PREVIEW: Dallas at Centenary College (3/21)
BACK ON THE PITCH
After nine days off, the University of Dallas men's lacrosse team (3-5) looks to snap a three-game skid on Saturday at Centenary College of Louisiana (1-5). The game has been moved to First Baptist Bossier's Freedom Fields at 2 p.m.
After trading results in the first six contests, UD has been on a tough stretch, playing its last three on a four-game road trip. The Crusaders are 1-4 away from Irving, Texas.
RECENT ACTION
Dallas fell in two contests on back-to-back days a little over a week ago at Piedmont College (22-3) and Huntingdon College (20-2), respectively.
Scoring the majority of the goals for the Navy and White's offense was junior Matthew Cyr (St. Louis, Mo.), combining for three over the two setbacks.
Also posting goals was sophomore Nicholas Baeza (San Antonio, Texas) with his first collegiate netter, and senior Cody Wooten (Aurora, Colo.)
Junior Ryan Murphy (Yorba Linda, Calif.) compiled 19 saves in each affair.
LEADERBOARD
Murphy does lead the NCAA Division III goalkeepers with the top saves per game average. The native of Yorba Linda, California has compiled 154 stops overall and displayed a 54.2 save percentage.
On the offense, Cyr has poured 21 goals on the campaign and added three assists for a team-high 24 points. He has found the back of the cage in all but one contest this season, and has scored in six-straight.
Second on the squad is junior Alex Ziolkowski (Ann Arbor, Mich.) with eight goals in five games. Rounding out the top three for UD is Wooten with seven.
SCOUTING THE GENTS
Centenary fell in its latest outing 21-1 at Lasell College last Sunday. A week prior, the Maroon and White ended a four-game losing streak with its first win of the year against Defiance College.
It was a home victory, but was at the confines of Mayo Field on Centenary's campus. Saturday's tilt is in Bossier City, Louisiana.
The Gents are paced by Garret Wick with 10 goals, 12 points, 40 shots, and 36 groundballs. Dylan Sherman is right behind adding eight netters and 37 attempts. The duo have posted shot on goal percentages of .550 and .568, respectively.
Coulton Toups has amassed 348:56 minutes and has grabbed 51 saves.
HISTORY
While neither is affiliated in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) for lacrosse, the programs are meeting for the second time this season. The Crusaders prevailed 10-7 earlier this month at the Dallas campus.
Cyr scored five goals, the first of two in a row to match a career-high, while Ziolkowski notched a trio of scoring results. After the squad's battled to a 5-5 tie at intermission, UD rattled off a four unanswered netters in the third quarter to capture the momentum.
For Centenary, Sherman and Wick led the offense by etching three goals apiece.
Historically, Dallas is 2-0 versus the Gents, claiming a 16-8 decision on March 16 during the 2013 year.
UP NEXT
Dallas is back at Crusader Field on March 26 for a rematch against Dallas Baptist University. It will be Senior Day for UD as three players will be recognized before the first face off: Charles Shaughnessy (Cimarron, Kan.), Zachary Wellwerts (McHenry, Ill.), and Wooten.
SOCIAL MEDIA
UD Twitter: @UDallasSports
Men's Lacrosse: @UDallasMLax
Facebook: University of Dallas Athletics