the finalists for the award in 2001, as the only Notre Dame players to be named candidates.
HOWELL MISSES SCHOOL RECORD BY ONE POINT: Senior A Matt Howell (Huntington, N.Y./Huntington H.S.) had five goals and three assists against Fairfield on April 18 to come up one point shy of the Notre Dame record of nine points in a game, which has been done eight times, but not since 1995. John Olmstead accomplished the feat twice in 1988, while Mike Sullivan did it in ’90 and ’91, and all-time scoring leader Randy Colley turned in four nine-point games from ’93-95. Howell also was one off the record for most goals in a home game. Three players — Joe Franklin in 1986, Mike Quigley in 1990, and Jon Harvey in 2000 — have netted six in front of the home fans.
HOWELL NAMED GWLL PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Senior A Matt Howell (Huntington, N.Y./Huntington H.S.) was named the Great Western Lacrosse League Player of the Week on April 20 after registering 12 points (7 goals, 5 assists) in helping Notre Dame to wins against Butler and Fairfield. Howell, who earned the honor for the second time in his career, missed the Irish record for points in a game by one against the Stags, finishing with five goals and three assists.
TWO OF TOP FIVE SCORERS IN NATION TO BE SHOWCASED SATURDAY: Two players ranking among the top five in Division I in scoring will be on the same field on Saturday. Maryland sophomore A Joe Walters ranks third in scoring (4.25), as well as second in goals (3.000), while Irish sophomore A Pat Walsh (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh H.S.) is fifth in scoring (4.18) and sixth in assists (2.27).
COULD BE A SHOOTOUT: Notre Dame and Maryland both rank among the top eight teams in Division I in scoring offense. The Irish are third at 12.91 goals per game, while the Terps are eighth, scoring 11.67 per contest. Maryland also is ninth in scoring defense, surrendering only 7.50 scores per game.
THREE TOP-SEVEN TEAMS ACCOUNT FOR ALL BUT ONE OF IRISH LOSSES: Of the four teams to have defeated Notre Dame this season, three of them currently rank among the top seven in the USILA national rankings. Those Irish losses have come against #4 Syracuse (19-11, away), #6 North Carolina (14-11, home), and #7 Ohio State (9-8 on goal with 12 seconds left, home). The only other team to defeat Notre Dame was Loyola, which was ranked 16th at the time, but has since dropped out. Notre Dame’s wins came against Penn State (17-7, ranked 17th at time of game), Hofstra (19-11, 13th), #20 Dartmouth (10-3, receiving votes and on a five-game winning streak), Air Force (12-2, receiving votes), #16 Denver (14-12, 17th), Butler (15-5), and Fairfield (16-7).
WALSH LEADS GWLL IN SCORING, FIFTH IN DIVISION I: Sophomore A Pat Walsh (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh H.S.) is the leading scorer in the Great Western Lacrosse League, and he is tied for fifth in the nation in points per game (4.18). Through 11 contests, he has 21 goals and 25 assists. Chris Cara of Bucknell is tops in Division I at 5.69, while no other GWLL player is in the national top 20. Walsh also leads the conference in assists (2.27) and is sixth in the country. A year ago, Walsh led Division I freshmen in scoring (3.71) and assists (2.29) and led all GWLL players in the latter category, while being third in the former.
NOTRE DAME TOP OFFENSIVE TEAM IN GWLL, THIRD IN NATION: Notre Dame is averaging 12.91 goals per game this season, making it the highest-scoring team in the Great Western Lacrosse League and the third-highest in Division I. Syracuse leads the nation in scoring offense, averaging 14.27 goals per contest. The Irish were 13th nationally in scoring offense in 2003 with an average of 10.36 goals per game.
