Buckeye Men’s Lacrosse Team Opens 2006 Slate vs. No. 15 North Carolina – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/16/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
Feb. 16, 2006
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THE FACTS
The Ohio State men’s lacrosse team opens the 2006 season against No. 15 North Carolina at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Calvert Hall College High School in Baltimore, Md.
FROM CHC TO OSU
Three Buckeyes attended Calvert Hall College before coming to Ohio State – senior Ben Wolff, sophomore Kevin Buchanan and freshman Nick Carr.
IN THE POLLS
The Buckeyes were ranked 21st in the Inside Lacrosse/Face-Off Yearbook Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
In the Inside Lacrosse Media Poll released Monday, the Buckeyes were receiving votes.
North Carolina was rated 14th by the coaches and is 15th in the media ranking.
A QUICK LOOK BACK
The Buckeyes were 6-8 last season, including a 3-4 ledger at home and a 3-4 mark on the road. Ohio State finished fourth in the GWLL with a 2-3 record. The squad averaged 9.36 goals a game, while allowing 10.07.
THE OSU-UNC SERIES
The Tar Heels have won all 11 matchups with the Buckeyes. The teams last met on back-to-back weekends to close out the 2004 season. In the regular season, UNC posted a 12-6 victory over the Buckeyes May 8, 2004. The following week, Ohio State was sent back to Chapel Hill for the first round of the NCAA tournament. In that game, the Tar Heels posted a 13-6 victory over the Buckeyes, May 15, 2004. THE ACC
North Carolina is joined in the Atlantic Coast Conference by Duke, Maryland and Virginia. OSU’s last win over an ACC squad came vs. Duke, 16-9, April 3, 2004, in Columbus.
The Buckeyes, who lost to Duke last season in their only game vs. an ACC team, will host the Blue Devils April 1 in Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
OPEN IT UP
Ohio State and North Carolina also met in the Buckeyes’ season opener in the 2002 season. The tar Heels posted a 13-12 win in triple overtime Feb. 16, 2002, in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Ohio State is looking to stop a six-game losing streak in season openers and is 1-7 under head coach Joe Breschi in the first game of the season.
THE ALMA MATER
Ohio State head coach Joe Breschi, the Buckeyes’ all-time wins leader (65), played for North Carolina from 1987-90. He was a two-time All-ACC selection, as well as a first team All-American in 1990 and an honorable mention All-America selection in 1989. Breschi, UNC’s captain as a senior, was named to the prestigious Atlantic Coast Conference 50th Anniversary Men’s Lacrosse Team in 2002.
In addition, Breschi spent two seasons as an assistant coach at North Carolina. The squad captured two ACC titles and a national championship, posting a 28-3 record, during his tenure.
A LOOK AT THE TAR HEELS
North Carolina was 5-8 last season and finished fourth in the ACC with an 0-3 ledger. The squad returns five starters and 32 letterwinners from the 2005 roster. Among the top returnees are All-American defenseman Stephen McElduff and senior attackman Ryan Blair, who led the squad in scoring last year with 51 points, including 29 assists.
Last Saturday, the Tar Heels posted two exhibition wins, downing Washington & Lee, 12-2, and Rutgers, 11-3. Against the Scarlet Knights, Ryan Blair and Bart Wagner each had four goals.
John Haus, a 1983 graduate of North Carolina, is in his sixth year at the helm of the Tar Heels. He has a school record of 36-30 and in 11 years as a collegiate head coach, has a 103-58 ledger.
LEADING THE WAY
Five senior Buckeyes were selected by a vote of their teammates to serve as captains for the squad this season – midfielders Andrew Bender, Gary Bining and Jason Bloom, attackman Ben Wolff and defenseman Brian Yontz.
WHO’S BACK
The Buckeyes return 35-of-50 letterwinners from last season, including five of the Top 7 scorers and five starters.
Senior Ben Wolff had a team-best 24 goals and 27 points last season. Senior Andrew Bender was third on the team last year with 23 points and had a team-high 14 assists. Senior Craig Nolan was third on the team with 15 goals and fourth with 17 points. Senior Justin Doran (5-7-12) and sophomore Kevin Buchanan (6-4-10) also had double-digit points last season.
WELCOME
Quinnipiac has joined the Great Western Lacrosse League after Fairfield left to become a member of the ECAC.
