OSU Men’s Lacrosse Celebrates Senior Day Against Army Sunday in Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/4/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
May 4, 2007
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
THE FACTS
The Ohio State men’s lacrosse team (8-5, 4-1 GWLL) closes out the regular season against Army (6-8, 3-3 Patriot League) at noon Sunday in Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus.
Live stats for the game will be available online on the men’s lacrosse schedule page at ohiostatebuckeyes.com
Ohio.FM, the Ohio State Student Internet Radio, will broadcast the game on-line at ohiostatesports.com.
THANKS FOR THE YEARS
The 12-member Buckeye senior class will be honored in a pregame ceremony Sunday. The group has been a part of 33 wins over the last four years, including the 2004 GWLL outright title.
The class includes – Joe Benson (Baltimore, Md.), Jon Blashford (Carlisle, Pa.), Jeff Buck (Burke, Va.), Jon DeCanio (Clifton, Va.), Ben Drake (Columbus, Ohio), Wes Kemme (Columbus, Ohio), captain Chris Li (Dix Hills, N.Y.), captain Jason Lutz (Carlisle, Pa.), Eric O’Brien (Powell, Ohio), Tim Pataki (Baltimore, Md.), Jon Rydberg (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Jeff Schneider (Dublin, Ohio).
LAST TIME OUT
The Buckeyes lost to then-No. 10 Notre Dame, 12-6, last Saturday at home in Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Buckeye senior Joe Benson led the squad with a career-high three goals, while junior Kevin Buchanan had three points, including two assists. Junior Stefan Schroder had 15 saves in the cage for the Buckeyes.
A BUCKEYE TEAM SNAPSHOT
The Buckeyes are 8-5 on the year, with a 3-2 ledger in Columbus, a 4-2 record in road games and a 1-1 mark in neutral-site contests.
Ohio State is 13th nationally in both scoring offense (10.85) and scoring defense (7.85). The Buckeyes rank first in the NCAA in man-down defense, stopping 82.8 percent of their opponents’ chances. The squad is eighth in face-off win percentage (.593), ninth in scoring margin (+3.00), 20th in team winning percentage (.615) and 29th in man-up offense (.292).
THE BUCKEYE INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Sophomore Joel Dalgarno and junior Kevin Buchanan share the team scoring lead with 44 points, a career-best mark for each player. Buchanan leads the team with 24 assists, while sophomore Jeff Ryan is first on the team with 26 goals. Dalgarno ranks second in both goals (24) and assists (20). Senior Joe Benson has a Buckeye-best six man-up goals.
Senior Eric O’Brien has won 60.7 percent of his faceoffs this season and is first on the team with 63 groundballs.
Senior goalie Stefan Schroder has started all 13 games in the cage for the Buckeyes, with an 8.33 goals-against average and .563 save percentage.
Joe Breschi, a 1990 graduate of North Carolina, is in his 10th year at the helm of the Buckeyes. He has a school and career ledger of 80-57 and is the all-time leader in coaching wins at Ohio State.
BUCKEYES VS. BLACK KNIGHTS
Ohio State and Army have met three times in the last five years and in series history, with the Buckeyes posting wins in all three contests.
The first meeting was March 23, 2002, a 14-13 OSU win in West Point, N.Y. Ohio State won at home, 11-8, March 22, 2003.
Last season, the Buckeyes posted a 12-9 win over the Black Knights on the road May 6, 2006.
A LOOK AT ARMY
Army is 6-8 on the year and coming off a loss to Navy in the semifinals of the Patriot League tournament last Friday. The Black Knights lost at Rutgers, 10-9, Wednesday to extend their losing streak to seven.
The Black Knights entered the week sixth nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 6.92 goals a game. Army averages 6.43 goals a game.
Justin Bokmeyer is first for Army with 18 goals, 10 assists and 28 points. Brooks Korvin is second with 17 goals and 23 points. Three other Black Knights have hit double-digits in goals – Jason Peyer has 12, followed by Kevin LoRusso and Ryan Chase with 11 each.
Adam Fullerton, the 2007 Patriot League Goalie of the Year, entered the week is seventh nationally in goals-against average (7.02) and fifth in save percentage (.613).
Joe Alberici, a 1991 graduate of Alfred, is in his second year as the head coach at Army and has compiled a 16-15 ledger. He also spent one year as the head coach at SUNY-Oneonta and has a career ledger of 22-21.
