Centennial Conference Tournament Web Page

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Four men's lacrosse teams will converge at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium this coming weekend when Gettysburg College serves as the host site for the 2010 Centennial Conference Tournament.

The second-ranked Bullets earned the right to host the event, along with the top seed in the tournament, due to their first-place finish in the Centennial Conference standings during the regular season. Gettysburg will be hosting the championship for the fifth time in six years and for the seventh time overall since the conference began holding a postseason tournament in 2001.

The winner of the tournament receives an automatic bid in the NCAA Division III Tournament.

What follows is brief preview on each participating team.

#1 Gettysburg Bullets
(14-1, 8-0 CC)

Riding a five-game winning streak, the second-ranked Bullets are making their 10th straight appearance in the Centennial Conference playoffs and are gunning for their 14th CC title. Since the conference began holding a postseason tournament in 2001, Gettysburg, last year's NCAA Division III runner-up, has won nine of 10 titles.

Gettysburg, which has claimed the last six Centennial Conference crowns, boasts the top offense (13.40 gpg) and defense (6.11 goals-against average) in the conference. The Bullets feature a balanced offense that includes seven players who have scored at least 17 goals. Seniors Kyle McGrath (34g, 14a) and Joe Brody (30g, 14a) have been the team's leading scoring threats while junior Chris Cahill has dished out a team-leading 23 assists. The team's man-up unit has scored on 43.6 percent of its chances, good for sixth in Division III. The Bullets defense, which includes 2009 Honorable Mention All-America defenseman Timothy Kurpis, currently ranks sixth in Division III. In his first year as a starter, sophomore John LeClerc has performed well, posting the eighth-best goals-against average in Division III at 6.26.

The Bullets are led by 23rd-year head coach Hank Janczyk, who ranks second in NCAA men's lacrosse history (all divisions) in career coaching wins (344).

#2 Dickinson Red Devils
(14-1, 7-1 CC)

Dickinson is making its first appearance in the Centennial Conference playoffs since 2007 and enters the tournament on a six-game winning streak. The fifth-ranked Red Devils, who are seeking their first CC playoff victory, currently own the conference's second-leading offense (10.67 gpg) and defense (7.27 GAA). Dickinson has set a school record for victories in a season, and its only loss was to Gettysburg back in March. The team has played well under pressure, winning eight games by three goals or less, including four one-goal victories.

Offensively, senior Ted Sirvaitis has scored a team-leading 31 goals while classmate Chris Dodson had distributed a Centennial Conference-leading 28 assists. On the defensive end, the Red Devils have forced a conference-leading 10.73 turnovers per game. In goal, senior Tyler Magann has played nearly every minute and has posted a 7.39 goals-against average and a .574 save percentage.

The Red Devils, who are guided by ninth-year head coach Dave Webster, feature the conference's second-leading face-off specialist in senior Kevin Murray, who has gone 60.4 percent at the X.

#3 Haverford Fords
(9-5, 5-3 CC)

Under first-year head coach Colin Bathory, Haverford returns to the Centennial Conference playoffs for the fifth year in a row after reaching the championship game for the first time in school history last year and advancing to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the second consecutive season.

The Fords, who rank third in the conference in offense (9.86 gpg) and fourth in defense (7.62 GAA), have been led by junior Max Hjelm (32g, 13a), a 2009 honorable mention All-American, who is tied for second in the Centennial Conference in goals. Junior Myles Monaghan has added 26 goals while sophomore Zack Cohen has handed out a team-best 20 assists. Sophomore defenseman Dillon Hamill has made his presence felt, leading the team with 41 caused turnovers, while sophomore goalie Joe Banno has played all but 42 minutes in goal, posting a 7.36 goals-against average and a .567 save percentage.

The Fords carry a four-game winning streak into the tournament, and three of those games were decided by one goal, including a double-overtime, come-from-behind win at Ursinus. Close games have been the norm for Haverford this season, as 10 of their 14 contests have been decided by three goals or less.

# 4 McDaniel Green Terror
(7-7, 4-4 CC)

Led by the high-scoring tandem of sophomore DJ Rickels and senior Gibbs Preston, McDaniel makes a repeat appearance in the Centennial Conference tournament and its sixth overall. The Green Terror, which is in search of its first CC tournament victory, is looking to shake a two-game losing streak after falling to Dickinson and Haverford in its last two outings.

Rickels is the Centennial's leading goal scorer with 39 tallies while Preston has racked up 22 goals and 24 assists, a mark that ranks second among the conference leaders.

A pair of sophomore goalies have split the time in net for head coach Matt Hatton, whose Green Terror rank fourth in the Centennial Conference in scoring (9.64 gpg) and seventh in defense (9.07 GAA). Brad Motley has gone 4-4 with a 9.40 goals-against average and a .506 save percentage while Ty Wittelsberger has notched a 3-3 record to go with an 8.40 GAA and a .530 save percentage.

Centennial Conference Men's Lacrosse
2010 Playoffs
Friday, April 30 – Semifinals
No. 4 McDaniel at No. 1 Gettysburg, 1:30 p.m.
No. 3 Haverford vs. No. 2 Dickinson, 4:00 p.m. (approximately)
Sunday, May 2 – Championship
Semifinals winners, 12:00 p.m.