Air Force Academy

March 17, 2010

This weekend, March 20, the Air Force lacrosse team plays its first-ever conference game as a member of the ECAC as it travels to Baltimore, Md., to face 16th-ranked Loyola. The game, which will be broadcast nationwide as the ECAC Game of the Week, is slated to begin at 1:00 p.m. (ET) at the new Ridley Athletic Complex. Live stats will be available at loyolagreyhounds.com.

ECAC Game of the Week...
The match-up between Air Force and Loyola this weekend is the first of a five-game "ECAC Game of the Week" television package. Covering the game will be Leif Elsmo (play-by-play) and Evan Washburn (color).

The game, which will be available in more than 44 million households across the country, can be seen on several different networks. Viewers in Colorado can watch the game live on The Mtn., as well as Comcast Entertainment Television (channel 4 in Colorado Springs).

Following is the list of affiliates for this weekend's contest:

Live

MASN

The Comcast Network – Philly Zone

TWC SportsNet, Buffalo, NY

TWC 3, Albany, NY

TW Sports 26, Syracuse, NY

Cox Sports Television, New England (RI/CT)

Comcast SportsNet, New England

Fox College Sports, Pacific

The Mtn. Network

Comcast Entertainment Television, Colorado

Tape-Delay

Fox Sports, Pittsburgh – 3/26 @ 12:30pm

Cox Sports Television, South – 3/22 @ 4pm

Bright House Sports Network – 3/24 @ 3pm

Metro Sports, Texas -- TBD

Last Time Out...
Sophomore Adam Paranka scored the game-winning goal with 1:04 left in overtime to give Air Force an 8-7 victory over service academy rival Army last weekend at Falcon Stadium. The win was the first-ever for the Falcons over the Black Knights.

Junior Vinny Sandtorv led Air Force with a season-high three goals, while Paranka added a career-best two assists. In addition, goalie Brian Wilson tallied 11 saves, including game-saving stops at the end of regulation and in overtime.

Scouting the Falcons...
Air Force enters Saturday's game with a 1-3 overall record after its historic victory over Army last weekend.

Junior Zack Carroll is the Falcons' leading scorer on the season with 15 points, including a team-best 10 goals. Meanwhile, senior Ridge Flick leads Air Force with nine assists on the season. Junior goalkeeper Brian Wilson has played every minute between the pipes for the Falcons and is averaging 10.5 saves per contest.

Head Coach Eric Seremet...
Eric Seremet enters his first season as head coach for the Air Force lacrosse program after serving as the interim head coach during the 2009 campaign. Seremet, a seven-year assistant for the Falcons, took over the reins from legendary coach Fred Acee, who retired following more than four decades in the coaching profession.

Seremet, a 1992 North Carolina graduate, guided the Falcons to a 7-7 overall ledger in 2009, including a 4-1 record in the GWLL and a second-place conference finish. Air Force's seven wins were the most since 2006 and more than in the previous two seasons combined, while the team finished at .500 for the first time since 1997. In addition, the Falcons' four league wins were a school-record, while their second-place league finish matched a program-best (set previously in 1995).

Scouting the Greyhounds...
Loyola, ranked 16th in the latest USILA coaches poll and 14th in this week's Nike/Inside Lacrosse media poll, enters this weekend with a 3-2 overall record. The Greyhounds are coming of an 8-5 loss to then 10th-ranked Duke.

The Greyhounds are coached by Charley Toomey, who is in his fifth year at the helm of the program. Senior Collin Finnerty leads Loyola with 15 points on the season, including a team-high 12 goals, while Matt Langan is second on the team with 12 points and a team-best nine assists. Goalkeeper Jake Hagelin has registered 41 saves on the season and holds a 7.70 GAA.

Series Records...
This weekend, Air Force and Loyola will meet for the fourth time in series history, and just the first as conference opponents. The Greyhounds have won all three previous meetings between the teams. The last time Air Force and Loyola met on the field was in 1997, when the Greyhounds picked up a 16-7 victory in Baltimore.

Air Force in the Statistical Rankings...
In the latest national statistical rankings released by the NCAA (through games of March 14), Air Force ranks in the top 30 in five categories. The Falcons rank tied for 26th in caused turnovers per game (7.75), tied for 28th in saves per game (10.5), tied for 28th in scoring defense (9.75), tied for 29th in man-down defense (.643) and 30th in man-up offense (.357).

In addition, the Falcons have four players who are ranked among the top 30 nationally in various statistical categories. Bryan Gilbreath leads the way, ranking eighth in the nation in ground balls per game (6.75). Midfielder Zack Carroll ranks tied for 15th in the nation in shot percentage (.500), tied for 27th in points per game (4.0) and tied for 30th in goals per game (2.5). Senior captain Ridge Flick ranks tied for 24th in the nation in assists per game with 1.75, while goalkeeper Brian Wilson ranks 26th in the country in both goals against average (9.65) and save percentage (.519).

How They Rate...
Through games of March 14, Loyola ranks in the top 30 nationally in scoring defense (7th/7.8), man-down defense (T9th/.750), caused turnovers per game (20th/8.6), face-off win percentage (22nd/.533), scoring margin (22nd/1.6), win percentage (T23rd/.600) and ground balls per game (23rd/31.8).

Jake Hagelin ranks eighth nationally in goals against average (7.71) and 28th in save percentage (.506), while John Schiavone ranks tied for 13th in ground balls per game (5.4) and is 28th in face-off win percentage (.541). In addition, Matt Langan ranks tied for 22nd in the nation in assists per game (1.8).

Against Nationally Ranked Teams...
This weekend's game will be Air Force's first this season against a nationally ranked team. The last time that the Falcons played a nationally ranked opponent was last season against No. 4 Notre Dame. Meanwhile, Air Force's last victory over a ranked team was in 2006, when the Falcons knocked off the ninth-ranked Fighting Irish, 9-8.

A Historic Victory...
Air Force's win over Army on Saturday was notable for more than one reason. In addition to giving the Falcons their first win of the season, it also marked the Falcons' first lacrosse victory over the Black Knights in 17 tries.

The site of the game was also something of note, as it was also the first time that Air Force has hosted Army in lacrosse action. The previous 16 meetings between the two teams were all held at West Point.

Career Bests Versus the Black Knights...
In addition to scoring the gamewinner against Army on Saturday, sophomore Adam Paranka notched a career-high two assists in the Falcons' victory over the Black Knights. Meanwhile, classmate Dayton Gilbreath added a career-best mark of his own, picking up six ground balls in the win.

In Overtime...
Air Force's game against Army marked its first overtime of the contest of the season. The Falcons have now played three overtime games since 2007 and are 2-1 in overtime during that span.

Saturday's game was also the fourth time in the last eight years that the Air Force-Army contest has gone into extra periods.

He Shoots, He Scores...
After entering the 2010 season without a single career goal, junior midfielder Zack Carroll has suddenly become the Falcons' most effective offensive weapon, currently leading the team with 10 goals on the season. Even more impressive is the fact that Carroll, Air Force's top face-off midfielder, has scored his 10 goals on just 20 shots. His shot percentage of .500 is tied for the best in the ECAC and tied for 15th-best in the nation.

Up Next...
The Falcons will remain on the East Coast for their next game, as they head to Loudonville, N.Y., for a non-conference match-up versus Siena on March 23. The contest is slated to begin at 3:00 p.m. (ET).

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