IRISH EMO AMONG NATION’S FINEST: Notre Dame has scored 19 goals in 51 extra-man opportunities this season for a .373 percentage that is second in the Great Western Lacrosse League and ranks 12th in Division I. Duke leads the nation, having converted 52.5% of man-up chances. The Irish converted on nine consecutive EMOs at one point early in the season. After an unsuccessful first-quarter attempt in the season opener against Penn State, the Irish scored on all six of their remaining man-up chances against the Nittany Lions, as well as their first three in the following game, at Syracuse. Senior A Matt Howell (Huntington, N.Y./Huntington H.S.) leads the Irish with five man-up goals, while senior A Dan Berger (Phoenix, Md./Boys’ Latin H.S.) has scored four times and three players — junior M Brian Giordano (Princeton, N.J./Hun School) and sophomores M Brian Hubschmann (Short Hills, N.J./Delbarton H.S.) and M Matt Karweck (Penn Yan, N.Y./Penn Yan Academy) — have three each. Notre Dame was 19-51 (.373) on EMOs last year, finishing 11th in the nation.
FIVE-GAME WINNING STREAK: Notre Dame has won five in a row, defeating Dartmouth, Air Force, #17 Denver, Butler, and Fairfield after a last-second loss to #17 Ohio State. The five-game winning streak for Notre Dame is the longest since the Irish won a school-record nine in a row in advancing to the NCAA semifinals in 2001.
WHERE ARE ALL THE GAMES?: The Irish have not played since April 18 and are in the midst of playing just one game in 25 days between a home contest against Fairfield and the first round of the NCAA tournament. Prior to this stretch, Notre Dame had played six games in the previous 19 days.
IRISH POST BEST BACK-TO-BACK DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCES IN SCHOOL HISTORY: Notre Dame’s defensive performances against Dartmouth and Air Force this season rank as the best in consecutive games in the 24-year history of the varsity program. The Irish surrendered just three goals against Dartmouth (two in the final 4:00) in a seven-goal victory before winning 12-2 at Air Force. The five combined goals bested the previous mark of six combined goals surrendered in 1992 against Mount Saint Mary’s (13-3) on April 11 and Stony Brook (14-3) two days later.
AMAZING APRIL: Notre Dame finished April with a 5-0 record to go unbeaten in the month for the fifth time and third in the last five years. The Irish topped Dartmouth, Air Force, #17 Denver, Butler, and Fairfield this season, winning by an average of nearly eight goals, after a 1-4 March. Notre Dame previously was undefeated in April in 1992 (6-0), ’94 (7-0), 2000 (6-0), and ’01 (7-0).
DRAWING FIRST BLOOD: Notre Dame has scored first in nine of 11 games this season. Only Loyola and Denver have taken 1-0 leads against the Irish.
TIGHTENING THE SCREWS: After giving up 12.80 goals in the first five games of the season (holding only one opponent to fewer than 11 scores), Notre Dame’s defense has been strong over the last six contests, giving up an average of 6.33 and holding three teams to five goals or fewer. The Irish gave up just five combined goals against Dartmouth and Air Force for the best back-to-back defensive performances in school history. Notre Dame also held Ohio State, the Big Green, the Falcons, and Fairfield scoreless for long stretches (more than 25 minutes) over the middle of the game. The Buckeyes went 28:47 without scoring before beginning a 6-1 run to end the game, while Dartmouth had a stretch of 40:37 without a goal. Air Force went 48:14 without scoring, while Fairfield had a goalless stretch of 25:42.
GOAL WITH 12 SECONDS LEFT SENDS OHIO STATE OVER IRISH IN GWLL OPENER: After Irish sophomore M Brian Hubschmann (Short Hills, N.J./Delbarton H.S.) scored with 28 seconds remaining to tie the score 8-8, Buckeye sophomore A Ben Wolff responded with the game winner with just 12 seconds to go in the contest to send 17th-ranked Ohio State over #13 Notre Dame 9-8 on March 31 at Moose Krause Stadium. The Irish were up 3-0 early and held a 7-3 advantage with one minute left in the third period before the Buckeyes scored five straight goals. Ohio State went on to upset #8 Duke three days later, vaulting it to the top 10 of the USILA rankings.
NINE STRAIGHT RANKED/RECEIVING VOTES OPPONENTS TO OPEN THE SEASON: Each of Notre Dame’s first nine opponents in 2004 were either nationally-ranked or receiving votes at the time of the contest. The first six Irish opponents — #17 Penn State, #3 Syracuse, #9 North Carolina, #16 Loyola, #13 Hofstra, and #17 Ohio State — were ranked at game time. The next two foes — Dartmouth and Air Force — were receiving votes in the USILA poll, while Denver (game nine) was 17th.