OHIO STATE AND THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
Army is a member of the Patriot League. The Buckeyes have a record of 5-7 against the current members of the Patriot League: 4-0 vs. Army, 1-3 vs. Navy, 0-1 vs. Colgate and 0-3 vs. Bucknell. Ohio State has never played Holy Cross, Lehigh or Lafayette.
Ohio State lost at home to PL member Bucknell, 7-6, earlier this season.
IN THE GWLL
Notre Dame’s win over Ohio State last Saturday gave the Irish the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA tournament and at least a share of the conference title.
The Buckeyes can finish no lower than second in the conference with a 4-1 mark in league play. Notre Dame (4-0 GWLL) travels to Quinnipiac Saturday for its final league contest. A ND win would give the Irish the outright title, while a QU victory would drop the Irish to 4-1 this season, making Ohio State and Notre Dame co-champions.
MAN-DOWN DOMINANCE
The Buckeyes rank first nationally in man-down defense, stopping their opponents on 82.8 percent of their chances, allowing just 10 goals on 58 chances.
The Buckeyes were a perfect 8-for-8 in man-down situations against Bellarmine April 7.
THREE FOR 40
Buckeye senior Joe Benson, a transfer from Johns Hopkins, had a team-high three goals against Notre Dame last Saturday, marking a career high as a Buckeye. It was the third hat trick of his collegiate career, as he posted two goals against Hofstra and vs. Marist in the NCAA tournament while playing for the Blue Jays.
Benson, who has a team-best six extra-man tallies this season, also has three two-goal games this season.
THE HAT TRICK CLUB
Buckeye senior Joe Benson was the eighth Buckeye to record at least three goals in a game this season with a hat trick vs. Notre Dame Saturday.
Sophomore Jeff Ryan has a team-high five games with three or more goals, with one four-goal outing and four hat tricks.
Sophomore Joel Dalgarno has three hat tricks and a four-goal outing.
Junior Kevin Buchanan has a four-goal game. Senior Jason Lutz and freshmen Mario Ventiquattro, James Green and Patrick Hansen all have posted hat tricks this season.
A TEAM EFFORT
The Buckeyes have assists on 24 of the 26 goals scored over the last three games. The squad had assists on all 10 goals at Air Force, on 9-of-10 at Denver and on 5-of-6 scores vs. Notre Dame Saturday. On the year, the Buckeyes have 94 assists on 141 goals (66.7 percent).
WITH THE NATION’S BEST
Buckeye junior Kevin Buchanan ranks ninth nationally in assists per game (1.85) and he and sophomore Joel Dalgarno are 19th in the nation in points per game (3.38).
Senior Eric O’Brien is 10th nationally in face-off winning percentage (.563) and is 18th in groundballs per game (4.85).
LEAGUE LEADERS
Kevin Buchanan leads the GWLL in assists per outing, while he and Joel Dalgarno are tied for second in points per game. Jeff Ryan is third in goals per game (2.0) and Dalgarno is fourth in assists per outing (1.54).
Buckeye senior Eric O’Brien is first in the GWLL in face-off win percentage, winning 60.7 percent of his draws this season. He is second in groundballs per game, with 4.85 a contest.
Goalie Stefan Schroder is second in the GWLL in both goals-against average (8.33) and save percentage (.563).
DEFENSE!
The Buckeyes have held opponents to fewer than 10 goals in 9-of-13 games this season, including four of the last five. The squad is 7-1 in those games, with the lone loss coming against Bucknell, 7-6.
The Buckeyes allow 7.85 goals a game to rank 13th in the country and second in the league in team defense.
THE ROOKS MAKE AN IMPACT
This season, five Buckeye freshmen have etched their name on the scoresheet. James Green leads his classmates with nine goals and 11 points, while Mario Ventiquattro is second with seven goals and 10 points. Patrick Hansen has three goals and four points, while Ryan Lowe has chipped in three points, including two assists, and Paul Beery has a goal.
Green has started six games for the Buckeyes. Lowe and Ventiquattro each have started four contests. Defender Scott Foreman has made two starts.
IMMEDIATE IMPACT
In addition to the freshmen making immediate impacts for the Buckeyes this season, a number of other newcomers have helped the squad along the way.
