Photo courtesy of Tony Carter
GAME #14
Cleveland State (4-9) at Detroit Mercy (7-6)
Saturday, April 28 | 1:00 p.m.
Detroit, Mich. | Titan Field
Live Stats | Live Video
OFF AND RUNNING
The Cleveland State University lacrosse team closes its second season by facing Detroit Mercy in the season finale for the second straight year. CSU defeated UDM for its first DI win in 2017.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Detroit Mercy is having one of its best seasons ever as it owns a program-record five MAAC wins. UDM is one win shy of its overall record and has won three straight and five of its last six. The Titans have used an improved defense, led by redshirt freshman Logan Shamblin's .543 save %, to have a shot at being MAAC regular-season champions entering this weekend. Matthew Vangalen owns a team-high 39 points while Charlie Hayes has 64 GB and 28 CT.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Michael Wilson has posted a point in each of the first 13 games, scoring in 11 of them. Wilson has six multi-goal outings in the past 10 games, including against nationally ranked Denver and Duke. He is shooting 50% in 2018, the best mark nationally by any Division I freshman and among the top 15 overall.
A TRIO OF WINS
Three of Cleveland State's past six games have come against teams in the national rankings. In the three contests against teams outside the rankings, the Vikings have recorded three wins. CSU has averaged 15.33 goals/game against these squads while allowing 7.0 goals/game, holding each of those foes to single digits.
LIMITING FACTOR
Sacred Heart's Max Tuttle entered his game against the Vikings as the second-leading goal scorer in DI. The CSU defense limited him a goal and an assist on seven shots. It was only the third time this season a team held him to one goal. CSU also held him to two points and a .143 shooting %, both of which tied season lows.
FANTASTIC ON FACEOFFS
Cleveland State won 23-of-29 faceoffs in its April opener, with its .792 winning percentage representing the best mark for the program to date. Danny Tesler was nearly perfect at 12-of-13 as the Vikings won 16 of the opening 17 faceoffs in the game. Tesler then won 16-of-21 faceoffs at nationally ranked Robert Morris and went 16-for-27 in last week's win. His 16 wins are a career high, and a new program best against a DI foe, while the 11 ground balls he collected at RMU were a season best.
STARTING SIX SCORING
In last week's win over Sacred Heart, all six offensive starters had multi-point outings. Michael Wilson led the way with six, Tristan Hanna had four, Tristen Copeland notched three and Jack Frickleton, Matt Manfredi and Nick Wendel had two each. It marked the first time in program history all six CSU offensive starters had multi-point outings. All six of those players also scored at least once, marking the first time the Vikings achieved that feat against a Division I foe.
FIT TO BE TIED (AFTER ONE)
In three of its four wins this season, the Vikings have been tied at the end of the first quarter. CSU is now 4-0 all-time when it finds itself tied after 15 minutes.
DOWN BUT NOT OUT
With last week's game against Sacred Heart tied late in the first quarter, the Pioneers were given an extra-man opportunity. However, it was the Vikings that soon took advantage. After causing a turnover, sophomore Nate Menendez scored a man-down tally, the first in program history.
HITTING THE TARGET
In last week's win over Sacred Heart, Cleveland State scored on 15 of its 40 shots. Its 37.5 conversion percentage from that contest marks the highest shooting percentage that CSU has achieved against a Division I foe.
LAST WE MET
Cleveland State ended its inaugural season with a 13-6 win over the Titans, the first-ever DI win for CSU. The Vikings scored five times in the opening eight minutes. Stephen Masi and Nick Wendel had hat tricks while Noah Gleeson had three assists. Caleb Espinoza made 13 saves while Danny Tesler won 14-of-22 faceoffs and netted a career high 12 ground balls.
SEVENTH HEAVEN
Freshman Michael Wilson notched five goals and two assists in the April 7 home game. His five goals and seven points both marked the second such instance by a Viking and the first against a DI foe. Wilson scored or assisted on each of CSU's first four goals. In the last home game against SHU, Wilson had two goals and a season-best four assists. He leads the team in goals (21), assists (14) and points (35).
MIDGAME MAGIC
In each of its past two wins, Cleveland State has blown up a close game by starting a run in the second quarter. With the Vikings holding a 6-3 lead near the middle of the second quarter April 7, CSU ran off an 8-0 run to blow the game wide open. The Vikings scored on 8-of-13 possessions in that run, discounting one ended by the halftime whistle. CSU held Hampton without a goal on seven possessions in this stretch, causing three turnovers, making two saves and backing up two wide shots. In a 3-3 tie with Sacred Heart after one quarter this past week, Cleveland State proceeded to begin a 10-3 run to take control in the win over the Pioneers.