CROSLAND STOPS 12 OF 13 SHOTS AGAINST DARTMOUTH’S SEVENTH-RANKED OFFENSE: Senior G Stewart Crosland (Bethesda, Md./Landon School) and the Irish defense shut down Dartmouth on April 4, holding it nearly 10 goals below its season average in a 10-3 home victory. Heading in to the game, the Big Green ranked seventh in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 12.67 and having scored no fewer than nine in any of its first six games. Crosland set a career best in save percentage by stopping 12 of 13 shots he faced (.923) before leaving the game with a 10-1 lead with 4:18 remaining.
OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION: Notre Dame’s 19 goals against Hofstra were the most scored by the Irish this season, while also being notable in a number of other ways. It is tied for the fifth-most goals scored by any team in Division I this season. It also was the highest-scoring output for Notre Dame in nearly four years, since beating Fairfield 20-12 at home on April 22, 2000. Hofstra, which was giving up 10.80 goals per game heading into the contest and held Massachusetts to just six on Sunday, had not surrendered that many goals since a 20-8 loss to Syracuse in the 1993 NCAA Championship quarterfinals. The last time a team scored 19 or more on the Pride in the regular season was May 1, 1991, when Johns Hopkins topped Hofstra 20-11.
AN EXTENSIVE ARRAY OF WEAPONS: Notre Dame has seen its offensive production come from a variety of areas this season, as seven players have 17 or more points and six have scored 14 or more goals. Leading the way is sophomore A Pat Walsh (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh H.S.) with 21 goals and 25 assists (46 points), while senior A Matt Howell (Huntington, N.Y./Huntington H.S.) is second with 20 goals and 17 assists (37 points). Sophomore M Brian Hubschmann (Short Hills, N.J./Delbarton H.S.) has 29 points (18 g, 11 a) despite missing the Fairfield game. Senior A Dan Berger (Phoenix, Md./Boys’ Latin H.S.) is third on the Irish in goals and has 22 points (19 g, 3 a), while junior M Brian Giordano (Princeton, N.J./Hun School) has 21 (16 g, 5 a), though he has missed two straight games. In addition, sophomore M Matt Karweck (Penn Yan, N.Y./Penn Yan Academy) has 19 points (14 g, 5 a) and sophomore M Matt Ryan (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley H.S.) has 17 (7 g, 10 a), despite missing the contest with the Stags.
PETCOFF EFFECTIVE AGAINST ONE OF NATION’S FINEST AT FACEOFF X: Senior M Nick Petcoff (Troy, Mich./Detroit Country Day H.S.) won 9-16 (.563) faceoffs against Fairfield on April 18. The Stags came into the game ranked fifth in Division I in faceoff winning percentage, while their top draw man, Peter Vlahakis, was first in the GWLL and fourth nationally. Petcoff has become part of the regular faceoff rotation for the Irish in the past two games, and he has responded well. After having played in only three previous games (5-6 faceoffs), Petcoff was 5-8 (.625) against Butler on April 15. On the season, Petcoff is 19-30 (.633) in faceoffs.
FABULOUS FIRST QUARTER: After the Irish had been outscored 17-9 (4.25-2.25) in the opening period in their first four games, Notre Dame has a 29-11 (4.14-1.57) first-quarter scoring advantage over the last seven games. The Irish opened up a 7-0 lead against Hofstra before going up 3-0 vs. Ohio State and 4-0 against Dartmouth. Earlier this season, North Carolina went up 5-1 in the first period against the Irish and Loyola scored the first four goals of the game vs. Notre Dame. The Irish have led after 15 minutes of play in each of the last seven games after not holding a lead after one quarter in the first four. The Hofstra first quarter was especially notable, as the Irish held a 7-0 lead after 15 minutes of play against the Pride, having outshot Hofstra 17-0 in the first period. Notre Dame also held a 9-4 ground ball advantage in the opening period, won four of seven faceoffs, and were successful on all nine of their clear attempts, while allowing the Pride to be successful on just half of their eight tries. Hofstra’s first shot came when Tim Treubig’s attempt sailed wide right with 13:18 to go in the second quarter.
