POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (March 24, 2016) — The Vassar College men's lacrosse team (3-3) kicks off Liberty League action against Skidmore College at Gordon Field in Poughkeepsie, NY. The game is set for Saturday, March 26 at 1 p.m.

Game Details
Opponent: vs. Skidmore College (3-4)
Links: (Vassar Men's Lacrosse Homepage) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
(Skidmore Men's Lacrosse Homepage) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
Site: Poughkeepsie, NY
Facility: Gordon Field
Date: March 26, 2016
Time: 1 p.m. Saturday
Links: (Live Stats) (Video)

Last Time Out
The Brewers handed the Mount Saint Mary Knights (7-1) their first loss of the season Tuesday, behind a balanced attack. Eight Brewers found the back of the net in the 13-6 triumph. Noah Parson potted four goals with one assist, while James Thomas netted one goal with four assists just one game after scoring a hat trick in his collegiate debut. Sam Houston-Read and Chris Billups registered two goals apiece, while Brandon DeStasio, Patrick Gibbons, Evan Burns and Dekker Stebel each scored one. The contest was neck-and-neck early on before the Brewers found their groove to pull away in the second half. Goalkeeper Brandon Crecco was sensational for the Brewers, blocking 16 shots while surrendering just six goals. 

A Look at the Skidmore Thoroughbreds (3-4, 0-0 Liberty)
The Thoroughbreds have struggled of late, dropping their two most recent matchups. On March 19, they fell at Clark University 13-9 before losing to Williams College at home 16-7 on March 23. In the latter game, the Ephs scored the game's first eight goals and never looked back. The only quarter the Thoroughbreds won was the fourth, and that was by a 3-1 margin. Cody Legeza led Skidmore with three goals, while Chris Melligon added two and Kevin Mulvey had one with two assists. Jack Metzler also tallied one goal, and Will Murphy picked up a team-high six ground balls. Williams had a 54-32 shot and 35-18 ground ball advantage. 

Mulvey is third in the Liberty League in scoring with 3.29 goals per game. Skidmore averages 10.86 goals per game (fifth in the conference) and 6.57 assists per game (sixth) to average 17.43 points per game (fifth). The Thoroughbred goalies have been solid in the cage, registering a league-leading 14.86 saves per contests. Chris Baughan leads the conference with 14.14 saves per game. Skidmore picks up the second most ground balls (33.14 per game), while leading the conference with a 52.5 face-off percentage. Murphy is fourth in the conference with 5.57 ground balls per contest. The Thoroughbreds struggle to force turnovers, averaging a league-low 8.86 per game.  

Against Skidmore All-Time
Vassar is 1-25 versus Skidmore all-time, dating back to their first meeting in 1989. The Brewers picked up their lone win in 2014, beating the Thoroughbreds 10-5 in Poughkeepsie. In their most recent matchup, Skidmore walked away with a 12-5 victory in Saratoga Springs on March 28, 2015. 

Liberty League Standings
Vassar currently sits fourth in the Liberty League standings behind Union College (4-2) and ahead of Skidmore. Only two teams in the conference remain undefeated: Rochester Institute of Technology is first with its 7-0 record, while St. Lawrence University is right behind with its 6-0 mark. 

Thomas Takeover
James Thomas became the third freshman this season to be tabbed the Rookie of the Week by the Liberty League. The middie notched a hat trick, registering three goals and a ground ball against NESCAC opponent Wesleyan University in his collegiate debut on March 15. He followed that performance with a team-high five points (1 goal, 4 assists) in Vassar's 13-6 victory over Mount Saint Mary on March 23. 

Extra-Man Opps
In the Vassar's most recent game against the Mount Saint Mary Knights on Wednesday, the Brewers went 5-of-7 in extra-man opportunities. Four different Brewers accounted for those goals, a testament to their depth and ability to attack from anywhere. 

Net-Finder Noah
Noah Parson has found the back of the net a team-high 14 times. The senior attack ranks 10th in the conference with his 2.33 goals per game. 

Helping Hands
Two Brewers rank within the conference's Top 10 when it comes to lending a helping hand. Liam Moriarty is fifth with his 1.40 assists per game, while Sam Houston-Read sits sixth with his 1.33 dimes per contest. 

Crecco in the Cage
Goalkeeper Brandon Crecco has been solid for the Brewers in the cage. He ranks sixth in the conference with 10.05 goals-against per game and seventh with 10.17 saves per game. 

DeStasio with the Scoop!
Brandon DeStasio has scooped up a team-leading 27 ground balls for the Brewers. With that, he ranks sixth in the conference in with 4.50 ground balls per contest. Teammate Liam Moriarty has also been aggressive with picking up ground balls, averaging 3.80, which is good for 10th in the League. 

Take Care
The Brewers have taken better care of the ball compared to their opponents. They have surrendered 97 total turnovers through six games, compared to opponents, who have coughed up the ball 108 times. 

All-Time Leader
Senior captain Noah Parson became the all-time leading scorer for the Vassar men's lacrosse team when he scored the 92nd career goal on March 5. Parson's seventh goal of the season pushed him past former teammate Max Herman (class of 2014) in the record books. With 14 goals on the season, Parson is one away from goal No. 100. And with 20 points on the season, the senior is Vassar's all-time leader in career points with 141. The record was previously held by Herman, who finished his collegiate career with 135.

Up Next
The Vassar men's lacrosse team hits the road to face Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. The game is set for Saturday, April 2 at 1 p.m.