Men's Lacrosse | 3/29/2018 8:58:00 PM
MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- The No. 13/14
Robert Morris men's lacrosse team hosts the Bulldogs of Bryant University Friday in the first of two night games scheduled at Joe Walton Stadium this regular season. The opening faceoff is set for 7:00 p.m. EDT, and admission is free.
#13/14 Robert Morris vs. Bryant - Mar. 30
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The Colonials (6-2, 2-0) are coming off their fifth consecutive win, a dominant 15-5 decision over another NEC rival, Mount St. Mary's, in Emmitsburg, Maryland last Saturday. It prolonged their second-longest winning streak ever under
Andrew McMinn and tied them for the best eight-game start in team history.
Robert Morris scored six unanswered goals in the first quarter en route to their latest victory, and it finished the game on a 7-0 run, giving RMU seven of the last eight meetings with the Mountaineers.
On Friday the Colonials seek their second straight 3-0 start in conference play and their third all-time with McMinn as head coach.
SCOUTING BRYANT
The Bulldogs (4-5, 2-0), who made the NCAA Tournament last season as the Northeast Conference Tournament champions, have beaten the same two teams as Robert Morris--Mount St. Mary's and Sacred Heart--to share the NEC lead with the Colonials.
Bryant shut out the Pioneers in the last 33:34 of their 16-7 win in Fairfield, Connecticut Mar. 24, scoring the last 11 goals. Marc O'Rourke led the team with five, adding six ground balls, and the freshman attackman, who ranks third in the conference with 22 goals, jointly won NEC Player and Rookie of the Week for the second week in a row.
Graduate student and faceoff specialist Kenny Massa is one player with whom the Colonials should be familiar already; he went 14-for-17 from the X when these teams met in the NEC Semifinal May 4, 2017 in Geneva, New York. Massa ranks fourth nationally with his .700 win percentage, and he averages 12.22 ground balls per game, third-most in D-I.
AGAINST THE BULLDOGS
Robert Morris is seeking its first win over Bryant since Apr. 28, 2012. Junior attackman
Jake Hayes, who would go on to a professional stint with the NLL's Calgary Roughnecks, led RMU with three goals, three assists and two ground balls. Senior midfielder Kyle Buchanan matched his six points, including five helpers, also adding two ground balls, and senior FOGO Mike Grosz was 15-for-29 (.517) from the X with 12 GB's, and he, too, chipped in a goal.
That victory gave the Colonials a six-game winning streak at the time, en route to the first regular-season Northeast Conference title in program history, which, in turn, helped
Andrew McMinn get NEC Coach of the Year honors in his first season in charge.
Furthermore, it was the third victory in team history over a ranked opponent, and McMinn's second as head coach. A win by RMU on Friday would equal that six-game winning streak, which remains its longest of the McMinn era.
Poll City
The Colonials are No. 13 in the USILA Coaches' Poll, their highest ranking ever in a major national poll. The previous high for Robert Morris was its No. 14 stead in the Maverik Media Poll published by Inside Lacrosse Magazine, which it has held onto for two weeks in a row.
Night Moves
RMU is trying to go 3-0 in night games at home.
Jake Hayes, the hero of its last win over Bryant, led the Colonials with four goals and six points in an 15-11 win over Canisius Mar. 27, 2012 in their first one ever.
Tyson Gibson, who scored twice against Bryant in last year's NEC Tournament, had six points (2 G, 4 A) versus the Golden Griffins in a 12-7 win Apr. 18, 2017.
Somebody Save Me
Alex Heger helped the Colonials tie a team record for fewest goals allowed to a current D-I team at Marquette Mar. 10 (last: 10-2 at Wagner Feb. 24, 2008). He earned NEC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this year and fourth in his career with his season-high 19 saves last Saturday, including a scoreless final 27:01. Heger is among the NCAA top ten in GAA (7.83; 7th) and save percentage (.610; 4th), as well as saves per game (12.13; t-7th).
An EMO Band
RMU has scored 14 goals on extra-man opportunities, including 12 in its last four wins. Mar. 3 was the first time since Feb. 21, 2015 at Detroit the Colonials had four or more in one game, and on Mar. 17 they did it twice in the same year for the first time since 2013.
Matt Schmidt is tied for second in D-I with seven of his team-leading 20 goals on extra-man opportunities.
Do You Smell What The Rok Is Cooking?
Adrian Torok-Orban recorded his tenth career hat trick Mar. 24. He leads active Colonials with 77 career goals, including two Apr. 22, 2017 at Bryant, their last regular-season meeting.
Afternoon "D"-Light
After their win at Mount St. Mary's the Colonials cracked the national top ten in every major defensive category. Their .840 success rate in man-down situations ranks third, as do their 10.00 caused turnovers per game. Robert Morris ranks sixth in D-I in saves per game (12.50) and seventh in total scoring defense, allowing an average of just 8.13 goals per contest.
Schmidt Happens
Bolstered by team scoring leader
Matt Schmidt, RMU ranks tenth nationally with 12.50 goals per game and leads the NEC with 7.50 assists per game. Schmidt led the Colonials with five points last Saturday (3 G, 2 A) and has registered multiple goals in his last seven outings.
Give It Away, Give It Away, Give It Away Now
Zac Christianson, who caused three turnovers last Saturday, became just the fifth player in program history to record 50 CT's all-time.
Zachary Bryant, who leads the Colonials with 18 caused turnovers, became the fourth to hit that career mark versus High Point Mar. 3.
Take Me To Your Leader
Justin Mayfield and
Marshall Gibson captain RMU again this year, while
Sean Doyle and
Leighton Gibson round out its 2018 leadership group. Mayfield had a goal and an assist at the Mount Mar. 24, and he was one of four to score his first goal of the year at Marquette Mar. 10.
Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?
RMU has had a set of brothers on its roster every year since 2010. Besides the Gibsons, the Yepsens (Carter and Conner) and Sturgises (Will and David) make up the RMU family who are literal family. Meanwhile, Eric Wales '16 is the older brother of
Mitchell Wales, and
Corson Kealey is the younger brother of 2014 All-NEC Rookie Team standout JonPatrik "JP" Kealey.
Corson Kealey is on a seven-game goal streak, including the game-winner over SHU Mar. 17.
From Bobby Mo To Pro
Since 2016, 12 Colonials have played in the National Lacrosse League (NLL). JP Kealey became the 20th drafted into the indoor circuit since 2005, scoring his first pro goal for the New England Black Wolves Dec. 23, 2017. Kyle Buchanan, a 2012 First Team All-NEC selection, has 11 goals and 30 points in 12 games for New England this season.
Flashback Friday
On Feb. 2 Kiel Matisz became the first men's lacrosse player inducted into the Robert Morris Athletics Hall of Fame. "Moose," a former All-American and NEC Player of the Year now with the NLL champion Georgia Swarm, ranks third in program history with 166 career points (94 G, 72 A). Matisz scored two goals and had four GB's the last time the Colonials beat Bryant.
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