MLX: Lasell gearing up for second NCAA playoff appearance

2021 NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship Bracket

NEWTON, Mass. – The Lasell University men's lacrosse team will meet York College of Pennsylvania for the first time this Saturday (May 15) when the two schools battle in the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament in Lancaster, Pa.

The Lasers (10-2) will take a seven-game winning streak against the #6 Spartans (14-1) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Shadek Stadium, the home of host institution Franklin & Marshall College. The winner will advance to the second round on Sunday against the winner of Saturday's second contest between #8 Franklin & Marshall (7-0) and John Carroll University (14-1).

Just 31 of the 231 Division III men's lacrosse programs qualified for the NCAA Championships. Lasell earned its NCAA berth by winning the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) title last Saturday over Norwich University, 15-7, while York punched its ticket with an 11-0 triumph over previously undefeated No. 7 Stevenson in the Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth title game.

Spectators
Each participating institution will be limited to two (2) spectators per student-athlete and coach. No general admission tickets will be sold. Masks and physical distancing are required at all times on campus and in Shadek Stadium. Additional health and safety protocols for spectators will be sent directly to participating institutions. Tailgating is not permitted at any time, and spectators must depart the facility and campus following the conclusion of the contest. Live video and live stats to follow all of this weekend's action will be available on GoDiplomats.com and laserpride.lasell.edu.

Lasell in the NCAA Tournament
The Lasers will be making their second appearance in NCAA Tournament play. The first time was in 2017 when the Lasers were defeated by Misericordia University, 9-7, in Salisbury, Maryland. Only one Laser who played in the 2017 tournament remains on the team, grad student midfielder Brendan Johnson (Plymouth, Mass.)

York in the NCAA Tournament

York will be making its fifth consecutive appearance and sixth overall and owns an 8-5 record in NCAA Tournament games. The Spartans won their first two games in the most recent NCAA Tournament in 2019, defeating Stockton (18-11) and Washington and Lee (14-12) before falling to eventual champion Cabrini in overtime in the quarterfinals, 11-10.

Lasell Head Coach Bill Mason

The Lasers are led by head coach Bill Mason, who is in his sixth season at Lasell. A 2012 graduate of Western New England University, Mason came to Lasell after three years as an assistant coach at Bates College. Mason has led the Lasers to a 61-22 overall record and a sparkling 36-3 mark in GNAC competition, with conference championships in 2017 and 2021.

Quoting Coach Mason

"Our motto all season has been "Into The Storm", which refers to dealing with adversity head-on. After Covid rocked everyone's world and abruptly ended our season in 2020, along with losing the 2019 championship in heartbreaking fashion, the 2021 GNAC champion Lasers are forged in adversity. Led by an amazing group of seniors, this team has persevered through all storms of adversity this season, with our most impressive statistic of 0 positive covid tests as a team leading the way. We now head into our biggest storm yet this season as we take on powerhouse York. One thing is for certain, these Lasers will continue to fight and push forward together as they and the Lasell community have done all year!"

NCAA Statistical Rankings

Lasell ranks 38th in Division III in scoring defense, allowing just 8.25 goals per game, and 46th in scoring offense, averaging 14.83 goals per outing and leading the GNAC in both categories. The Lasers are 33rd in man-down defense (.814), and 45th in clearing percentage (.854). York ranks fifth nationally in scoring defense (5.47 goals per game), 17th in scoring offense (18.33 goals per game), and seventh in scoring margin (12.87).

Lasell Goalkeeping

Junior Alex Beauchemin (Westfield, Mass.) has been a standout for the Lasers, starting all 12 games this season and posting a 10-2 record with an 8.32 goals against average and a .622 save percentage. He ranks 28th in Division III in GAA and 14th in save percentage. Beauchemin has a career record of 26-5 in 33 games with a 7.64 GAA and a .589 save percentage He became Lasell's all-time leader in victories earlier this season.

Lasell Defense

The Lasers featured the top defense in the GNAC (8.25 goals per game), led by senior Ethan Bain (Southbury, Conn.), junior Tyler Rose (Springfield, Mass.) and sophomore Magnus Leonard (Marshfield, Mass.). Rose posted a team-high 19 caused turnovers while Leonard was an offensive threat as well in transition with five goals. Other key defenders include long-stick sophomore Kyle Charlot (Harwich, Mass.) and freshman Casey Hart (Colchester, Conn.) and short-stick middies juniors David Burke (Cohasset, Mass.) and Matt Barron (Newington, Conn.) and grad student Brendan Johnson (Plymouth, Mass.).

Lasell Midfield

Graduate Student Chase Kapuscienski (Grafton, Mass.), who played four years at the University of Mary Washington before graduating last spring, along with senior Colby Buccheri (Rowley, Mass.) and junior Jordan Hines (Essex Junction, Vt.), anchor the Laser midfield unit. Kapuscienski finished second on the team in scoring with 31 goals, 11 assists and 42 points, while Buccheri was third with 22 goals, 17 assists and 39 points. Junior Max Litchfield (Barrington, N.H.) was also a key contributor on offense.

Lasell Attack

The Lasers has three outstanding attackers on offense, led by senior Andrew Fidalgo (Wilbraham, Mass.), who led the team in scoring with 32 goals, 21 assists and 53 points. Despite missing the 2020 season with an injury (and the pandemic), Fidalgo is one of Lasell's all-time leading scorers with 147 points (79 goals, 68 assists). Junior James Anderson (Medway, Mass.) was a threat on offense this season with 26 goals and 9 assists, and classmate Bash Cunningham (Norwalk, Conn.) was a solid contributor as well with 25 goals and 28 points. Senior Josif Giogas (Burlington, Mass.) came on strong late in the season with at least one goal in his last five games.

Lasell Face-offs

Junior Steven Phelps (Stamford, Conn.) is Lasell's primary face-off man, winning 108-of-209 at the X (.517), with sophomore Patrick Russo (Peabody, Mass.) a solid back-up, winning 37-of-76 (.487).

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