2009 Men's Lacrosse Season Outlook

 

Guilford looks to bounce back from a tough 2-12 season in 2008 when four of the Quakers’ losses came by a total of five goals.  Head coach Andy Rowe returns 14 letter winners in 2009 and looks to lead a young team back into contention in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference with the addition of 14 newcomers.

Here’s a preview of the 2009 Quakers’ lineup by position

ATTACK:  The offense will look very different in 2009 with only one starting attacker back from 2008.  Senior Gareth Fuller (1 goals, 2 assists) has the most experience and will work with the likes of sophomore Joey Chrisman, who transferred to Guilford after a strong year at Mercyhurst Northeast J.C. Freshmen Chris Ashcraft and Daniel Dowd figure to find time on the first line with classmates Shane Greenstein and Chris Jacob also pushing for time.

MIDFIELD:  The Quakers will look to familiar faces to add a scoring punch from the midfield.  Senior captain Matt Meriwether (5g, 4a) leads the group, along with red-shirt senior Manny Sargeant, who missed 2008 with a back injury.  Sophomores Matt Halip (6g), David Heltzel (2g, 2a), and Ken Keesee (1g) also return to the midfield rotation.  Rowe expects strong contributions from freshmen Greg Nash and Jake Beneke.

Senior Kyle Boylan anchors the defense in his final season as the team’s long-stick midfielder.  Freshman Eric Parmelee will back up Boylan and may also play quality minutes.  At the short-stick defensive midfield position, Guilford welcomes back senior Jesse Gellerson, junior Andrew Heimsath and sophomore Gary Hall.  Freshman Efrem Evans provides added depth and will share the team’s face-off duties with Halip, and Nash.

DEFENSE:   The defense fields two starters from last year, including senior Gates Benson, a 2008 Second Team All-ODAC selection.  Senior Warren Brown joins Benson to solidify the defensive unit. After a strong showing in the fall, junior Tyler Zivic moves from attack to defense and looks to step into the final starting spot.  Two transfers from Montgomery Community College, junior Charlie Robinson and sophomore James Stegeman, add needed depth to the defensive core with freshman Justin Pike.

GOALIES:   For the first time in four years, a new face steps between the pipes for the Quakers after the graduation of four-year starter Andrew Vigne ‘08.  Sophomore Mark Guillen, who gained valuable experience for Guilford in seven 2008 games, will compete with freshman Ryan Walsh for the starting position.

Guilford opens its season Feb. 23 by hosting Goucher College.  The Quakers  play the State Univeristy of New York at Oneonta and Elizabethtown College before spring-break games against Birmingham Southern College, Shenandoah University and the University of the South.  In addition to the Quakers’ rigorous ODAC schedule, Richard Stockton (N.J.) College and Oberlin College will come to town. Guilford rounds out its non-conference schedule on the road at Christopher Newport University and Greensboro College.