Men's Lacrosse 4/29/2024 2:30:00 PM

ASUN Tournament Preview: First Round

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Jacksonville is set to face Robert Morris in the first round of the ASUN tournament on Tuesday (April 30) at 4:00 p.m., earning a share of the conference's regular season title after a 22-7 win over Bellarmine. The Dolphins will be seeded third in the championship tournament, facing sixth-seed RMU. The winner will move on to a matchup against host and two-seeded Air Force on Friday (April 30).

Jacksonville (11-4, 8-1 ASUN)
The Dolphins have thrived after a 1-3 start, winning 10 of its final 11 regular season games, kickstarting one of the nation's best statistical offenses while continuing to produce elite defensive performances in conference play. Jacksonville did not allow an opponent to score in the double-digits in April, averaging 18.4 goals per game offensively in that time span.

JU features an unselfish offense, with the Dolphins assisting on 74% (68/92) of goals scored during its five-game winning streak to close out the regular season. The offensive production begins with success on faceoff opportunities, with the Dolphins winning the faceoff battle in 11 of 15 games, including seven of the last eight.

Robert Morris (5-9, 4-5 ASUN)
RMU opened the season with a slow start, going 1-5 to start the season, including a 13-9 loss to Jacksonville in the first game of ASUN conference play. Since the 1-5 start, the Colonials have won four games, going 4-4 to earn a spot in the tournament. RMU went 4-2 against the rest of the league, taking three of five in-conference losses to the trio of JU, Air Force and Utah, who shared the regular season title at 8-1.

The Colonials have found some success on faceoff opportunities in ASUN play, winning 55% (114/206) of those chances. RMU can limit the damage on the penalty-kill, ranking third in the conference in that category.

Players to Watch
Jacksonville - Ryan Della Rocco has contributed significantly to a top-end defensive unit, leading the ASUN in goals against average and save percentage. A three-headed trio leads the Dolphins offensively, with Jacob Greiner, Jackson Intrieri, and Nicky Brown feeding off each other on the offensive end. Nathan Kapp is a dynamic faceoff specialist, leading the conference in ground balls and faceoff win percentage.

Robert Morris - Elliot Holden is the key cog in the Colonial offense, finishing second on the team in goals and first in assists and points. David Burr leads the team in goals scored, finishing the regular season with 32. Defensively, James Leary is the anchor, leading the team in caused turnovers and ranking third overall but first among non-faceoff specialists with 44 ground balls this season.

The Numbers
Jacksonville - The Dolphins rank inside the top 25 in 12 statistical categories nationally. JU ranks fourth in assists per game, seventh in points per game and 10th in scoring margin. It features the 12th-best scoring defense and the 13th-best scoring offense in the country.

Robert Morris - RMU ranks in the top 25 in three statistical categories nationally, featuring the 12th-best clearing percentage and 14th-best man-down defense in the NCAA. The 14th-best man-down defense will be a key matchup between the two sides, with Jacksonville's man-up offense ranking seventh nationally.

Championship Central
Bracket
Tickets
Tournament Info

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Players Mentioned

#14 Nicky Brown: A; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#38 Ryan Della Rocco: G; 5' 10"; Junior

#28 Jacob Greiner: A; 5' 10"; Redshirt Senior

#12 Jackson Intrieri: A; 6' 2"; Junior

#13 Nathan Kapp: FO; 5' 11"; Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

#14 Nicky Brown
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: A

#38 Ryan Della Rocco
: 5' 10"; Junior
: G

#28 Jacob Greiner
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Senior
: A

#12 Jackson Intrieri
: 6' 2"; Junior
: A

#13 Nathan Kapp
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Senior
: FO