Big Green Set for Home Opener Saturday, Neutral Site Showdown Monday

Saturday, February 24

Hanover, N.H.

1:00 PM

Dartmouth College

Holy Cross

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Photo by: Noel Gyllenhaal

Big Green Set for Home Opener Saturday, Neutral Site Showdown Monday

2/23/2024 11:09:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse

Game Notes (PDF)Purchase Tickets (Saturday)Watch on ESPN+ (Saturday)Live Stats

Dartmouth to face pair of Patriot League teams in three days

By: Justin Lafleur

GAME 2
Dartmouth (0-1, 0-0 Ivy League) vs. Holy Cross (2-1, 0-0 Patriot League)
Dates: Saturday, February 24, 2024 – 1 p.m.
Location: Hanover, N.H. – Scully-Fahey Field
All-Time Series: First Meeting
Watch Live | Live Stats

GAME 3
Dartmouth (0-1, 0-0 Ivy League) vs. Lehigh (1-2, 0-0 Patriot League)
Dates: Monday, February 26, 2024 – 7 p.m.
Location: Hartford, Conn. – Jessee/Miller Field at Tansill Muldoon Stadium
All-Time Series: First Meeting
Watch Live (TBD) | Live Stats

Setting the Scene
After opening its season at Bucknell last weekend, the Dartmouth men's lacrosse team is set to host Holy Cross in its home opener on Saturday (1 p.m.) before playing Lehigh in a neutral site matchup in Hartford (at Trinity College) on Monday night at 7 p.m. The Big Green responded from an early 5-0 deficit in their season opener to pull as close as one against the Bison, but couldn't come all the way back in a 15-13 defeat.

The Big Green got within 7-6 late in the first half then 14-13 late in the game, but Bucknell always had an answer. Seniors Nate Davis and Peter Lapina each posted four points to lead the offense via three goals and an assist. For Lapina, it marked his first-career hat trick, while tying a career high for points. It was Davis' fourth-career hat trick, while also tying a career high for points. Sophomore and reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Year Emmett Paradine recorded two goals and an assist, while junior Brandon Ventarola posted a career-high four assists. The four helpers is tied for the most by any Big Green player since Ben Martin dished seven on Apr. 11, 2017 against UMass Lowell.

Fifth-year Mitchell Myers responded from a tough start to win 10-of-20 faceoffs on the afternoon, and junior Vincent Gandolfo won 3-of-6. Sophomore Thomas Goguen recorded career highs in groundballs (5) and caused turnovers (3) while junior Griffin O'Neil filled up the stat sheet with two groundballs, two caused turnovers and his first-career goal.

After Saturday's game, the Big Green have a short turnaround, playing Lehigh at Trinity College on Monday night in the only Division I men's lacrosse game of the day. This weekend's opponents mark Dartmouth's second and third straight Patriot League opponents to begin the season.

With A Win on Saturday (Over Holy Cross)...
- Dartmouth would win its second straight home opener, following an 11-8 win over Siena last March.
- The Big Green would win a nonleague game for the 10th time in their last 14 tries dating back to the 2021 season.
- Dartmouth would improve to 33-2 all-time against Holy Cross.

With A Win on Monday (Over Lehigh)...
- Dartmouth would improve to 4-1 all-time against Lehigh.
- (If Dartmouth also wins on Saturday) The Big Green would win a nonleague game for the 11th time in their last 15 tries dating back to the 2021 season.

Last Time Out
HANOVER, N.H. (2/22/24) — Sophomore midfielder Emmett Paradine of the Dartmouth men's lacrosse team was recognized by the New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association on Friday as a member of the preseason All-New England Second Team. Last season's Ivy League Rookie of the Year finished 2023 fourth on the Big Green in points with 27, tied for second in assists (9) and fourth in goals (18).

