Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 1/31/15
From Press Release
The collegiate men’s lacrosse season will once again begin with the University of Delaware when the Blue Hens open the 2015 campaign with a trip to High Point University this Sunday, Feb. 1.
The Blue Hens, who traditionally play the first NCAA men’s game of the season, will do so again this year as they take on the Panthers at 12 noon at Vert Stadium. Delaware has won 12 straight opening day games, including victories over High Point the last three years which included a 10-3 win last season at Delaware Stadium.
Delaware, led by head coach Bob Shillinglaw, now in his 40th season overall and 37th campaign with the Blue Hens, returns seven starters from last year’s team that went 7-9 and advanced to the Colonial Athletic Association semifinals. Delaware has advanced to the CAA Tournament eight times in the last 11 years and will be looking to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011.
“Our staff and players are excited to kick off the 2015 season this Sunday vs High Point,” said Shillinglaw, the all-time NCAA leader in games coached (578) and ranked No. 4 in career victories among active NCAA Division I with 305, including 294 at Delaware. “The team returned January 5 in great shape and everyone has been working hard preparing for the season. We have had great focus and the upperclassmen leadership has been excellent. We will need a team effort this Sunday against a very talented and well coached High Point squad. The challenging non-conference schedule will be a major help in getting us prepared for a difficult CAA schedule.”
Among the top Blue Hens to watch will be senior midfielder Brian Kormondy, sophomore midfielder Steve Delargy, junior goalkeeper Conor Peaks, senior faceoff specialist Tyler Barbarich, and senior defender Matt Matsko.
Kormondy earned first team All-CAA honors in 2014 when he scored 17 goals and 13 assists; Barbarich is a 2015 Inside Lacrosse preseason All-American and earned second team All-CAA honors last season when he led the CAA and ranked No. 4 in the NCAA in faceoff win pct. (.637) and was No. 25 in groundballs (5.93 per game); Peaks earned preseason All-CAA honors after ranking among the national leaders in save pct. (.542/19th) and goals allowed average (9.04/15th) in 2014; Delargy scored 16 goals and eight assists last season as a redshirt freshman; and Matsko caused nine turnovers a year ago.
Tom Holland (16-3), Spring-Ford grad Paul Major (4-1), Germantown Academy gradBeau Jones (11-15), and Tyler Aunon (2-3) will handle the attack while Kormondy, Delargy, and Jackson Finigan will man the first midfield unit. Defensively, Matt Matsko, Malvern Prep grad Jared Horoski, Tim Lyons, and Brandon Worrall will handle the defensive chores.
High Point – coached by former Philadelphia Barrage standout Jon Torpey – is coming off a 9-7 record a year ago when the Panthers advanced to the Atlantic Sun Conference championship game. High Point returns a high-scoring attack led by Matt Thistle (17 goals-36 assists), Dan Lomas (42-6), and Michael LeClair (13-12). Lomas enters the game having scored a point in 26 straight games since the 2013 season.
Following the opener at High Point, Delaware will return home to take on Patriot League contender Bucknell in the home opener Saturday, Feb. 6, at 1 p.m. in Delaware Stadium.
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