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Men's Lacrosse
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2009 Season Preview

  Always improving, the Soaring Eagles Men’s Lacrosse team will look to this season as a chance for a breakthrough in the competitive Empire 8 Conference. In a conference that showcased three nationally ranked teams, the Soaring Eagles not only have the chance to develop against the best but to compete and push the best.

Having to consistently play at such a high caliber, the Soaring Eagles will look to a combination of experience and youth to have success this spring. The Soaring Eagles welcome ten newcomers to this years squad all of which will be looked upon to make an immediate impact in their first season in Purple and Gold.

With only two veteran attackmen back this season, Coach Chapman will look to the midfield to provide offensive support this season. Returning on the attack for the Soaring Eagles is  Brad Levick '09 (Newmarket, ONT -- St. Andrews College) and Adam Walker ’11 (Corning, NY -- Corning East).

Leading the experienced Elmira midfield is Dan Frost ’10 (Bow, NH -- Bow). Frost, in 13 games recorded 15 goals and 8 assists. Frost who started in 3 of 13 games played, four times recorded 3 or more points in a game including a season high four points against the Hawks of Hartwick College on April 5th. He also recorded a hat trick against St. John Fisher College on March 19th of last season.

Behind Frost is a talented group of midfielders. In this group is Justin Rodis ’09 (Sudbury, MA -- Lincoln-Sudbury), Phil Hill ’09 (Syracuse, NY - Corcoran), JP Kennedy '10 (Newport, RI -- Providence Country Day), Kevin Morrison ’10 (Hingham, MA - Boston College) and Brandon Saylor ’10 (Cleveland Heights, OH -- Cleveland Heights). This group proved that they could continuously control the middle third of the field while helping to shut down the opposing offense.

This group of tough midfielders accounted for 148 ground balls on the season. Leading the way was Saylor who led the team with 62. In the midfield Hill once again took the lead face-off man position having taken a total of 252 face-offs this season from the center circle.

On defense the Soaring Eagles will look to a solid group headed by goalkeeper Geofferey Lane ’10 (Pennington, NJ -- Pennington). Having played in all 14 match-ups, Lane accumulated over 820 minutes of playing time. Having finished second in the Empire 8 in saves per game as well as being named Empire 8 Goalie of the Week once, Lane showed he has all the tools to be one of the top net minders in Division III.

Proving to be one of the teams top defensemen were John Dean ’09 (North Massapequa, NY -- Farmingdale) and Paul Schwartz ’11 (Allison Park, PA -- Kiski School). This duo constantly had to take on the leagues best attackers and did so in dominating fashion. Starting in almost every game for the Purple and Gold, they will once again be looked upon to anchor the defense.

In their first season, the Soaring Eagles will look to Rick Acorn ’12 (Barrie, ONT -- Innisdale), Jake Resnick ’12 (Briarcliff Manor, NY -- Briarcliff),TJ White ’12 (Collegeville, PA -- Methacton) and Brandon Youngstrum ’12 (Vestal, NY -- Vestal). All will fight for playing time in their first season.

With fresh talent and veteran leadership the Soaring Eagles Men’s Lacrosse team looks to the 2009 season as a way to into one of the top teams in the Empire 8. With that they will look to return to prominence in hopes of a playoff berth.