The Buckeyes and Bobcats are joined in the GWLL by Air Force, Butler, Denver and Notre Dame.
UP NEXT
The Buckeyes will return to Maryland to take on No. 6 Navy at 7 p.m. Feb. 24 in Annapolis, Md.
THE OUTLOOK
The Ohio State men’s lacrosse team, which enters the 2006 campaign ranked 21st in the Faceoff Yearbook Preseason Coaches Poll, is looking to rebound after its first non-winning season in five years.
The squad, under ninth-year head coach Joe Breschi, shared the Great Western Lacrosse League title in 2003 and was the outright champion in 2004. With a strong core of returnees and a group of newcomers who will be counted on to contribute immediately, the Buckeyes feel they have a team to again compete for the league title and a spot in the NCAA tournament.
ON ATTACK
On attack, the Buckeyes look for senior Ben Wolff to continue where he left off last season. Wolff had a team-best 24 goals and 27 points last year and was the only Buckeye with at least one goal in each game. He enters the 2006 campaign on a 20-game point-scoring streak. Wolff will be joined on attack by Craig Nolan, who ended last season third on the team with 15 goals. Sophomore Kevin Buchanan, who played in all 14 games at midfield last season, starting 13, and recorded six goals and 10 points, has been moved to attack this year to add depth to the lineup.
Breschi expects newcomers Joel Dalgarno and Corey Bentine to have an immediate impact for the squad. Dalgarno (Port Coquitlam, British Columbia) played for Western Reserve Academy (Ohio) last season, earning first team All-Midwest honors and leading the team in scoring. Bentine, from Upper Arlington High School in Columbus, Ohio, scored 36 goals along with 34 assists in his career with the Golden Bears. As a senior, he earned All-America and first team all-state honors. Another Upper Arlington product, junior Ben Drake (10 gp, 1-0-1), also is expected to see action on attack after an outstanding fall season.
“With veteran leaders Wolff and Nolan returning and the addition of former midfielder Kevin Buchanan, the attack unit will certainly be a force in 2006,” Breschi said. “Newcomers Joel Dalgarno and Corey Bentine and junior Ben Drake will add depth, speed and finishing skills as they get comfortable in their roles on offense.”
IN THE MIDFIELD
In the offensive midfield, the Buckeyes look to be led by captain and 2005 All-GWLL second-team honoree senior Andrew Bender. Bender has not missed a game in his Buckeye career, playing in 44 games with 22-17-39 totals. Last season, he led the team with 14 assists and was third with 23 points.
Junior Jason Lutz ended last season with a goal in five of the last six games, giving him seven goals and eight points on the year. Senior Josh Wittenberg played in a career-best 13 games last season and recorded career highs of three goals and six points.
“The first midfield has solidified itself from day one,” Breschi said. “Josh, Andrew and Jason have quickly become a lethal and powerful unit that will be tough to stop this year for any defense.”
The group of senior captain Jason Bloom (10 gp, 1-4-5), senior captain Gary Bining, who had six goals (3 man-up) and nine points in 12 games last year, Jon DeCanio, who had eight goals in 11 games last season, and senior Justin Doran, who has moved from attack to midfield for this season after posting 5-7-12 totals in 11 starts and 13 games last season, are expected to be the leaders of the second midfield.
Sophomores Peter Schell (2 gp), Stephen McKinlay (9 gp, 2-0-2), Pat Calhoun (4 gp) and Mat Ballay (1 gp, 1-0-1) are expected to see time in the midfield for the Buckeyes.
“The veteran leadership of Bloom, Bining, Decanio and Doran will help guide some young guys (Schell, McKinlay, Calhoun and Ballay) on the second midfield unit this season,” Breschi said.
ON DEFENSE
At close defense, a trio of returning veterans is expected to guide the Buckeyes in their end of the field. Senior captain Brian Yontz, a 2005 Second Team All-GWLL selection who started all 14 games last season and was second on the team with 38 groundballs, will be joined by junior Jeff Schneider, a starter in all 14 games in 2005 who scooped up 27 groundballs, and junior Tim Pataki (12 gp/7 gs).
“Captain Brian Yontz will be a key ingredient to the success of the defense,” Breschi said. “His leadership will guide a very athletic group in Schneider, (Keith) Lovett, (Matt) Cornell, (Tim) Pataki, (Wes) Kemme and (Scott) Matthews.”
