Game 6	NJIT (0-5) at Quinnipiac (1-2)
Date | Time	Saturday, March 3, 2018 | 3 p.m.
Location | Arena	Hamden, CT | Quinnipiac Soccer & Lacrosse Stadium
Live Video | Live Audio	Quinnipiac All-Access
Live Stats	In-Game statistics (FREE)
Social Media	@njithighlanders            @njitlacrosse_
All-time series | Last Meeting	Quinnipiac 3-0 | Quinnipiac 11, NJIT 8     3.4.17
Game Notes	NJIT Notes (PDF) |

NJIT men's lacrosse starts a six game road stretch starting with Quinnipiac on Saturday at 3pm.

ALL TIME SERIES
This will be the fourth meeting between the two teams as the Bobcats are one of the six team that the Highlanders have played every year since they became a varsity program in 2015.

Quinnipiac was NJIT men's lacrosse first ever game as a varsity program in 2015. The Bobcats defeated the Highlanders 10-3. The score was 2-2 with 1:41 left in the first quarter until Quinnipiac score again to make it 3-2. The Bobcats would score six unanswered goals after that to take a commanding 9-2 lead before the Highlanders scored again.

In 2016 the Highlanders played one of their best games of the year against Quinnipiac, falling by only two goals 9-7. The score was 6-6 going into the final quarter, and the Bobcats would outscore NJIT 3-1 in the final stanza to secure the win.

On March 4 of last year the Highlanders hosted Quinnipiac for the second time, the first time at Drew University. The Bobcats came out with an 11-8 win. Six of the Highlanders eight goals came from returners, Aaron Forster (2), Ryan Kaden, Cole Robillard, Ryan Darrow and Kevin Falteisek.

Quinnipiac came out strong scoring six goals in the first quarter to the Highlanders one. NJIT outscored the Bobcats 7-5 in the final three quarters, but it wasn't enough for a comeback.

A LOOK AT THE BOBCATS
Quinnipiac is 1-2, with their last loss coming from No. 17 Vermont on February 24. The Bobcats dug themselves into an early hole in the second quarter and couldn't climb their way out. Freshman Jake Tomsik led the team with two goals, and sophomore goalie Joe Zukaukas made 12 saves in his first start.

This was the second week in a row Quinnipiac played a No. 17 ranked team. On February 17 the Bobcats upset No. 17 Brown 12-11 in overtime on their new home field.

Quinnipiac was picked to finish third in the MAAC this year, behind defending champions Monmouth and Marist.

As a team the Bobcats are ranked sixth in the nation in man-up offense (.600) and 20^th in the nation in ground balls per game (29.67).

Four Bobcats received preseason honors with Adam Bellamy, Will Vitelli, Riley Palmer and Foster Cuomo.

Bellamy earned MAAC Long-Stick Midfielder of the Year last season and looks to repeat this year after being named Preseason Long-Stick Midfielder of the Year. Bellamy is currently second in the team in ground balls with 15 after three games, and ranks tied for 29^th in the nation in ground balls per game (5.00).

Vitelli is a two-time MAAC Faceoff Specialist of the Year, and might add a third after being selected as Preseason Faceoff Specialist of the Year. Vitelli is 39-for-63 from the faceoff circle and ranks 17^th in the nation in faceoff winning percentage (.619) and tied for 17^th in ground balls per game (6.00). Vitelli earned MAAC Defensive Player of the Week once already this season, and leads the team in ground balls with 18.

Returners Riley Palmer and Foster Cuomo were the other two Bobcats to earn Preseason All-MAAC honors. Both Palmer and Cuomo were named to the All-MAAC second-team last season. Cuomo has a team high four assists and two goals while defenseman Palmer has nine ground balls and three caused turnovers.

Freshman Jake Tomsik is the team leader in goals with eight and points with nine and was recently named MAAC Rookie of the Week scoring four goals against UMass Lowell in his first collegiate game.

Mike Fletcher is second in the team in points with five goals and two assists. Fletcher earned MAAC Offensive Player of the Week after his first multi-goal game against No. 17 Brown.

Mike Ruane leads the team in caused turnovers, tallying four in three games.

In goal for the Bobcats, Carson Cocco posted the most minutes so far, starting in the first two games with 23 saves and a .489 percentage. Joe Zukaukas played all but 32 seconds against Vermont and posted 12 saves in the loss.

A LOOK AT THE HIGHLANDERS
The Highlanders (0-5) are hungry for their first win of 2018, after dropping a close 11-9 decision to VMI last Saturday.

Aaron Forster posted four goals for the fourth time in his career, and added an assist in the loss. Forster also has an 18 game point and scoring streak happening that started in February of 2017. The junior leads the team in points with 15 (12g, 3a).

Behind Forster is fellow Canadian Cole Robillard, who has six goals and three assists.

Freshman Max Wilson is third on the team in points with seven and ranks first on the team in assists with four.

Defensively, the Highlanders have been anchored by John Tachon (22gb, 5ct), Matthew Valdez (11gb, 8ct), Luke Binder (5gb, 6ct) and Kevin Falteisek (5gb, 3ct).

Valdez ranks 34^th in the nation in caused turnovers per game (1.60), and Tachon ranks tied for 43^rd in ground balls per game (4.40).

Nick Marzullo has played all but 11 minutes for the Highlanders in goal, and has 65 saves in five games. The senior posted his 500 save in NJIT's game against VMI, and now has a career 506 saves.