Sophomore Jeff Ryan, a transfer from Hobart, has a team-best 26 goals and is third with 36 points. He has multiple points in all but one game this year.
Joe Benson came to Ohio State after earning his degree and playing for Johns Hopkins the last four years (missing 2006 with a medical redshirt). He has a Buckeye-best six man-up goals, and had a season-best three goals against Notre Dame last week.
Junior Stefan Schroder, who transferred to Ohio State after winning a national title at Onondaga Community College, has started all 13 games in net for the Buckeyes. He is among the league leaders in both goals-against average and save percentage.
WINNING AT THE X
Senior Eric O’Brien has won a career-high 60.7 percent of his draws this season, winning 139-of-229 faceoffs. He won 10-of-17 draws vs. Notre Dame last weekend.
O’Brien had a league-high 10 groundballs vs. North Carolina earlier this season.
HAVE A GAME
Kevin Buchanan had six assists in the Buckeyes’ win over Harvard Feb. 25 to rank third (tied) in the NCAA for assists in a single game this year. It was a career-high mark and the most for a Buckeye in a game since current assistant coach Anthony Gilardi had five helpers April 23, 2004.
Sophomore Joel Dalgarno had a career-best five assists and eight points against Quinnipiac. His eight points bested his previous high of five, set three times before, including at Towson March 20. His previous high for assists in a game was four, set against Robert Morris last season.
Dalgarno’s eight-point outing is tied for the sixth-best performance in the NCAA this season and is tied for the highest point total among GWLL players. The eight points were the most for a Buckeye since Buchanan’s eight-point game vs. Air Force April 23, 2006.
CAREER YEARS
Junior Kevin Buchanan has a career-high 24 assists and 44 points this season, breaking the marks of 20 helpers and 41 points he set a year ago.
Sophomore Joel Dalgarno has set career highs for assists (20) and points (44). He had 17 assists and tied Buchanan for the team point lead a year ago.
The 44 points posted by Buchanan and Dalgarno are the most for a Buckeye since Curtis Smith led the team with 54 in 2004.
Senior Ben Drake has a career-best five goals, seven assists and 12 points, after recording one goal in his first three years with the team. Junior Chris Friel has a career-high two goals, the first two markers of his career. Senior Josh Funk has posted highs in assists (3) and points (5).
SAVE!
Junior goalie Stefan Schroder had a career-best 19 saves in the Buckeyes’ win at Bellarmine April 7. The total is the second-highest (tied) in the league this season. He had 15 against Notre Dame, his second-highest save total this season. Schroder has more than 10 saves in eight games this year.
STREAKERS
Junior Kevin Buchanan enters the game vs. Army on a 28-game point streak that began with two games remaining in the 2005 season (May 1, 2005 vs. Fairfield). He scored at least one goal in each of the first two games of the season before he was held to just two assists vs. Wagner to end his goal-scoring streak at 13, dating back to March 4, 2006 vs. Hobart.
Sophomore Joel Dalgarno is on a 26-game point streak that began in the first game last season (his first game as a Buckeye). With a single assist at Denver April 22, Dalgarno had his streak of multiple-point games ended at 23.
Buchanan’s current streak is the seventh (tied) longest streak nationally entering the weekend. Dalgarno’s stretch is 11th (tied) in the nation.
STREAKERS PART TWO
The following are the scoring streaks the Buckeyes bring into the game vs. Army.
Goals Games Goals During Streak Buchanan 816 Drake 3 3 Lutz 3 5 Assists Games Assists DuringStreak Buchanan 6 8 Ryan 3 5 Ventiquattro 3 3 PointsGames G-A-P During Streak Buchanan 28 (began 5/1/05)48-39-87 Dalgarno 26 (began 2/18/06) 48-37-85 Ryan 13 26-10-36 Lutz6 9-4-13 Ventiquattro 5 7-3-10 Drake 4 3-6-9
ONE MORE STREAKER
Jeff Ryan has at least one point in all 13 games this year and multiple points in 12 outings. He opened the year with three goals and season-best five points and has had two four-point games, along with four three-point outings. He had his streak of games with two or more goals ended against Notre Dame, when he was held to two assists.
Ryan leads the Buckeyes with 26 goals this season, matching the total Kevin Buchanan had to lead the squad last season. As a freshman at Hobart last year, Ryan had 13 points, including seven goals, in 14 games.