Two freshmen, Scott Matthews and Keith Lovett, had great fall seasons and should push for playing time in 2006. Matthews, a native of Nottingham, Md., and a Boys’ Latin product, was a first team all-metro and all-conference selection as a senior. Lovett, from Madison, N.J., and Madison High School, was an All-American and a first team all-state selection in 2005.
Sophomore Matt Cornell (5 gp) and junior Wes Kemme (4 gp), who both saw limited action last season, were solid in the fall and should compete for playing time during the 2006 campaign.
At longstick middie, sophomore Ricky Pages, who played in all 14 games as a freshman last year, is the top returnee. Sophomore Charlie Billingsley played in four games his rookie campaign and should push Pages for playing time.
Also looking to see action at the longstick middie position are senior Steven Tittl (3 GP) and true freshman Tim Pederson (Nyack, N.Y.) an honorable mention all-state recipient at Ridgewood High School.
“At midfield defense we will have an athletic group running the field,” Breschi said. “Sophomore long stick defenders Ricky Pages and Charlie Billingsley have solidified themselves as a terrific one-two punch. The most athletic defensive midfield unit we’ve ever had at Ohio State, led by Chris Li, Josh Funk, Chris Friel and faceoff midfielder Eric O’Brien will push transition all season.”
Junior Chris Li will be counted on to lead the Buckeyes at short-stick midfield this year after playing in 14 games last season. He will be joined by sophomores Josh Funk (11 gp, 0-1-1) and Chris Friel (2 gp), as well as junior Eric O’Brien who had four goals and five points in 14 games a year ago.
O’Brien returns as the Buckeyes’ top faceoff man after taking the majority of the team’s faceoffs in 2005, winning 54.4 percent (117-215). Redshirt-sophomore Jon Rydberg, who won 58-of-94 (61.7 percent) of his faceoffs last year, and freshman Nick Carr from Baltimore, Md., a standout on faceoffs at Calvert Hall College, also will take faceoffs for the Buckeyes.
“Juniors Eric O’Brien and Jon Rydberg will lead the charge at the faceoff X while Nick Carr catches up to game speed,” Breschi said. “This is the deepest faceoff unit we’ve had with three talented guys that can change the outcome of a game by how they perform at the X.”
IN NET
Three goalies will compete for the starting spot in the cage for the Buckeyes, with the goalie who plays the best earning the starting spot. The trio of redshirt junior Drew May, sophomore Bill Curry and freshman John Bolen will push each other throughout the 2006 season.. May played in three games last season, starting one, while Curry had two starts and played in six games. Bolen, a native of Potomac, Md., backstopped the Landon School squad to back-to-back conference titles and played in the state senior all-star game.
“The goalies will compete all preseason to determine the starter against North Carolina in the season opener,” Breschi said. “We feel comfortable with all three but certainly need one guy to seize the moment and take control of the defense for the season.”
THE SCHEDULE
Ohio State faces one of the toughest schedules in program history this season. The squad will take on five teams that played in the NCAA tournament last season. Of the 14 teams on the Buckeye schedule this season, seven teams are ranked in the 2006 preseason Top 25 and four others received votes in the poll.
“The schedule is the toughest we’ve had in years,” Breschi said. “The staff and players are excited about having six night games, as well as a number of great teams on the schedule. Each week will be demanding and our guys must be focused and prepared for each opponent.”
The Buckeyes will play their first three games away from home, taking on preseason No. 14 North Carolina in the season opener Feb. 18 in Baltimore, followed by a night game at No. 7 Navy Feb. 25 and a neutral-site matchup with Hobart in Hershey Park, Pa., the following week. The squad then has seven of its next nine games in Columbus. Ohio State opens its home slate against No. 13 Penn State March 11 before a home night game with 2005 NCAA tournament participant Marist March 13.
A trip to new GWLL member Quinnipiac (who replaced Fairfield in the conference) follows March 18 before two more home games vs. Brown March 25 and No. 2 Duke April 1. A trip to Robert Morris April 8 precedes three consecutive home conference games, with OSU hosting Butler April 14, No. 22 Denver April 21 and Air Force April 23.
The Buckeyes wrap up conference action on the road at No. 12 Notre Dame April 29 and close out the regular season at No. 15 Army May 6 in a game televised live on ESPNU.
