Le Moyne Athletics : Nothing but the best (Syracuse Post-Standard) by Dave Rahme

Nothing But the Best
Dolphins get tough slate they requested

Friday, March 09, 2007
By Dave Rahme
Staff writer, Syracuse Post-Standard

Direct Link to Story: http://www.syracuse.com/articles/sports/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1173435101263520.xml&coll=1

Dan Sheehan says this is what his players want, and he has simply obliged them.

The coach of the top-ranked Le Moyne College men's lacrosse team has packed his 2007 non-conference schedule with some of the best competition Division II can offer - No. 2 Dowling, No. 3 Mercyhurst, No. 5 C.W. Post and No. 6 Adelphi.

"It's tough," Sheehan said, "but this is what the kids want to do. When you get a week to prepare for a quality team it makes the week go faster."

The Dolphins dispatched one quality team last week in their season opener, defeating Adelphi 17-5 in the Carrier Dome and dropping the Panthers to No. 7 in this week's poll. Now they are preparing for another one - Saturday's 1 p.m. date at No. 3 Mercyhurst, which is located in Erie, Pa.

Coached by Rochester native Chris Ryan and featuring the strongest Central New York flavor on a D-II roster outside of Le Moyne, the Lakers went 12-3 last season and reached the NCAA semifinals. It was quite an accomplishment for a team that competes in the Long Island-dominated NYCAC.

"We had to overcome a lot of obstacles," Ryan said. "You're talking eight- and nine-hour road trips on consecutive games against strong Long Island competition. Our location leads to some distinct challenges. But our kids come to play and compete every day."

Among them are senior midfielder Adam Mulherin (West Genesee), who has scored 10 goals in three games, and sophomore attackman David Osier (West Genny), the quarterback of the offense. Close defenders Brian Perkins (C.W. Baker) and Ken Dowse (C.W. Baker), who started against the Dolphins in last season's 8-4 Le Moyne victory, will miss the rematch, Perkins due to illness and Dowse to an ankle injury.

"Rivalry-wise I think Mercyhurst is always excited to play us because they have so many kids from Central New York," Sheehan said. "They're well coached, and I'm sure they'll have a game plan they will follow. It should be interesting."

Ryan chuckled when asked about that game plan.

"Oh boy," he said. "They force you to be almost perfect. Every inch of the field is contested. The only thing that will get you over the top against them is a complete team effort. You have to break down the game into basic fundamentals - passing, catching, ground balls, shooting - and then just work like crazy."

Ryan decided during last season's game at St. John Fisher College that the best chance to derail the Dolphins would be to take the air out of the ball and try to hang around until the end. It worked for a while, thanks to success at the faceoff X that gave his team possession. Then Dolphins midfielder Matt Cassalia scored two quick goals in the third quarter, and the Lakers were unable to dent the Dolphins' defense.

Cassalia (West Genny) was under the weather last week and failed to win 50 percent of his draws, a rarity for him. He and teammate and Brian Griffin (West Genny) will have to do better this week if the Dolphins (1-0) want to force the Lakers (3-0) to play at a tempo Le Moyne desires.

"It would be nice to win some faceoffs," Sheehan said. "We need to be ready to be patient, but we'd also love to run. We need to shoot the ball well and take advantage of our opportunities at both ends of the field."

Each team returns much of its offensive production from last season. Each has a big, talented middie who started out at D-I ball - Cassalia (Loyola) at Le Moyne and Mike Thon (Bucknell) from Mercyhurst. Each has a couple of new starters on defense. The notable difference is in goal, where the Lakers start a rookie and Le Moyne has senior All-American Jared Corcoran.

"Their whole team really starts with Corcoran in the net," Ryan said. "You really, really have to work for quality chances with him. And he is a microcosm of their whole team."

It is a team that has won 61 consecutive regular-season games and 19 in a row overall. It wants to play the best competition out there. Saturday, it will get the chance.

Notes:Other CNY products listed on the Mercyhurst roster are junior defender Joe Koennecke (Cazenovia), sophomore defender John Paige (LaFayette), freshman attack Michael Dugan (Homer), senior defender Brian Kliszczewicz (Liverpool), sophomore middie Erik Sprague (Homer), freshman longstick middie Matthew Paige (LaFayette) and sophomore defender Tom Eighmey (Carthage).



