Men's Lacrosse Picked Fifth in NEC Preseason Poll
2/15/2021 12:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
SOMERSET, NJ – Without a Northeast Conference champion from a year ago, the 2021 NEC Preseason Coaches Poll is very similar to the 2020 edition. With last year's divisions done away, the Pioneers were tabbed fifth by the league coaches.
Associate member Hobart received four first-place votes to top the poll. Fellow associate member Saint Joseph's was next with Bryant in third. Both teams received a pair of first-place votes.
Sacred Heart kicked off the 2021 campaign Saturday with a 20-8 loss at Stony Brook, who entered the Inside Lacrosse National Poll at No. 25. The Pioneers come home to host Hofstra at 1 pm next Saturday.
The NEC schedule will feature eight games over nine weeks with a make-up window the last week of April. All matches will be played on Saturdays. A four-team, single-elimination NEC Tournament will take place at the higher seeds on May 6 & 8.
On offense the Pioneers bring back their top six scorers from the abbreviated 2020 season. Senior attacker Ryan Edwards produced 12 goals with classmate Logan Lilieberg chipping in 11 more. Fellow attacker Jack Walsh was the Pioneers' top set-up man with a team-leading eight assists.
Similar to the offensive end of the field, Sacred Heart has a good amount of experience coming back defensively. Senior Conor Sullivan and junior Thomas Houlihan both started six games last year. Sullivan led all field players with 18 ground balls and Houlihan caused a team-best eight turnovers. Junior Donovan Lacey picked up eight ground balls and caused six turnovers.
Two key positions are up for grabs in goalkeeper and face off. Gone is Brooks Dutton played every minute in goal last season and Jake Giaquinto took the majority of the faceoffs. Senior Colton King and junior Peter Callahan are the only Pios who have seen any playing time in goal while sophomore Nicky LaBanca and rookie Alex Pazienza are looking for their first action between the pipes.
Transfer Tristan Dowd played 20 matches in the faceoff position at Stony Brook, including the 2018 contest against SHU in which he won eight faceoffs. Junior Daniel Rodriguez has played in nine matches in the faceoff position.
Preseason NEC Men's Lacrosse Poll
1. Hobart (4)
2. Saint Joseph's (2)
3. Bryant (2)
4. Mount St. Mary's
5. Sacred Heart
6. Merrimack
7. LIU
8. Wagner