EMO MEN
Senior Joe Benson scored two extra-man goals on two shots at Air Force April 20. He now has six EMO goals this season, tying for the most by a Buckeye in the last seven years. Tom Randisi also had six man-up tallies in 2004.
Sophomore Joel Dalgarno is second on the squad this year with a career-high five man-up goals.
IN CONFERENCE PLAY
Sophomore Joel Dalgarno led the Buckeyes with 11 assists and 17 points in GWLL play. Junior Kevin Buchanan had a team-high 10 goals in league play, followed by sophomore Jeff Ryan with nine.
Senior Eric O’Brien is first on the team with 22 groundballs in GWLL action on the year.
THEY COME FROM EVERYWHERE
There are players from 11 states and one Canadian province on the 2007 Ohio State roster – Maryland (10), New York (10), Ohio (8), Pennsylvania (3), New Jersey (3), British Columbia (2), Connecticut (2), New Hampshire (2), Virginia (2), Colorado (1), Michigan (1) and Texas (1).
CHIPPING IN
Twenty-five Buckeyes have at least one goal on the year, 18 have at least one assist and 25 have at least one point.
SHARP SHOOTERS
The Buckeyes have converted 32.8 percent of their shots this season, while holding opponents to a 24.9 percent success rate.
SUPPORT THE TROOPS
This season, the Ohio State men’s lacrosse team has joined with America Supporting Americans (www.asa-usa.org) to sponsor the infantrymen of B Company of the first battalion in the 506th infantry unit of the 101st Airborne. The team had a special guest for its contest with Bucknell March 3, as CPT John McLaughlin, the former commander of the unit, joined the team for breakfast and was on the sideline during the game.
The team has been sending care packages including books, magazines, Ohio State apparel and boxes of Gatorade drink mix, to the infantrymen of the unit made famous by the Battle of the Bulge during World War II and depicted in the HBO television series “Band of Brothers.” Because of the unit, the Ohio State team has adopted “Band of Brothers” as its team motto this season.
America Supporting Americans (ASA) is an organization that puts people in contact with soldiers serving overseas. The ASA has been bringing together people on the home front and soldiers overseas since the Vietnam War.
FIRSTS
James Green had his first career assists in the win at AirForce. Corey Bentine and Mario Ventiquattro each had the firsthelper of their Buckeye careers against the Falcons. Freshman RyanLowe scored his first career goal against Bellarmine. Senior ChrisLi scored against Quinnipiac, marking the first tally of hiscareer. The score came in his 44th game for the Scarlet and Gray.Ventiquattro’s goal against Quinnipiac was the first of his Buckeyecareer and came in his second game for Ohio State. The goal wasscored on his first shot on goal as a Buckeye. He made his firststart at Bellarmine. Senior Jeff Buck tallied against Quinnipiac,marking his first goal and point this year and the second tally ofhis career. Junior Peter Schell tallied his first goal of the yearvs. Quinnipiac. Sophomore Brian Lalley had the first goal, assistand points of his career in the win over Penn State.Lalley startedthe game vs. Wagner, marking his first career start. Senior BenDrake started his first career game against Bucknell. AgainstWagner, Patrick Hansen, Andrew Pace and Paul Beery each scored thefirst goal of their Buckeye careers. Ryan Lowe had an assist vs.the Seahawks for his first career point. Ben Drake had two pointsvs. Harvard, on a goal and an assist, for the first multiple-pointgame of his career. Freshman James Green scored against NorthCarolina to mark the first goal of his Buckeye career. It came inhis second career game. Against Robert Morris, sophomore CoreyBentine had a goal, marking the first point of his Buckeye career.Sophomore Doug Ruhnke had two goals and an assist vs. the Colonialsfor his first points as a Buckeye. Junior Chris Friel tallied hisfirst career goal vs. RMU. Sophomore transfer Jeff Ryan (3g, 2a,5p) and senior transfer Joe Benson (1a) also had their first pointsas Buckeyes in the game against Robert Morris.
VENTIQUATTRO HONORED
Buckeye freshman Mario Ventiquattro was named the Great Western Lacrosse League Player of the Week for the week of April 16-22. The rookie helped the Buckeyes to two league road wins, as Ohio State won at Air Force, 10-6, April 20 and at Denver, 10-9 in overtime, April 22 to remain undefeated in the GWLL.
