Men's Lacrosse 3/26/2021 3:03:00 PM

Men's Lacrosse Heads To UMass Lowell Saturday Afternoon

Game 6	at UMass Lowell (1-3, 1-2 AE)
Date \| Time	Saturday, March 27 \| 3:30 pm
Location \| Arena	Lowell, MA \| Cushing Field
All-Time Series	UMass Lowell leads 4-0
Live Stats	In-Game Statistics
Live Video	AmericaEast.TV
Game Notes	NJIT (PDF) \| UML

NEWARK, N.J. --- NJIT Men's Lacrosse (0-5, 0-3 AE) starts a two-game road trip on Saturday afternoon with a matchup with UMass Lowell (1-3, 1-2 AE).

LAST TIME OUT
NJIT was unsuccessful in its upset bid Saturday afternoon, falling 17-2 to the No. 19/19 Vermont Catamounts in America East action. Freshman Jack Bowie increased his team lead in goals for NJIT (0-5, 0-3 AE), adding a pair of second half scores to up his season total to nine. Sophomore Liam Brown played three of the game's four quarters in goal and made 17 saves for his fourth double-digit save performance of the season. Freshman Bryce Zell closed out the game and made five saves in his 15 minutes. Senior Lynch Raby led the Highlanders with three ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers.

TOP HONORS
Brown's 20-save performance in the season opener vs. Delaware on February 20 currently stands as the top saves effort in the America East this season and is tied for the seventh-most saves in the country this year. Brown also ranks tenth in the nation in saves per game (14.25) and NJIT as a team is tied for third in the NCAA in saves per game (16.50).

SIGNS OF GROWTH
NJIT's ten goals against Lehigh on February 27 were the most the team has scored in the six-game series between the two teams and marked the most the Highlanders have scored against a ranked opponent. The previous mark for goals against a ranked foe was eight goals at No.13/13 Lehigh on Feb. 2, 2019.

NATIONAL RANKS
NJIT is currently ranked second in the nation in saves per game (17.60), training only LIU (18.00). Starting goalkeeper Liam Brown leads the America East in that category, stopping 14.80 shots per contest.

A NEW ERA BEGINS
The Highlanders are playing the 2021 campaign - its first in the program's seven-year history - with a true conference home. NJIT played its first five years as a Division I independent and competed in 2020 as an affiliate member of the Northeast Conference. Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, NJIT's season was shortened before it was slated to play its first-ever conference game against Long Island University on March 14. That history-making contest is now scheduled for Saturday as full members of the America East Conference, which NJIT officially joined as its tenth member on July 1, 2020.

A SEASON LIKE NO OTHER
Like many schools across the country, NJIT men's lacrosse will be managing the 2021 campaign while working to maintain the safety of the NJIT community during the current COVID-19 public health crisis. Please bookmark NJITHighlanders.com to keep up-to-date on any schedule changes that may arise because of the pandemic or weather-related issues.

As for fans this season, due to COVID protocol policy, the NJIT Department of Athletics is prohibiting spectators at our Indoor & Outdoor Athletic Events.

2021 CAPTAINS
Seventh-year head coach Travis Johnson named seniors Luke Binder (defender), Colton Johnson (midfielder), and Max Wilson (midfielder) team captains for the 2021 season. Binder was named team captain after serving last season and returning for a fifth campaign while Johnson and Wilson step into captaincy roles after Ryan Kaden and John Tachon graduated.

"We are proud to announce that Luke, CJ & Max will be our captains for the 2021 season. These young men have helped make an extremely difficult year a little easier with their leadership on and off the field. I'm so happy for these three young men that they have been picked by their teammates to represent them," Johnson said after naming the trio of leaders.

IN 2020 AND THE OFFSEASON
- NJIT nearly reset its single-game record for goals in a game with 24 against Hampton in its season-opening 24-7 victory
- The Highlanders set new team marks for single-game assists (15 vs Hampton) and points (39 vs Hampton)
- Max Wilson was drafted in the first round (seventh overall) by the Victoria Shamrocks in the Western Lacrosse Association (WLA) Graduating Junior Draft in February.

2021 LEADERS
- Goals: Jack Bowie (9)
- Assists: Gavyn Willson (4)
- Points: Bowie (10)
- Ground Balls: Liam Brown (13)
- Man-Up Goals: Bowie (3)
- Faceoff %: Billy Kroeger (.429 | 6-14); Isaac Vanzomeren (.383 | 23-60)
- Shots: Owen Corry (33)
- SOG: Bowie (13 | .520)
- Caused Turnovers: Teddy Grimley (5)

STIFF COMPETITION
The Highlanders will face a nationally notable schedule this season, as five of NJIT's 11 scheduled opponents made an appearance on at least one of the two Week 1 polls (USILA and Inside Lacrosse):
- Delaware | RV IL
- Lehigh | No. 14 IL, No. 15 USILA
- Stony Brook | No. 20 IL, RV USILA
- UAlbany | RV - USILA and IL
- UMBC | RV USILA

2021 SCHEDULE NOTES
- 11 games scheduled - two non-conference, nine America East
- First home game: February 20 vs Delaware
- First road game: February 27 at Lehigh
- First-ever AE game: March 6 vs Binghamton
- First AE road game: March 13 at Stony Brook
- Repeat matchups: April 3 at Binghamton; April 10 vs Stony Brook
- Senior Day: May 1 vs UMBC
- America East Playoffs: March 6-8
- More than half of NJIT's opponents (six of 11) will be facing the Highlanders for the first time.
- NJIT is not scheduled to play back-to-back home games this season but will have a pair two-game road trips: March 27 at UMass Lowell and April 3 at Binghamton; April 17 at Hartford and April 24 at UAlbany.

ALL-TIME SERIES
NJIT and UMass Lowell will be meeting for the fifth time in their history on Saturday. The River Hawks and Highlanders faced off each of NJIT's first four years of existence, with UMass Lowell leading the all-time series 4-0. The two teams last met on October 24, 2018 - a 9-3 win for the River Hawks.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
UMass Lowell will be returning to action for the first time since falling at home to Stony Brook (9-16) and two weeks since picking up their first win of the season against Hartford (12-10). UMass Lowell is led by Conor Foley (6 G, 1 A), Jake Lining (5 G, 5 A), Harry Morrill (15 GB, 5 CT), Brett Dattilo (23-68 FO), and Max Christides (15.09 GAA, 46 saves).

NEXT UP
NJIT will complete its two-game road swing with the second half of its home-and-home with Binghamton on Saturday, April 3. Game time is currently scheduled for 1 p.m.

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