University of Richmond Athletics
MLAX Hits Road For Pair Of Games In Northeast
03/14/2014 | Men's Lacrosse
The Richmond men's lacrosse team heads to the Northeast for a pair of games on a long weekend trip. The Spiders (1-5) will face Saint Joseph's (4-2) on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Sweeney Field before going up to Piscataway, N.J. and a meeting with Rutgers (4-2) Monday at 3 p.m. at High Point Solutions Stadium.
Both Richmond opponents have won their last two games, with Rutgers playing a Big East game on Saturday at Providence ahead of the Monday tilt.
For the first time, Richmond is coming off a win last Saturday, a 12-11 decision over Vermont played in Durham, N.C. and the King of the Spring Classic. Long-stick midfielder Brendan Hynes (Mahopac, N.Y.) set the school record with eight caused turnovers, tying the school mark with eight ground balls. Goalie Benny Pugh had a school-record 12 saves in the win. Sophomore Brad Burnam (Nedrow, N.Y.) tallied three goals and three assists for the Spiders in the win. Burnam has at least one assist in all six Richmond games this season, and his 12 assists and 2.0 assists-per-game average puts him in the Top 20 in the nation in those categories.
Freshman J.P. Forester (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) also scored two goals for the Spiders in the win and became the second player to reach double digits in goal scoring, joining goal-scoring leader Mitch Goldberg (Damascus, Md.), who has 14 goals this season, and at least one in every game this season.
Jean-Luc Chetner (Pentiction, British Columbia) had a goal and an assist, while Alex Hatem (Syracuse, N.Y.) also scored a goal. Those two have registered a point (a goal and/or assist) in all six Richmond games this year.
The Spiders have scored 11 man-up goals, more than 20 percent of the team's total this season, and tied for the seventh-most in the country as of Monday. Three of Richmond's six contests have been decided two two or fewer goals.
The wins for the Hawks both came on the road, while SJU has played just once at home this season, also a win. The Hawks have allowed just two man-up goals to opponents in 2014 and is ranked second in the nation for man-down defense. SJU has scored just five times with a man advantage.
Saint Joseph's is led by Ryan McGee's 16 goals and eight assists. The Hawks play in the Northeast Conference for lacrosse.
The Scarlet Knights have 30 more goals scored than opponents this season, and are receiving votes in two national lacrosse polls. Rutgers has scored twice when down a man this season, and have allowed just four man-up goals to opponents this season.
Rutgers has scored 20 goals in a game twice this season. They are seventh in scoring offense, scoring margin, points and assists per game so far in 2014.
Scott Klimchak has scored 17 goals this season, the only player on the squad with at least 10 goals, though the Scarlet Knights have three players with nine goals each.
Following the road trip, the Spiders will return home to Robins Stadium for the only home night game on the schedule, an 8 p.m. contest scheduled against Wagner. The game will be part of a doubleheader with the women's team, which will play William & Mary at 6 p.m. before the men's contest. Admission is free for lacrosse at Richmond.