Ventiquattro, from Carthage, N.Y. (Carthage Central), had four goals and two assists for six points in the two wins combined. Against the Air Force Falcons Friday, Ventiquattro had a goal and an assist, including the first helper of his Buckeye career. He had his first hat trick and added an assist for his first four-point game for the Scarlet and Gray in Ohio State’s overtime win at Denver Sunday, including the overtime winner with 11 seconds left on the clock in the OT period.
Ventiquattro is the fourth Buckeye to earn league player of the week honors this year, joining Kevin Buchanan (Feb. 28), Jason Lutz (March 14) and Joel Dalgarno (April 4).
HONORED
Ohio State junior midfielder Kevin Buchanan was named the Great Western Lacrosse League Player of the Week for the week of Feb. 19-25. It is the second player of the week award in his career. Buchanan, from Cockeysville, Md., (Calvert Hall) had a game-high six assists and seven points in the Buckeyes’ 13-4 win over Harvard. The six assists were a career best, while the seven points were one shy of his career high. He had four assists and eight points at Air Force April 23, 2006 to set his previous career highs.
LUTZ EARNS GWLL HONORS
Senior midfielder Jason Lutz was named the Great Western Lacrosse League Player of the Week for the week of March 5-11.
Lutz, a native of Carlisle, Pa., (Carlisle H.S.), had a career-high three goals and four points in the Buckeyes’ come-from-behind 10-8 win over Penn State March 10. He scored twice in 15 seconds late in the first quarter to cut the Nittany Lions’ lead to two and added a goal early in the third quarter to tie the game for the first time.
FORMER BUCKEYE Anthony Kelly NAMED TO U.S. NATIONAL TEAM
Former Buckeye Anthony Kelly (2000-03) has been named to the 33-man roster for the upcoming World Indoor Lacrosse Championships, U.S. Indoor Lacrosse announced.
The U.S. roster will be divided into a 23-man active roster and a 10-player reserve list shortly before the tournament. The 2007 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship will take place May 14-20 at the Halifax Metro Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Eight nations will compete in the 2007 Championship – USA, Canada, Australia, England, Ireland, Czech Republic, Scotland, and the Iroquois Nationals. For more information, please visit www.usindoorlacrosse.org.
Kelly currently plays for the New York Titans in the National Lacrosse League. He also is a member of the Los Angeles Riptide in Major League Lacrosse.
BUCKEYES EARN PRESEASON HONORS
Longstick midfielder Ricky Pages was a preseason honorable mention All-America selection and junior attackman Kevin Buchanan joined Pages on the Preseason All-Great Western Lacrosse League team, released by Inside Lacrosse/Face-Off Yearbook for the 2007 season.
Pages, a native of East Rockaway, N.Y., (Lynbrook), was a first team All-GWLL choice last season and co-winner of the Buckeyes’ team defensive MVP award. He played in all 13 games and scored one goal while ranking second on the team with 33 groundballs. In 2005, Pages shared Ohio State’s Outstanding Freshman honor.
Buchanan, from Cockeysville, Md., (Calvert Hall College), was a first team all-conference selection and the Buckeyes’ Offensive MVP last season when he had a team-best 26 goals and tied for the team lead with a career-best 41 points. He had at least one point in every game and at least one goal in each of his last 11 outings. Buchanan, who has started 26-of-27 games for the Buckeyes, is a two-time Ohio State Scholar-Athlete and shared the team’s Outstanding Freshman award with Pages in 2005.
LEADERS OF THE PACK
Senior midfielders Chris Li and Jason Lutz were selected by their teammates as team captains for the 2007 season.
Li, from Dix Hills, N.Y., (Half Hollow Hills East H.S.), has played in 45 games for the Buckeyes. He was limited to just nine games in 2006 because of injury after playing in all 14 games in 2005. He was the co-winner of the team’s Unsung Hero Award in 2006.
Lutz, a native of Carlisle, Pa., (Carlisle H.S.), has played in 51 games for the Buckeyes and has 29 goals, 15 assists and 44 points in his career. He is a two-time Ohio State Scholar-Athlete and an Academic All-Big Ten selection. He started 12-of-13 games last season posting career highs in goals (8), assists (6) and points (14).
UP NEXT
The Buckeyes’ game against Army closes out the regular season for the squad. The 16-team NCAA tournament bracket will be announced live on ESPNU between 9-10 p.m. ET Sunday.