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Nothing But the Best Dolphins get tough slate they requested Friday, March 09, 2007 By Dave Rahme Staff writer, Syracuse Post-Standard Direct Link to Story: http://www.syracuse.com/articles/sports/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1173435101263520.xml&coll=1 Dan Sheehan says this is what his players want, and he has simply obliged them. The coach of the top-ranked Le Moyne College men's lacrosse team has packed his 2007 non-conference schedule with some of the best competition Division II can offer - No. 2 Dowling, No. 3 Mercyhurst, No. 5 C.W. Post and No. 6 Adelphi. "It's tough," Sheehan said, "but this is what the kids want to do. When you get a week to prepare for a quality team it makes the week go faster." The Dolphins dispatched one quality team last week in their season opener, defeating Adelphi 17-5 in the Carrier Dome and dropping the Panthers to No. 7 in this week's poll. Now they are preparing for another one - Saturday's 1 p.m. date at No. 3 Mercyhurst, which is located in Erie, Pa. Coached by Rochester native Chris Ryan and featuring the strongest Central New York flavor on a D-II roster outside of Le Moyne, the Lakers went 12-3 last season and reached the NCAA semifinals. It was quite an accomplishment for a team that competes in the Long Island-dominated NYCAC. "We had to overcome a lot of obstacles," Ryan said. "You're talking eight- and nine-hour road trips on consecutive games against strong Long Island competition. Our location leads to some distinct challenges. But our kids come to play and compete every day." Among them are senior midfielder Adam Mulherin (West Genesee), who has scored 10 goals in three games, and sophomore attackman David Osier (West Genny), the quarterback of the offense. Close defenders Brian Perkins (C.W. Baker) and Ken Dowse (C.W. Baker), who started against the Dolphins in last season's 8-4 Le Moyne victory, will miss the rematch, Perkins due to illness and Dowse to an ankle injury. "Rivalry-wise I think Mercyhurst is always excited to play us because they have so many kids from Central New York," Sheehan said. "They're well coached, and I'm sure they'll have a game plan they will follow. It should be interesting." Ryan chuckled when asked about that game plan. "Oh boy," he said. "They force you to be almost perfect. Every inch of the field is contested. The only thing that will get you over the top against them is a complete team effort. You have to break down the game into basic fundamentals - passing, catching, ground balls, shooting - and then just work like crazy." Ryan decided during last season's game at St. John Fisher College that the best chance to derail the Dolphins would be to take the air out of the ball and try to hang around until the end. It worked for a while, thanks to success at the faceoff X that gave his team possession. Then Dolphins midfielder Matt Cassalia scored two quick goals in the third quarter, and the Lakers were unable to dent the Dolphins' defense. Cassalia (West Genny) was under the weather last week and failed to win 50 percent of his draws, a rarity for him. He and teammate and Brian Griffin (West Genny) will have to do better this week if the Dolphins (1-0) want to force the Lakers (3-0) to play at a tempo Le Moyne desires. "It would be nice to win some faceoffs," Sheehan said. "We need to be ready to be patient, but we'd also love to run. We need to shoot the ball well and take advantage of our opportunities at both ends of the field." Each team returns much of its offensive production from last season. Each has a big, talented middie who started out at D-I ball - Cassalia (Loyola) at Le Moyne and Mike Thon (Bucknell) from Mercyhurst. Each has a couple of new starters on defense. The notable difference is in goal, where the Lakers start a rookie and Le Moyne has senior All-American Jared Corcoran. "Their whole team really starts with Corcoran in the net," Ryan said. "You really, really have to work for quality chances with him. And he is a microcosm of their whole team." It is a team that has won 61 consecutive regular-season games and 19 in a row overall. It wants to play the best competition out there. Saturday, it will get the chance. Notes:Other CNY products listed on the Mercyhurst roster are junior defender Joe Koennecke (Cazenovia), sophomore defender John Paige (LaFayette), freshman attack Michael Dugan (Homer), senior defender Brian Kliszczewicz (Liverpool), sophomore middie Erik Sprague (Homer), freshman longstick middie Matthew Paige (LaFayette) and sophomore defender Tom Eighmey (Carthage).