Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/5/14
From Press Releases
The entire Eastern Men’s Lacrosse team waited patiently around the projector screen hoping to hear Eastern’s name called during Sunday night’s NCAA Tournament selection show.
Only 30 teams in the NCAA’s Division III are rewarded for their play during the regular season with a spot in the postseason tournament. In Sunday’s selection show, 23 of those 30 names had been called when the video stream froze, leaving the Eagles hanging in suspense. Finally, the stream returned and Eastern’s name flashed on the screen, welcoming them to the NCAA tournament for a first-round date with the Washington College Shoremen .
The Shoremen (15-1), ranked No. 6 in the country, received an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament after winning the Centennial Conference Championship. The Shoremen’s only loss this season came against No. 2 Salisbury.
Eastern is back in the NCAA tournament for the second time in program history. The Eagles made it to the tournament in 2012 after receiving the automatic qualifier for winning the Middle Atlantic Conference Championship. The conference was re-structured in 2013 eliminating the automatic qualifier, and classifying the Eagles as a “Pool B” team. Despite winning the conference championship and having a 15-2 record, the Eagles were left out of the NCAA Tournament in 2013.
This year, the Eagles worked hard to “Leave No Doubt” and earned non-conference wins against Greensboro, Swarthmore, Haverford, Ferrum, Colorado and No. 12 York. The Eagles then swept through Freedom Conference play, improving to 14-4 and claiming their third-straight conference championship. The NCAA only awards five Pool B bids, and Eastern made the cut this season.
The Eagles will travel to Chestertown, Md., for Wednesday’s opening round against the Washington College Shoremen.
Cabrini to host Mary Washington Wednesday
Cabrini men’s lacrosse team will open the NCAA Tournament in the comfy confines of Edith Robb Dixon Field. The Cavaliers will welcome the University of Mary Washington to campus on Wednesday to open the 2014 NCAA Tournament. A game time has not yet been determined.
The No. 18 Eagles fell to 14-3 on the year after a 13-9 loss to No. 15 York in the semifinal round of the Capitol Athletic Conference tournament. Senior Luke Dick was named CAC Player of the Year, leading five All-CAC selections for Mary Washington.
The No. 5 Cavaliers will make their 13th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, after winning its 14th straight CSAC championship on Saturday with a 25-5 win over Marywood. Junior Damian Sobieski (Avon Grove) captured MVP honors after a career high nine points, including a career best seven goals.
Leave a Reply