Elmira vs. Alfred
Game Details	Saturday, March 24 | Elmira, N.Y. | 1:00 p.m.
Game Coverage	Live Stats: Stats Link
Alfred Links	Roster | Schedule | Stats

ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College men's lacrosse team kicks off Empire 8 Conference play on Saturday, March 24, with a home bout against Alfred University. The league tilt is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. at nearby Notre Dame High School.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Soaring Eagles fell in non-league action to SUNY Oneonta, 9-2, on Saturday afternoon at the Red Dragon Field in Oneonta, New York. EC kept the bout close with solid defensive play with success in the faceoff circle. Elmira limited the Red Dragons to nine goals, the first time that EC held its foe to less than 10 goals since it topped Houghton College, 16-5, on March 29, 2017. Rookie goalie Jacob Mattice '21 was critical to this defensive performance, as he made 20 saves in his second collegiate start. Kevin DiMagno '20 led the way for the Purple and Gold in the faceoff circle with 10 wins and 10 groundballs, both of which are career highs for the sophomore.
 
FANTASTIC FRESHMAN
With the graduation of EC great Cameron Prior '17 last season, the Soaring Eagles were tasked with trying to find a replacement and they just might have one in Mattice. The product of Canton, New York, shined in his second career start against the Red Dragons, as he posted the first 20-save game for Elmira since Cameron Prior '17 made 20 stops in last year's season finale against Utica College on April 29. With his stellar outing on Saturday, Mattice became the first rookie Soaring Eagle in over a decade to make 20-plus saves in a game. The performance was drastically different than his three-save performance against Keuka College in his season debut on March 3. Mattice's .690 save percentage is the highest mark by an Elmira starter since Prior logged a .733 save percentage in a 15-4 victory over Alfred State on April 2, 2016.  
 
SCOUTING SUNY ALFRED
After starting the 2018 season with a 4-1 record, a recent two-game losing streak has dropped the Saxons' overall record to 4-3. Alfred's recent skid featured losses to the Polar Bears of Ohio Northern University and the Lakers of Oswego State, who possess a combined record of 10-2 this year. A key to the Saxons' success this season has been its excellence in the faceoff circle, as they rank fourth in the county with a .713 faceoff winning percentage. Garrette Briggs has fueled this success by winning 77-percent of his chances in the X, which paces the Empire 8 Conference and is fourth in Division III. In addition to Briggs, Alfred has relied on senior Jake Lynch to get the offense started. The two-time United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) All-America selection paces the team in both points (27) and assists (9). In goal, senior Drew Gardner has started six games and owns a 3-3 record.
 
SERIES HISTORY
The Soaring Eagles and Saxons have met 28 times in the past. Alfred leads the all-time series with a 21-7 record after winning the last seven contests. EC last bested the Saxons on April 10, 2010, in a 14-11 victory in Elmira, New York.
 
UP NEXT
The Soaring Eagles will play Kean University in its a non-conference bout on Wednesday, March 28. The tilt is slated for a 7:00 p.m. start at the Kean Alumni Stadium in Union, New Jersey.