Men's Lacrosse | 3/10/2015 11:45:00 AM

Robert Morris Colonials (1-4, 0-0 NEC) @ Jacksonville Dolphins (2-2, 0-0 A-Sun)
Wednesday, March 11, 2015 / D.B. Milne Field – Jacksonville, Fla. / 1:00 p.m.

Scouting Jacksonville – The Dolphins, currently in the midst of a four-game stretch spanning just 11 days, enter this meeting with an overall record of 2-2. Junior attack Tom Moore leads Jacksonville in assists and points with 10 and 19, respectively, while his goal total (9) is tied with sophomore attack Chase McIntyre for the team lead. Sophomore midfielder Jet Harding has collected a team-high 18 groundballs, while defensemen Austin Curtis and E.J. Thurmond have combined to force nine turnovers. At the dot, junior Pat Ryan (24-41) and sophomore Sam Rosengarden (33-59) have combined to win 57 percent of their draws. Junior goaltender Bass Barfield has started all four games between the pipes, posting a 13.28 goals against average and a save percentage of .485.
 
Against the Dolphins – Robert Morris has played Jacksonville four times in its history, coming out on top in each game. The Colonials knocked off the Dolphins last season, 13-9, behind four-goal performances from James Rahe and Luke Laszkiewicz. The two then-sophomores joined Tyler Digby in 2013 and Patrick Smith in 2010 as players who have recorded four goals in a game against Jacksonville.


 
On Deck – Robert Morris opens up Northeast Conference (NEC) play next Saturday as it travels to the Nutmeg State to take on Sacred Heart. The Pioneers were tabbed to finish fourth in the league according to the preseason coaches' poll, one spot ahead of the Colonials. SHU defeated RMU in Moon Township last season, 9-7.
 
Last Time Out – The Colonials picked up their first win of the season this past Saturday by topping Siena, 12-10. RMU received a six-goal performance from Eric Rankel as well as two tallies each from James Rahe and Luke Laszkiewicz. It was the Colonials' second straight win over a Saints team that had made the NCAA Tournament a season ago.
 
Rankel Ranked High – Eric Rankel came one goal shy of tying the program single-game record with six tallies against Siena this past Saturday. The junior added an assist in the game to eclipse his career-high in points with seven and garnered NEC Player of the Week honors with the performance. Rankel has scored 11 goals this season and leads the league in tallies per contest with a mark of 2.40.
 
Blistering Power Play – After struggling in the first two games on man-up opportunities, Robert Morris is starting to catch fire as it has scored on seven of its last eight chances. This run has pushed the Colonials' man-up conversion rate to .533, which is the best in the conference and eighth-best nationally.
 
Hey Mr. Carter – Carter Yepsen earned NEC Rookie of the Week honors after collecting four points (1g, 3a) in the Colonials' win over Siena this past Saturday. Yepsen has seven goals and 10 points in his first five career games, both of which tie him for second among conference freshmen.
 
Rahe's Hot Start – James Rahe leads the Colonials with eight assists and 17 points this season, and has registered multiple points in all five contests. The junior leads the conference in points per game (3.40) and is tied for second in assists per contest (1.60).
 
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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