GAME #4
Cleveland State (0-3) vs. No. 16 Air Force (2-1)
Saturday, Feb. 22 | 1:00 p.m. ET
Denver, Colo. | Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium
Stats
GAME #5
Cleveland State (0-3) at No. 13 Denver (1-1)
Sunday, Feb. 23 | 6:30 p.m. ET
Denver, Colo. | Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium
Stats | Video | Audio
PDF Game Notes
OFF AND RUNNING
The Cleveland State University lacrosse team will travel to Denver's annual early-season tournament for the fourth straight year. It will be the first time CSU faces two ranked teams in the Face-Off Classic.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Air Force began its season with a huge upset of No. 5 Duke and is 2-1 on the season. The Falcons boast the 2019 national leader in goals against average in Braden Host, who posted a 7.74 mark last season. Denver sits at 1-1 on the campaign with a win over Air Force. The Pioneers' Ethan Walker was the BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year while SSDM Danny Logan was tabbed a preseason All-American by Inside Lacrosse.
HANNA'S HAT TRICKS
Tristan Hanna notched hat tricks in seven of the final 13 games last season. Earlier in 2019, Hanna became the first Viking to produce four consecutive hat tricks. He posted his 10th career hat trick with a trio of goals Feb. 8 vs. Michigan, his second straight hat trick to open the season. He now has scored in seven straight games overall dating back to April 2019, a new program record.
(NOT) CLEAR SAILING
CSU often forced its opponents into failed clears last season. The Vikings' foes were just 248-for-351 on clears in 2019 with the 70.7% mark ranking as the best opponent clearing mark in DI. No CSU opponent cleared above 83.3% after the 2019 season opener. CSU's foes are 63-for-81 (.778) on the clear thus far this season.
SEEKING TRIPLE DIGITS
Michael Wilson was on fire offensively to end 2019, tallying 45 points in his final 10 games, He posted at least five points five times in his last 10 games, including a school record eight points in the March 12 win at Lafayette. Wilson's six points in the opening three games this season pushed his career total to 94, as he closes in on becoming the first Viking to hit 100.
SEEING DOUBLE
Sophomore twins Gareth and Ryan Haigh are making their marks on opposite ends of the field for CSU. Both Vikings made their first-career starts in the season opener. Gareth has played every minute in the cage and has 29 saves and six ground balls. Ryan has scored twice in each of CSU's first three games with his six total goals already surpassing the tally he produced in the entire 2019 season.
STUDENT-ATHLETES
Although Cleveland State did not play any official games this past fall, the program still put up some impressive numbers. The Vikings posted a 3.38 team grade point average in the fall semester. Thirty four Vikings qualified for the Dean's List while 13 of the 49 Vikings on the roster compiled at least a 3.75 mark in the fall. Four Vikings led the way by achieving a perfect 4.0 mark: senior Danny Tesler, juniors Tristan Hanna and Matt Manfredi and sophomore Gabe Reno.
LAST WE MET
Air Force held off a late Cleveland State rally to claim an 11-8 win and retake the all-time series lead, 2-1. The Falcons scored four straight in the second quarter to take a 7-3 lead, and the Vikings could get no closer than two goals the rest of the way. Tristan Hanna had a hat trick for CSU while Michael Wilson had a pair of assists.
LAST WE MET, PART II
Denver led just 4-3 at the half but pulled away in the final two quarters to claim a 16-8 win. Danny Tesler won 18-of-25 faceoffs and tallied nine ground balls while Michael Wilson (1G, 4A) and Tristan Hanna (3G) led the way offensively for the Vikings. Ten of the game's 24 total goals were scored in the fourth quarter while Denver had 26 shots on goal to 20 for CSU.
QUICK STRIKE VIKES
In 18 of its past 33 games, CSU has scored within 15 seconds of a faceoff while in 26 of the past 34, the Vikings have scored within 25 seconds of a faceoff. In 35 of the 46 games Cleveland State has ever played, the Vikings have scored within 30 seconds of a faceoff.
WHAT HAPPENS WITH WENDEL
Junior Nick Wendel has been one of CSU's most consistent offensive performers over the first three seasons. He has points in 31 of his last 38 games entering the weekend and has scored in 19 of his last 28 outings. Wendel had multiple points in four of the final six games last year, including a career-high five goals in the April 2 win over Canisius.
DOUBLED UP
With Cleveland State's addition in 2017, the number of Division I men's lacrosse teams in Ohio doubled from one to two with the Vikings joining Ohio State. This is the first season that the two Ohio-based schools will not face one another.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN (AND AGAIN...)
While it started this season at home, Cleveland State will have to get used to life on the road this season. The Vikings will be playing 11 games away from home, nine road contests and two neutral-site affairs. In each of its first three seasons, CSU played exactly eight games away from home. The Vikings will be away from home for over a month after their home opener, the fourth time in four seasons they will have gone at least one month without a home game.
CAN YOU ASSIST ME?
In its win over St. Bonaventure last April, 14 of the 18 Cleveland State goals were assisted. The 14 assists represented a new standard for the program. In its first two games in 2019, CSU assisted 35.3% of its goals. In its last 13 games, the Vikings assisted on 69.0% of their goals. Cleveland State has 15 assists on its 26 goals in its first three games of 2020.
#1 x 3
In hosting Penn State last March, Cleveland State played the top-ranked team for the third time in program history, albeit the first time it hosted the No. 1 team. The Vikings faced Denver and Penn State during the 2017 season when those squads were No. 1. This weekend's games will be the 16th and 17th times CSU faces a ranked squad in its fourth season.
