Men's Lacrosse | 3/20/2015 11:34:00 AM

Robert Morris Colonials (1-5, 0-0 NEC) @ Sacred Heart Pioneers (3-2, 0-0 NEC)
Saturday, March 21, 2015 / Campus Field – Fairfield, Conn. / 1:00 p.m.

Scouting Sacred Heart – The Pioneers were picked to finish fourth in the league by the coaches, but come into this matchup with the best overall record among their NEC foes at 3-2. Junior midfielder Alex Dodge leads Sacred Heart with 11 goals and 20 points, while senior Ian Farley and sophomore Brian Masi each have tallied 11 points. Sophomore long-stick midfielder Ryan O'Donoghue has caused eight turnovers defensively. At the dot, freshman Mike Calvagna has won 71 of 124 draws. Senior goaltender Jon Flood has played every minute between the pipes, compiling a goals against average of 12.20 and .492 save percentage.
 
Against the Pioneers – Robert Morris has played Sacred Heart in every year of its existence - the only opponent to claim that distinction. The Pioneers hold a 6-4 edge in the all-time series, thanks to two consecutive wins.
 
On Deck – Robert Morris has a short turnaround from here as it returns home to host No. 8 Maryland on Tuesday. The Colonials and Terrapins played last year in College Park as the latter earned a 19-6 win. This will be RMU's first non-conference home game against a Top 10 foe since April 17, 2010 against No. 3 North Carolina.
 
Last Time Out – The Colonials took a 9-8 lead over Jacksonville into the halftime break last Wednesday, but the Dolphins used a 7-2 third quarter to pull out an 18-13 victory. Eric Rankel scored twice and dished out four assists, while fellow midfielder Carter Yepsen added four points (2g, 2a) in the defeat.
 
Can't Be Stopped – Eric Rankel is on one of the best individual two-game stretches in program history as he has tallied 13 points in the last two contests. Rankel came a goal shy of tying the program single-game record with six tallies against Siena and registered seven points overall. Last Wednesday the junior served as a faciliator, dishing out a career-high four assists to go along with two goals.
 
Blistering Power Play – Robert Morris has been dangerous on man-up chances so far this season, capitalizing on half of its 16 opportunities. The .500 conversion rate is tops in the NEC and ranks 11th nationally.
 
Hey Mr. Carter – After earning NEC Rookie of the Week honors last week following a four-point performance (1g, 3a), Carter Yepsen registered another four points (2g, 2a) against Jacksonville last Wednesday. Yepsen has nine goals and 14 points in his first six games, comparing favorably to the opening six contests of JonPatrik Kealey's career (10g, 2a), who earned All-NEC Rookie Team honors last season.
 
Rahe's Hot Start – James Rahe leads the Colonials with 11 assists and 20 points this season, and has registered multiple points in all six contests. The junior is second in the league in points per game (3.33) and assists per contest (1.83), and leads the latter in total value.
 
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.

Tweet #ColonialPride