Matchup:
Rollins (6-6) vs. No. 6 Tampa (11-2)
When:
Wednesday, April 9, 2014 - 7 p.m.
Where:
Barker Family Stadium - Winter Park, Fla.
Rollins looks to end a two-game losing streak on Wednesday,
welcoming SSC rival Tampa on senior day. Fans that can't make it to
the game can watch live on the Tars Sports Network on
RollinsSports.com.
ROLLINS AT A GLANCE: Last time out, the Tars
fell to No. 15 Wheeling Jesuit on the road, 16-6, in what was a
game of runs. Six different players scored for the Tars: Jack
Vonarb, Morgan
Baker, Carson
Buell, Jack
Dever, Andrew
Matthews, and Dylan
Bassham. Andrew
Sheerin started in goal and played the first 50-plus minutes,
allowing 14 goals and made a season high 15 saves before Thomas
Troiano replaced him and played the final nine minutes. Troiano
allowed two goals and recorded three saves.
Entering Wednesday, Rollins in 10th in the country in
ground balls per game, 23rd in points per game (17.08)
and 24th in assists per game, averaging 6.33 per
contest. The Tars are also fifth in Division II and first in the
SSC in caused turnovers per game (10.58), led by Connor
McClellan who is 21st, averaging 1.83 per game.
Offensively, Vonarb (26g, 5) and classmate Nicholas
Schultz (24g, 7a) lead the team while Baker has a team high 12
assists.
The Spring of 2014 marks the fourth season for head coach RJ
Rossi after spending a season as the assistant coach. Before
coming to Rollins, Rossi spent four years at Western Connecticut
State University as a Defensive Coordinator for two seasons before
being promoted to Assistant Coach with defensive
responsibilities.
TAMPA AT A GLANCE: Last time out, then No. 4
Tampa could not overcome a 9-1 halftime deficit as they fell to No.
9 Mercyhurst, 14-7, Saturday afternoon at Tullio Field.
The Spartans enter Wednesday ranked in the top-5 nationally in
just about every statistical category: first in ground balls,
second in points, third in assists, and fourth in points per game.
They are also second in points margin, outscoring their opponents
191-98, including 55-17 in the third quarter, and fourth in scoring
offense, averaging nearly 15 goals per game.
Jake Rooney leads the team with 45 goals through 13 games while
Conor Whipple has 35 scores and owns the team lead in assists with
32 for a team best 67 points. Nick Ferreiro has added 10 goals and
16 assists.
Rory Whipple is in his third season as the head coach of the
men's lacrosse team. He is also the first head coach in program
history for the Spartans. The all-time winningest coach in NCAA
Division II was previously the head coach at Florida Southern
College. This marks the third program that Whipple has started as
he looks to build the Spartans into a national contender. He guided
Tampa to a Deep South Conference regular season championship in the
program's first year of existence in 2012, and repeated as DSC
regular season champs in 2013.
THE SERIES: Rollins is 0-2 all-time against the
Spartans.
NEXT UP FOR ROLLINS: The Tars close their
regular season on Tuesday, April 15th at Saint Leo at 7
p.m.
