POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (April 14, 2014)- The Vassar College men's lacrosse team will head to Williamstown, MA on Wednesday to play New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) opponent Williams College for the first time in school history.

Game Details
Opponent: Williams College Ephs (7-5, 5-3 NESCAC)
Site: Williamstown, MA
Facility: Cole Field
Date: April 16, 2014
Time: 4:30 pm
Live Video

A Look at the Brewers
The Brewers (6-6, 1-3 Liberty League) lost to #1 nationally-ranked Rochester Institute of Technology in League play on Saturday. Junior midfielder Scott Brekne (Stony Brook, NY/Ward Melville) scored Vassar's first goal off a pass from freshman Brandon DeStasio (West Hempstead, Chaminade). Senior captain Max Herman (Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central Regional) also found freshman Sam Houston-Read (Waban, MA/Newtown South) for a man-up goal later in the first half. Earlier in the week Vassar defeated Drew University for the first time in program history by a score of 9-8.

Vassar ranks #11 in the nation in assisted goals per game and second in the League, after only RIT, with a Brewer average of 7.83 helpers per game. Herman leads the offense after 12 games with 26 goals and 17 assists, which ranks him fourth in the League in both assists (1.42) and points (3.58) per game.

Faceoff specialists Brekne and Liam Moriarty (New Fairfield, CT/New Fairfield) both have over 40 ground balls. Moriarty has won 57-of-126 faceoff attempts and has started in seven games, while Brekne has won 53-of-112 faceoffs in his five starts.

Goalie and senior captain Andrew Nicol (Carmel, NY/Brewster) is 6-6 on the season having started every game. He averages 11.16 goals against, holds a 48.4 save percentage and has 30 ground balls so far this season.

A Look at the Ephs
Williams College, who has consistently been receiving votes for national rankings, has an overall record of 7-5 and is 5-3 in NESCAC play. The Ephs lost to two Liberty League opponents: #7 Union College in an overtime 8-7 thriller on March 26 and to #1 Rochester Institute of Technology by a score of 15-10 on March 28.

The Ephs' offense is as well rounded as it can get: their four top point earners are within two points of each other and no single player has more than 20 points. Sophomore attacker Jack Lauroesch leads the team with 15 goals and four assists. Junior midfielder Steven Kiesel has 11 goals and seven assists.

Senior midfielder David Lee has 63 ground balls and is 125-221 on faceoffs and has taken all but 22 this season. Junior goalie Dan Whittam has allowed an average of 8.26 goals and posts a 52.8 save percentage.

New Foes
This Wednesday's match-up will be the first time Vassar College and Williams College men's lacrosse teams have ever met. This is the Brewers first NESCAC match-up in over ten years since Vassar last faced Bates College in 1998.

The Class of 2017
The Brewers men's lacrosse team's 14 freshmen represent one of the largest recruiting classes in any sport in Vassar Athletics history. Made up of three listed attackers, three midfielders, two long stick middies, five defenders and one goalie, together the first years have compiled over 200 ground balls, more than 50 points and 60 percent of the Brewers' caused turnovers. Every rookie has played in at least one game this season and eight have at least two starts for the Brewers.

Up Next
This Saturday Vassar will head to Schenectady, NY to play #7 nationally-ranked Union College at 1:00 pm. They will then finish up the regular season at home against Clarkson University on Saturday, April 26 at 1:00 pm.