HALFTIME ADJUSTMENTS EFFECTIVE: The Irish have outscored opponents 35-19 (3.18-1.73) in the third quarter this season, including 18-3 (3.60-0.60) during the current five-game winning streak. Only one team, Syracuse (6-2), has scored more goals than Notre Dame in the third period.
GWLL DOMINANCE: For the 11th year in a row, the Irish are competing in the Great Western Lacrosse League, along with Air Force, Butler, Denver, Fairfield, and Ohio State. Notre Dame has won nine GWLL titles, including at least a share of each of the last five. Ohio State, Denver, and the Irish were tri-champions in 2003. Notre Dame has a 38-5 (.883) all-time record in GWLL play, including 21-2 (.913) at home. This year, Ohio State is atop the standings at 4-0, with one game left, while the Irish are second at 4-1.
THE GREAT WESTERN LACROSSE LEAGUE, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON “GREAT”: The Great Western Lacrosse League, which has never had more than one team earn a berth to the NCAA Championship, has had an outstanding 2004 season and could have up to three teams participating in this year’s NCAAs. Ohio State, ranked seventh in the most recent USILA rankings and on a 10-game winning streak, has clinched the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Notre Dame, ranked 12th, and Denver, ranked 16th, are both strong candidates for at-large berths to the postseason. Both the Pioneers and Air Force registered upsets of the defending national champions, Virginia, over the season’s first weekend, propelling both schools into the first set of USILA national rankings, joining Notre Dame and Ohio State. It was the first time ever that four schools from the GWLL were in the nation’s top 20. Notre Dame has won at least a share of the Great Western Lacrosse League title in nine of the 10 years since the conference was formed. The Irish hold a 38-5 (.883) record in GWLL play, including 21-2 (.913) at home.
IRISH SET HOME ATTENDANCE RECORD: Both of Notre Dame’s first two home games this season featured the largest home crowds recorded since attendance figures have been kept by the University. The season opener against Penn State on Feb. 29 drew 761 fans, while the 927 in attendance for the March 14 contest against North Carolina stands officially as the largest home crowd in school history.
WALSH CHALLENGING SINGLE-SEASON ASSIST RECORD: Sophomore A Pat Walsh (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh H.S.) is challenging the Irish single-season assist record of 32, done by him a season ago, career assist leader David Ulrich in 2000 and Mike Sullivan in 1990. Walsh has 25 assists through the first 11 games this season. He leads the Great Western Lacrosse League in assists and ranks sixth in Division I.
CROSLAND TIED FOR SIXTH ON IRISH CAREER SAVES LIST: Notre Dame senior G Stewart Crosland (Bethesda, Md./Landon School), a second-team all-Great Western Lacrosse League selection and the conference leader in goals-against average and save percentage in 2003, has 146 saves in 11 games this season to bring his career total to 342, which places him in a sixth-place tie with 1994 graduate Ryan Jewell on the Irish career saves list. Crosland, who could apply for a fifth year of eligibility, made 42 saves as a sophomore (played in six games, starting three) before registering 154 a year ago as the Irish starter in all 14 contests. Next up is 1993 graduate Chris Parent, who had 416 saves during his career. The complete top seven is below.
Rank Name Years Saves
1. Rob Simpson 1982-85 623
2. Alex Cade 1995-97 621
3. Kirk Howell 1997-2001 498
4. Matt McQuillan 1985-86, ’88 452
5. Chris Parent 1990-93 416
6. Stewart Crosland 2002-04 342
Ryan Jewell 1992-94 342
WALSH ALREADY MOVING UP IRISH CAREER LISTS: Despite having completed less than half of his collegiate career, sophomore A Pat Walsh (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh H.S.) is already making his presence felt in the Irish career record book. His 57 career assists rank eighth, while his 95 points are 16th. The career assists list is below
Rank Name Years Assists
1. David Ulrich 1998-2001 110
2. Randy Colley 1991-95 100
3. Mike Sullivan 1989-92 88
4. John Olmstead 1986-89 63
Jimmy Keenan 1995-98 63
6. Tom Grote 1983-86 62
7. Bob Trocchi 1983-85 59
8. Pat Walsh 2003-04 57
BERGER 10TH ON IRISH CAREER GOALS LIST: Despite scoring just one time as a freshman, senior A Dan Berger (Phoenix, Md./Boys’ Latin H.S.) has 73 career goals, placing him 10th on the all-time Irish list. His 82 career points are tied for 18th with Dan Pace (’83) on the scoring list. The career goals top 10 is below.
