Game Notes

Last Week

Franklin & Marshall opened Centennial Conference play with a heart-breaking 13-12 double overtime defeat at Haverford this past Saturday. The Diplomats raced out to a 4-0 lead just over 10 minutes into the game and were up 6-2 late in the first quarter. However, the Fords had a 5-0 run and later a 4-0 run to take a 12-8 advantage. Nevertheless, the Diplomats responded with a 4-0 run of their own that eventually tied the game at 12 with 1:49 left in regulation before the Fords found the game-winner during the second overtime session. Kai Kelly, Ryan Connelly, Liam Timmins, and Colin Hueston got Franklin & Marshall out to the early 4-0 lead, with the first three of those goals coming during the opening five-plus minutes of regulation. Jackson Barnhill, Ryan Roberts, and Mason Montrella answered Haverford goals to keep the score at a four-goal lead for the Diplomats.

The Diplomats finished the game with a 64-39 advantage in shots, including a 31-22 edge in shots on goal. However, 19 saves from the Fords' Jacob Abraham kept his side in the game long enough to find the game-winner just 53 seconds into the second overtime in what was Haverford's only shot of the extra time. Franklin & Marshall also dominated in face-off wins with a 24-4 advantage at the X. Adam Soper took each of those restarts and collected a game-high 12 ground balls to help his side to a 45-30 advantage in GBs. Sage Garito made nine saves in the Centennial Conference opener while five different F&M players caused a turnover.

Last Time vs. Dickinson

The Diplomats and Red Devils last met in the Centennial Conference semifinals during the 2023 season, with the top-seeded Red Devils earning a 19-11 win. Christian Sullivan, Colin Hueston, and Kai Kelly each scored twice in the playoffs against the then-No. 7 Red Devils. That win came after Dickinson claimed a 14-8 victory during the regular season meeting.

Dickinson raced out to the early lead by scoring five of the game's first six goals over a span of just over five minutes. The Red Devils would unfortunately hold the upper hand during each of the four quarters to extend their lead to a 19-11 final after 60 minutes of lacrosse. Dickinson finished the game with a 50-39 advantage in shots and was aided by 10 saves from its combined goalie effort that included nine stops from starter Chris Brandau. Colin Falk, Kyle Craig, and Kevin O'Connor each caused a pair of turnovers to aid the defensive efforts which featured Eric Mueller making nine saves on the afternoon. Matthew Freeman went 12-of-26 at the face-off X to collect a team-high five ground balls. The Diplomats scooped up 36 ground balls in total, with 12 different players securing multiple GBs.

Last Time vs. Swarthmore

Swarthmore earned a 13-6 victory against the Diplomats to snap F&M's 12-game winning streak in the series when these teams met last spring. Christian Sullivan tallied twice in the Centennial Conference matchup, while Will Mulligan and Will Mollihan also found the back of the cage. Swarthmore countered with four multi-goal performances on its home turf.

Despite the final score, F&M did win the face-off (14-8) and ground ball (26-23) battle against the Garnet. Matthew Freeman took all but one of the restarts at the X and was 66 percent (14-of-21) on those attempts. Starting goalie Sage Garito picked up a team-leading four ground balls and was one of eight Diplomats with multiple GBs throughout the afternoon. Garito made nine saves during the first 30 minutes before Eric Mueller added four more saves during the second half. Swarthmore goalie Ryan Pretzer stopped 15 of the 21 shots on goal he faced as the hosts finished with a slight 42-37 edge in total shots.

Dickinson Preview

Dickinson enters the week as the No. 7 team in the country with a 7-1 record. The Red Devils started their Centennial Conference slate with an 11-6 win against Muhlenberg this past weekend. The Red Devils have victories against Roanoke (w, 15-13), York (Pa.) (w, 11-8), and Kenyon (w, 13-8) while the Diplomats are 1-2 against those opponents. Dickinson has additional victories against nationally-ranked opponents in Stevens and Stevenson, while its only defeat has come to No. 5 Christopher Newport. The Red Devils are averaging just under 12 goals per game, with Matt Thurston (18g), Sascha Gannon (12g), and Owen Porter (12g) leading the attack. John McKee (55.6%) leads the team's face-off efforts, while three different players have caused double-digit turnovers. Patrick Scarborough, the brother of F&M goalie Teddy Scarborough, has started all eight games in goal. The reigning Centennial Conference Defensive Player of the Week is allowing just 9.45 goals per game and stopping 53.9% of the shots he has faced.

Swarthmore Preview

The No. 15 Garnet enter the week 6-1. They had their conference bye during the first weekend of the Centennial Conference schedule and will open their conference slate this Wednesday at Muhlenberg. The Garnet have wins against Elizabethtown and Arcadia, both of whom the Diplomats have also defeated this season. Swarthmore's only loss has come at the hands of No. 14 Amherst by a 14-11 score. The Garnet bring a high-powered offense into the week which is averaging 17.86 goals per game. Five different players have already registered double-digit goal totals, led by Clay Almgram and Carter Strauch who have each tallied 17 goals. Jack McHenry has won over 67 percent of his attempts at the X. Drew Tyson and Ryan Pretzer have split time in goal. Tyson has earned the most recent start and is 3-1 as the goalie of record with a 9.08 GAA in addition to his 62.8 save percentage.

Centennial Conference Leaders from Franklin & Marshall (Top 10)

Points
5. Kai Kelly - 30

Goals
4. Kai Kelly - 24

Assists
6. Liam Timmins - 11

Ground Balls
1. Adam Soper - 70

Face-Off Percentage
4. Adam Soper - 61.5%

Goals Against Average
5. Sage Garito - 10.15

Save Percentage
4. Sage Garito - 54.1%