All-Time vs. Holy Cross
Dartmouth leads the all-time series against Holy Cross, 32-2. The Big Green won the first 28 meetings, with the Crusaders winning two of the last six. Prior to last season's game at Holy Cross, a 17-6 Big Green win, the teams previously played in 2014, a 17-12 Dartmouth victory in Hanover. The year prior, the Big Green lost at Holy Cross by an 11-10 final. The only other Crusaders' victory in the series came in 2010, winning 13-8 at Dartmouth. Last season at Holy Cross, Dartmouth led 12-0 at the half and 13-1 late in the third quarter in a dominant effort. The Big Green finished with a 63-24 edge in shots.

Scouting Holy Cross
After struggling through a 1-13 season in 2023, Holy Cross is off to a 2-1 start so far this season — with wins at UMass Lowell (16-9) and vs. Sacred Heart (10-9). The Crusaders' only loss came in the season opener against Providence via a 12-6 final.

William Stahl leads Holy Cross in goals (7) and points (9), shooting an impressive 58.3 percent on the season. Will Messineo isn't far behind with six goals and an assist, which included a four-goal, one-assist effort against UMass Lowell. Matt Major's five goals and an assist for six points is third on the team. Michael Rincon leads the Crusaders in caused turnovers (6) while Matt Carbonell's 11 groundballs are tops on Holy Cross.

All-Time vs. Lehigh
Dartmouth and Lehigh have played four times, with the Big Green holding a 3-1 advantage. Dartmouth won the first three meetings, with its most recent win coming on Mar. 15, 2003 via a 10-5 final. The Mountain Hawks captured the most recent meeting, 11-9 on Mar. 7, 2009 in a game played in Hanover.

Scouting Lehigh
Lehigh is 1-2 in the early going, with competitive losses against No. 14 Rutgers and No. 5 Cornell via 14-12 and 17-13 finals. The Mountain Hawks own an 8-7 win over Fairfield. One of the perennial contenders in the Patriot League, Lehigh has advanced to every Patriot League Tournament since 2011, advancing to three NCAA Tournaments in that span. Last season, the Mountain Hawks lost to Army West Point in the Patriot League semifinals.

Reigning Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year Scott Cole is already off to a fast start this season, owning 11 points behind 10 goals and an assist. Andrew Kelly has eight (seven goals, one assist) while Dakota Eierman has tallied six (four goals, two assists). Through just three games, seven players have already scored multiple goals. Only six of Lehigh's 33 assists on the season have been assisted, though. Last season's national leader in caused turnovers Richard Checo is off to another strong start with six caused turnovers after 54 caused turnovers (with 64 groundballs) during his rookie season.

Paradine Named NEILA Preseason All-New England
Sophomore midfielder Emmett Paradine was recognized by the New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association as a member of the preseason All-New England Second Team. Last season's Ivy League Rookie of the Year finished 2023 fourth on the Big Green in points with 27, tied for second in assists (9) and fourth in goals (18).

Johnston, Myers, Davis Named Captains
Dartmouth head men's lacrosse coach Sean Kirwan announced the Big Green captains in January, which included fifth years Andrew Johnston and Mitchell Myers, and senior Nate Davis. The captains were chosen by their peers.

Four Pick Up Postseason Honors
Following a strong season of progress, four members of the Dartmouth men's lacrosse team were recognized with postseason Ivy League awards. Emmett Paradine was named Rookie of the Year, the Big Green's first Ivy League major award winner since 2007. Senior Mitchell Myers and junior Nate Davis were both named second team All-Ivy while junior Peter Lapina was named Academic All-Ivy.

Paradine becomes Dartmouth's fifth all-time Ivy League major award winner, all being Rookies of the Year. The others were Ari Sussman (2007), Jamie Coffin (2003), Brian Merritt (1994) and Jenkins Marshall (1981).

This also marks the first time Dartmouth has had multiple players named first or second team All-Ivy in consecutive seasons since 2005-06. Myers was named to the first team and Daniel Hincks to the second team last season.

Follow Along
Saturday's game can be seen live on ESPN+. Stay tuned for how to follow Monday's game.

Next Up
After this weekend, the Big Green hit the road next Saturday to play at Siena. Opening faceoff is set for 11 a.m.