ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College men's lacrosse team welcomes Empire 8 Conference foe Hartwick College to Notre Dame High School on Saturday, April 8. The Conference bout is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT: The Soaring Eagles fell to a tough College at Brockport team by a 19-5 final score on Wednesday afternoon in Brockport, New York. Elmira got off to a good start in the first quarter, as Nevin Olney '18 put the Purple and Gold up 1-0 just 1:49 into the contest. Following a Brockport goal that evened the score at 1-all, Anthony LaRusso '17 regained the lead for EC, 2-1, with a strike at the 9:05 mark of the opening quarter. From that point, however, the Golden Eagles went on a scoring tear. In a stretch that spanned parts of the first, second and third quarters, Brockport scored 13 straight goals to take a commanding 14-2 advantage. The Soaring Eagles did not score again until the 8:44 mark of the third quarter when, Wyatt Katsos '17 buried an Olney pass by Brockport goalie Dallas Meyers. Katsos tallied another goal just over a minute later to cut the Golden Eagles' lead to 10, 14-4. Olney scored his second tally of the day 5:48 mark, but this was EC's last goal on the afternoon which sealed the 19-5 non-conference loss. 

HEADstrong GAME: Saturday's bout will stand as EC's United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA)/HEADstrong Cancer Awareness Game, in which the Elmira men will don lime-green socks and shoe laces to support the HEADstrong Foundation's mission to improve the quality of life for cancer patients and their families through providing essential services. Over the past two years, Elmira has raised a combined $6,137.00 for the foundation.
 

OLNEY THE LONELY: With his three-point game (2g, 1a) against the Golden Eagles on Wednesday, Olney has taken sole possession of first place on the team in both points (15) and goals (12). The Rochester, New York, native's scoring production has been dependable all season, as he has scored at least one goal in all but one game this year.    
 

MAN-UP SUCCESS: The Soaring Eagles have had consistent success on the man-up offense this season, as they have scored at least one goal in that situation in every game this year. Katsos has been the most successful player on man-up opportunities with five goals. 

SCOUTING HARTWICK: The Hawks enter Saturday's contest riding a three-game win streak. Two of the three wins came against Empire 8 Conference teams, as Hartwick edged St. John Fisher College (12-11 OT) and Alfred University (10-8). Following this recent string of success, the Hawks' record sits at 5-2 overall and 2-0 in conference play. Hartwick's strength this season has been on the defensive end of the field, as it ranks third in the E8 with a 9.05 goals-against average. Leading the way for the Hawks between the pipes is sophomore goalie Connor O'Brien. O'Brien has played every minute for Hawks this year and owns an impressive .500 save percentage and a 9.05 goals-against average. On the offensive end of the field, Jake Sachse and Sam Ferguson have carried much of the load with 21 and 20 points, respectively. Sachse has shown the ability to shoot and pass the ball, as he paces the team with 21 points on nine goals and a team-high 12 assists. Ferguson, on the other hand, is a straight scorer, as all but one of his 20 points on the season are goals.   
 
SERIES HISTORY: The all-time series between these two programs is a long one, as Saturday's contest marks the 22nd meeting. The Hawks have gotten the better of their feathered foes, as they own a 16-5 record against Elmira. EC last won in the series on April 12, 2014, with a 9-8 victory in overtime.  

LOOKING AHEAD: Elmira will continue E8 play with a road tilt against Alfred University on Saturday, April 15. The conference bout is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. at the Saxons' Yunevich Stadium.