Rank Name Years Goals
1. Randy Colley 1991-95 173
2. Chris Dusseau 1996-99 115
3. Joe Franklin 1983-86 119
4. Tom Glatzel 1998-2001 106
5. Mike Sullivan 1989-92 97
6. Robbie Snyder 1991-94 95
7. Bob Trocchi 1983-85 84
8. John Olmstead 1986-89 83
9. Brian McHugh 1987-90 77
10. Dan Berger 2001-04 73
BERGER, WALSH EARN PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA MENTION: Senior A Dan Berger (Phoenix, Md./Boys’ Latin H.S.) and sophomore A Pat Walsh (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh H.S.) earned preseason honorable mention All-America honors from Inside Lacrosse magazine. Berger was Notre Dame’s leading goal scorer in each of the last two seasons, while Walsh led all Division I freshmen in scoring last year en route to setting an Irish freshman scoring record and becoming the first Notre Dame rookie to earn All-America honors, copping honorable mention accolades.
COACHING EXPERIENCE: With the addition of assistant coach Guy Van Arsdale, Notre Dame boasts one of the most experienced coaching staffs in the nation. Head coach Kevin Corrigan and assistants Kevin Anderson and Van Arsdale combine for 50 years of college and pro coaching experience heading into 2004. Thirty-two of those years have been as head coaches. Only three Division I teams have more years of combined coaching experience than the Irish, and just four have more previous seasons as head coaches.
TOUGH SLATE: Notre Dame will face a difficult road to the 2004 NCAA Championship. This year’s Irish schedule is highlighted by a pair of road trips to Final Four teams from last year (March 11 at Syracuse; May 1 at Maryland) and four home games against ’03 NCAA participants. In all, seven of the 12 teams on the Notre Dame schedule are either ranked or receiving votes in this week’s USILA rankings.
NCAA SELECTION SHOW SET FOR MAY 10 ON ESPNEWS: The selection show for the 2004 NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship is slated for May 10 between 3-4 p.m. (EDT) (2-3 in South Bend) on ESPNews. The program will announce the entire 16-team field for the tournament, as well as the eight sites playing host to first-round action. The NCAAs begin May 15 and 16 at campus sites.
IRISH IN OVERTIME: Should the game be tied at the end of regulation, Notre Dame will try to snap a five-game losing streak in overtime affairs after having won six in a row prior to that. The Irish have not taken part in an overtime game since a 7-6 loss at Harvard on April 27, 2002. Notre Dame lost three overtime contests in ’02, one in ’01, and one in ’99. The last Irish overtime win was a 10-9 result at home against Hobart on March 29, 1997. Notre Dame has an 8-7 all-time record in overtime games in the 24-year varsity history of the program. The Irish have played just one double-overtime game, a 7-6 defeat at home against Loyola on March 16, 2002.
Notre Dame has played overtime games against four teams on the 2004 schedule. In addition to the double-overtime contest with the Greyhounds, the Irish lost to Penn State 10-9 at home in the 2002 season opener, beat Ohio State 11-10 in 1983 in Columbus, and have lost a pair at Hofstra (10-9, 1999; 11-10, 2001).
