MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The RMU and Cleveland State lacrosse teams will meet this Saturday, March 21, at Krenzler Field for a 2 p.m. NEC matchup streaming on ESPN+. Both programs enter the contest with 1–0 conference records, with RMU riding a five-game winning streak and the Vikings seeking their fourth straight victory.
 
RMU LATELY
RMU (6–3, 1–0 NEC) has won five consecutive games dating back to February 20, most recently defeating Detroit Mercy 11–6 in their NEC opener. The team's offense ranks second in the NEC with 88 goals, led by Dylan Anderson, who sits fourth in the league with 24 points and recently earned his third NEC Rookie of the Week honor. Defensively, Owen Tapper leads the NEC in caused turnovers per game (2.56), while goalkeeper Nate Fechter ranks third in the conference with an 11.01 goals-against average.
 
CLEVELAND STATE LATELY               
Cleveland State (3–4, 1–0 NEC) opened conference play on March 14 with a 14–6 win over Mercyhurst. The Vikings have won three consecutive games and currently rank among the NEC statistical leaders. Brennen Hickey is third in the league in goals (18) and points (25), while Adam Van Voorhis is second in assists (10). Goalie Oliver Vanyo also ranks second in the NEC with a 8.68 goals-against average. Seth Alejandrino is the current NEC Defensive Player of the Week and was named to the USILA Team of the Week after tying the program record with six caused turnovers against Mercyhurst.
 
RMU AND CLEVELAND STATE HISTORY                         
The RMU and Cleveland State lacrosse series began in 2018, with the Colonials holding a dominant 6–1 all-time lead, including a 2–1 record in Cleveland. The two programs have shared a parallel conference journey, competing together in the ASUN from 2022 to 2024 before both transitioned to the NEC for the 2025 season.
 
RMU AND CLEVELAND STATE LAST TIME     
On April 19, 2025, RMU celebrated Senior Day at Joe Walton Stadium with a dominant 14–4 victory over Cleveland State, matching their best defensive performance of the season. Eleven different players found the back of the net for the Colonials, led by Nick Pelletier's hat trick and two goals from Calum Brennan. David Burr chipped in a goal and three assists, while Kean Moon and Luke Prezioso combined for five helpers to keep RMU perfect in NEC play at 6–0. Nate Fechter anchored the defense with 10 saves in 51 minutes of action, stifling the Vikings attack.
 
COMMON OPPONENTS
Outside of NEC play, RMU and Cleveland State have both faced Bellarmine, Canisius, and St. Bonaventure this season with varied results. The Colonials secured wins over Bellarmine (14–11) and Canisius (13–12) but fell to St. Bonaventure (14–11) in mid-February. Cleveland State struggled early against Bellarmine in a 10–7 loss but bounced back to defeat both Canisius (13–9) and St. Bonaventure (12–11) in overtime.
 
UP NEXT
RMU returns home on March 28 for a matchup against Le Moyne.
 
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