NCAA Preview: Western New England Set for Second Round Matchup with York

Roster	Roster
Schedule/Results	Schedule/Results
Stats	Stats

Live Stats/Live Video | NCAA Tournament Bracket 

YORK, Pa. (May 9, 2018) – The Western New England University men's lacrosse team will be making its ninth all-time appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament on Wednesday afternoon as the Golden Bears take on York (Pa.) College in a second round contest at Kinsley Field at 4 p.m.

How They Got Here
Western New England (13-6) went 8-0 in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) play during the regular season, before capturing the program's seventh CCC Tournament title with wins over Salve Regina and Endicott in the semifinals and championship, respectively. 

York (17-2) also went unbeaten in league action with an 8-0 Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) record. The Spartans fell to Salisbury in the CAC title contest, but the team earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

NCAA Tournament Experience
Western New England is making its ninth all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament (2002, 2007-09, 2012-14, 2016) with an overall record of 7-8. The Golden Bears have reached the quarterfinals four times, including three consecutive trips from 2007-09. 

York will be making its third straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament and fourth overall, with at least one win in each of the three prior trips. The Spartans are 4-3 in seven NCAA contests.

All-Conference Honors
Twelve Golden Bears earned All-CCC recognition, led by Offensive Player of the Year Nick Gamba. A program-record nine Spartans garnered All-CAC honors, including seven first team honorees.

Statistical Leaders

Western New England
Nicholas Beauchamp (M) | 56 points (34 goals, 22 assists), 23 ground balls
Nick Gamba (M) | 54 points (32 goals, 22 assists), 23 ground balls
Jared Ward (A) | 54 points (40 goals, 14 assists), 50 ground balls
Mitch Weiss (D) | 53 ground balls, 23 caused turnovers
Oskar Djusberg (LSM) | 62 ground balls, 21 caused turnovers, eight points (6 goals, 2 assists)
Hunter Cocks (FO) | 236-for-364 (.648), 144 ground balls
Steven Kerr (G) | 9.61 GAA, .560 save % 

York
Thomas Pfeiffer (A) | 79 points (47 goals, 32 assists)
Hunter Davis (A) | 55 points (39 goals, 16 assists)
Nick Roman (LSM) | 65 ground balls, 15 caused turnovers
Matt Whitcher (M) | 52 ground balls, 21 caused turnovers, 42 points (30 goals, 12 assists)
Billy Sasso (FO) | 197-for-303 (.650), 97 ground balls
Landry Marshall (G) | 6.01 GAA, .538 save %

Notes
• Wednesday's contest will serve as the first ever meeting between the Spartans and Golden Bears.
• Western New England and York had one common opponent this season in Nazareth College. The Golden Bears posted a 19-10 win over the Golden Flyers at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y. on March 11, before the Spartans rolled to an 18-3 triumph against Nazareth just five days later (3/16) at the Mustang Classic in Owings Mills, Md.
• York enters the NCAA Tournament ranked No. 2 in the USILA national poll.

Up Next
The winner of Wednesday afternoon's Western New England/York matchup advances to the third round of the NCAA Tournament to face the winner of the Amherst/Keene State contest on Saturday, May 12.