Men's Lacrosse | 2/27/2015 12:30:00 PM

Robert Morris Colonials (0-3, 0-0 NEC) at High Point Panthers (2-3, 0-0 SoCon)
Saturday, February 28, 2015 / Vert Stadium – High Point, N.C. / 11:00 a.m.

Scouting High Point – High Point enters this weekend with an overall record of 2-3, having beaten Delaware and Sacred Heart at home. The Panthers have dropped games at home against No. 3 Duke, 16-13, and at No. 6 North Carolina, 15-9. Two weekends ago on Valentine's Day, HPU fell 12-11 to last year's Northeast Conference (NEC) regular season champion Saint Joseph's. Junior attack Dan Lomas has scored a team-high 17 goals this season, while classmate Matt Thistle paces the Panthers with 12 assists and 21 points. Redshirt senior Austin Geisler has seen all but four minutes in net for HPU, compiling a save percentage of .536 and a 11.76 goals against average.
 
Against the Panthers – Robert Morris has never faced High Point in program history. The Panthers are one of the youngest programs in NCAA Division I men's lacrosse, with only Boston University, Furman, Monmouth, NJIT, Richmond, and UMass Lowell starting teams more recently than HPU.


 
On Deck – Robert Morris comes home after two weeks on the road to take on Siena next Saturday. The Colonials defeated the Saints in overtime last season, 10-9. Alexander Bohl scored the walk-off winner 14 seconds into the extra frame after Sean Meagher won the faceoff.
 
Last Time Out – The Colonials dropped a heartbreaker to Detroit in overtime last weekend, 11-10. RMU held a first quarter lead and knotted it up at 10 all with 1:27 left in regulation, but was unable to come away with the victory. Carter Yepsen registered a hat trick in the loss, while Luke Laszkiewicz and Eric Rankel each tallied two goals. The Colonials outshot the Titans, 51-32, and held a 14-10 edge in faceoffs.
 
Adjusting Quickly – Eric Wales has been one of the most consistent Colonials on offense in this early season. His five assists are tied for the team lead, while his point total of seven is good for second best. The former Mercyhurst transfer has registered multiple points in all three games this season.
 
Perfect Power Play – Robert Morris went 4-4 on man-up opportunities this past Saturday against Detroit. The Colonials last were perfect with the extra-man on April 5, 2014 at Wagner (2-2), and last scored more than four man-up goals on March 22, 2014 against Jacksonville (6-8).
 
Preseason Predictions – Robert Morris was selected to finish fifth in the Northeast Conference this season, according to a poll of the league's head coaches. The Colonials have gained a reputation of outperforming its prediction, finishing second in 2013 and first in 2012 after being picked third in both preseason polls.
 
Terrific Trio – Robert Morris returns its top three scorers from a season ago in Eric Rankel, Luke Laszkiewicz, and James Rahe. The junior trio combined for 64 goals, 37 assists, and 101 points in 2014. Rankel (first) and Rahe (second) earned All-NEC honors, while Laszkiewicz made the All-NEC Rookie Team in 2013.
 
Brotherly Love – The Colonials have had a history of brothers playing together and this season is no different with three sets on the roster. The Gibsons (Leighton and Marshall), Wales (Eric and Mitchell), and Yepsens (Carter and Conner) make up the RMU family who are actually family. The last time the Colonials have not had a set of brothers on their roster was in the 2010 season.
 
Travelin' Men – Robert Morris is scheduled to play in eight different states this season, tying a school record set in its inaugural season of 2005 and in 2011. The Colonials will stay in the Keystone State for seven games with home contests and a trip to Philadelphia. RMU will also visit Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, and Rhode Island during the 2015 campaign.
 
New Faces – The Colonials welcome 16 freshmen and a junior college transfer to the program in 2015. In addition, RMU also will be guided by two new assistant coaches in Travis Harrington and Robert Marasti. Harrington is a 2012 graduate of Bryant and previously coached at Seton Hill. Marasti is an alumnus of the program, having played for the Colonials from 2008 to 2011.

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