SEVEN NAMED TO DEAN’S LIST IN FALL 2003 SEMESTER: Seven Irish lacrosse players earned Dean’s List mention for academic excellence in the fall 2003 semester. Leading the way was junior A Dan Straka (Upper Arlington, Ohio/Upper Arlington H.S.), a pre-professional studies major in the College of Science, who made the Dean’s List for the fourth time with a 3.938 grade-point average to up his cumulative mark to 3.747. Senior G Stewart Crosland (Bethesda, Md./Landon School), a management entrepreneurship and history double major, posted a 3.926 GPA last fall to gain his fourth mention on the Dean’s List, while senior A John Mulflur (Easton, Md./Peter and Paul H.S.), an economics and history double major, had a 3.917. Mulflur, who carries a team-high 3.765 has been on the Dean’s List in all seven of his collegiate semesters and has had a GPA of better than 3.910 in four consecutive semesters, highlighted by a 4.000 in sprin 2002. M Bill Liva (Bryn Mawr, Pa./Malvern Preparatory School) was the lone freshman on the Dean’s List with a 3.800 GPA, while junior science pre-professional major M Tyler Krummenacher (St. Louis, Mo./MICDS H.S.) had a 3.750. Junior chemical engineering major D Mike Hagerty (Niskayuna, N.Y./Niskayuna H.S.) made the Dean’s List with a 3.718, as did senior accounting major LSM Chris Masterson’s (West Hempstead, N.Y./Chaminade H.S.) 3.600. Overall, the Irish had a team GPA of 3.177, ranking them fourth among Notre Dame’s 13 men’s varsity sports.
HEAD COACH Kevin Corrigan: Irish head coach Kevin Corrigan is in his 16th season at the helm of the Notre Dame program. He has led the Irish to a 139-78 (.641) mark, while holding a 149-93 (.615) overall record. Corrigan’s Notre Dame teams have earned 10 NCAA tournament berths since 1990, highlighted by quarterfinal appearances in 1995 and 2000 and a Final Four trip in 2001. Only six other Division I schools have as many postseason appearances in that span, while Corrigan and Princeton’s Bill Tierney are the only two mentors in the country to have led their current teams to 10 NCAA tournaments since ’90. Corrigan’s teams have had 12 winning seasons, including 10 with nine or more victories. He has had at least one player earn All-America honors in each of the last 11 seasons for a total of 22 All-Americans since 1994. In addition, 79 players have garnered all-conference mention under Corrigan. The Irish also have claimed at least a share of 12 conference titles (9 Great Western Lacrosse League, 3 Great Lakes Conference), including five in a row. In a three-year playing career as a midfielder at Virginia, Corrigan helped the Cavaliers to the NCAA final in 1979. He previously was an assistant at Notre Dame in 1983 and served as head coach of Randolph-Macon College for two years (1985-86).
IRISH TO WELCOME NINE FOR NEXT SEASON: Irish men’s lacrosse head coach Kevin Corrigan announced recently that nine players will enroll at the University of Notre Dame in the fall and join his squad for the 2005 season. Next year’s freshman class will consist of D David Caperna (Fallston, Md./The Gilman School), M Taylor Clagett (Chesapeake Beach, Md./DeMatha Catholic H.S.), D Sean Dougherty (Malvern, Pa./Malvern Preparatory School), M Anson Fraser (Summit, N.J./Summit H.S.), G Joey Kemp (Potomac, Md./Georgetown Preparatory School), M Michael Podgajny (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley H.S.), A/M Sloan Smith (Concord, N.H./Phillips Exeter Academy), A Alex Wharton (Baltimore, Md./The Gilman School), and D Ross Zimmerman (Shelby Township, Mich./Brother Rice H.S.).
“As a group, this is a great class that really addresses our needs because it includes quality players at each position.” said head coach Kevin Corrigan. “At the same time, it builds on the athleticism highlighting our last couple of classes. We’re very excited about these additions to our program.”
More information on all the members of the Irish lacrosse class of 2008 can be found on Notre Dame’s official athletic website, www.und.com.
KEEPING UP WITH ND MEN’S LACROSSE: For the fastest results of Notre Dame men’s lacrosse games, call the Notre Dame Sports Hotline at (574) 631-3000 and choose #5 and #1. The hotline provides schedules and result information for all 26 varsity sports and serves as a supplement to the match recaps and weekly releases provided on the official athletic website, www.und.com. The hotline is the first medium updated with results of each Notre Dame men’s lacrosse match.
In addition, media members and fans may be added to the sports information e-mail release list by contacting sports information assistant Bo Rottenborn at Rottenborn.2@nd.edu. All requests for story ideas, interview access, match credentials, and further information on Irish men’s lacrosse should similarly be directed to Rottenborn. Credential and interview requests should be made at least 24 hours in advance.