Men's Lacrosse Semifinal Preview

Bennett Cord, Washington College; Brian Cannon, Dickinson; Martin Manilla, Gettysburg; DJ Rickels, McDaniel

It might be one of the most wide-open Centennial Conference men's lacrosse championship tournaments ever and it begins Friday afternoon at Kirby Stadium on the campus of Washington College.

The top-seeded Shoremen (10-4) are back in the tourney for the first time since 2009 and host the final four for the first time since 2004. Washington is 8-1 in semifinal games (9-8 overall), losing only in 2009 by a 9-8 count to Gettysburg. The Shoremen's only Centennial tournament title came in 2003 when WAC hosted the final four.

McDaniel (9-6) is the No. 4 seed, but may be the hottest team in the field after winning its final five games. The Green Terror is making its seventh appearance in the tourney and is still looking for its first victory. Washington has ousted McDaniel on three occasions in the semis (2001-02-04).

Defending Conference champion Dickinson (12-3) is the #2 seed and will take on #3 seed Gettysburg in the second semifinal. The Red Devils defeated the Bullets, 6-5, in last spring's final for their first-ever Centennial title. Dickinson, ranked 13th nationally, appears for the seventh time in the CC tourney and has a 2-5 record overall, 1-5 in semifinal action. The last time the Devils met Gettysburg in the semis was 2004 here in Chestertown - a game won by the Bullets, 12-11.

Gettysburg (10-5) continues its streak of making every Centennial tournament field since the Conference instituted the four-team championship format in 2001. The Bullets, ranked 20th nationally, are a perfect 11-0 in semifinal games and 19-3 overall.

SERIES HISTORY

Washington College holds a 37-4 series lead against McDaniel with 12 consecutive victories against the Green Terror. McDaniel's last win was a 15-14 overtime triumph in Chestertown in 2002. WAC is 3-0 vs. McDaniel in the Conference tournament.

Gettysburg holds the all-time series lead over Dickinson by a 43-9 count. The Red Devils have won three straight after dropping 36 in a row to the Bullets. The teams have met twice in the Centennial playoffs in a pair of one-goal games (2004-Gettysburg 12-11, 2011-Dickinson 6-5).

REGULAR-SEASON MATCHUPS
March 17 - Washington College 10, McDaniel 9 (at Westminster)
JD Campbell and Patrick Coyle scored 62 seconds apart to cap seven-goal, 15:34 stretch as WAC battled back from an 8-3 third-period deficit. Grant Hughes led the Shoremen with a hat trick, while Hunter Nowicki had a goal and four assists. DJ Rickels and Ben Yancheski each had two goals and an assist for the Terror.

April 28 - Dickinson 12, Gettysburg 7 (at Carlisle)
Bobby Kingsley scored four goals and Chip Murray won 15-of-22 face-offs to lead the Red Devils. Robby Maddux had a pair of tallies for the Bullets.

TOP GOAL SCORERS
36 - Bennett Cord, Washington College
31 - Martin Manilla, Gettysburg
30 - DJ Rickels, McDaniel
24 - Brian Cannon, Dickinson
21 - Grant Hughes, Washington College

TOP ASSISTERS
22 - Matt Cherry, Dickinson
20 - Bennett Cord, Washington College
18 - JS Duke, McDaniel
18 - Brian Cannon, Dickinson
15 - Hunter Nowicki, Washington College
14 - Caldwell Rohrbach, Gettysburg

SAVE PERCENTAGE
62.7 - Peter Stewart, Washington College
56.8 - Brad Motley, McDaniel
56.4 - Greg Hanley, Dickinson
56.0 - Christian Dallmus, McDaniel
55.0 - Jon Maddalone, Gettysburg
51.9 - J.T. McCook, Gettysburg

MISCELLANEOUS

ONE-GOAL TOURNAMENT GAMES (10)
2011 final: Dickinson 6, Gettysburg 5
2010 semifinal: Haverford 12, Dickinson 11 (2OT)
2009 semifinal: Gettysburg 9, Washington College 8
2009 semifinal: Haverford 9, McDaniel 8
2007 semifinal: Washington College 9, Dickinson 8
2007 semifinal: Gettysburg 12, Haverford 11
2004 final: Gettysburg 7, Washington College 6
2004 semifinal: Gettysburg 12, Dickinson 11
2003 semifinal: Gettysburg 9, McDaniel 8 (OT)
2002 semifinal: Gettysburg 7, Franklin & Marshall 6

OVERTIME GAMES
2010 semifinal: Haverford 12, Dickinson 11 - Travis Gregory goal, 5:53 into overtime
2003 semifinal: Gettysburg 9, McDaniel 8 - John O'Bannon goal, 2:51 into overtime