MOUNT ST. MARY'S (1-0) vs. DELAWARE (1-2)
Tuesday, February 24, 2015, 3:00 p.m.
Waldron Family Stadium, Emmitsburg, Md.
GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS
OPENING FACE-OFF: Mount St. Mary's returns to action on Monday, February 23, when Delaware visits Waldron Family Stadium for the home opener. The Mountaineers are coming off an 11-8 win at VMI on February 14 in the season opener. Freshman Mike Moynihan tallied a hat trick in his first collegiate game while Mike Pascali and Clayton Wainer each added a pair of goals in the victory. Spencer Smith chipped in a goal and two assists for the Mount. In goal, freshman Matt Vierheller made 11 saves while allowing eight goals in his first collegiate start.
ABOUT DELAWARE: Delaware enters Tuesday's matchup with a 1-2 record after a 10-3 loss at Ohio State this past Sunday. The Blue Hens opened the season with a 15-10 loss at High Point before downing Bucknell, 12-11, in their home opener on Feb. 7. Brian Kormondy leads the team with nine points (4g, 5a) while Beau Jones has eight points (4g, 4a). Tom Holland is the top goal scorer with six this season. In goal, Brett Anton has a 9.14 goals against average and a save percentage of 52.9 percent this season.
MOYNIHAN NAMED NEC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK: Mount St. Mary's freshman Mike Moynihan started the season off with a bang, recording a hat trick in the Mount's 11-8 season-opening win at VMI. Moynihan was named the Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week, becoming the first Mountaineer to earn the honor since Braedon Graham on Feb. 27, 2012.
TEAM CAPTAINS: Mike Daly, Nick Firman and Braedon Graham will serve as team captains for the Mountaineers this season.
EXPERIENCE ON DEFENSE: The Mount defense returns three starters in Nick Firman, Kyle O'Brien and Alex Stefkovich. The trio combined for 90 ground balls and 22 caused turnovers last season. Firman had a career-high eight ground balls against VMI while O'Brien and Stefkovich each had three caused turnovers.
FACING OFF: Nick Haley and Mike Celmer each took face-offs in the season opener at VMI. Haley won 5-of-14 face-offs while collecting four ground balls. Celmer won 3-of-7 face-offs against the Keydets.
PRESEASON POLLS: Mount St. Mary's has been picked to finish in sixth place in the annual Northeast Conference preseason coaches' poll, released Tuesday. Three-time defending NEC Tournament champion Bryant was picked to finish in first place, followed by Saint Joseph's, Hobart, Sacred Heart, Robert Morris, the Mount and Wagner.
UP NEXT: The Mountaineers host Towson on Friday, February 27, at 4:00 p.m. at Waldron Family Stadium on campus.
