Newburgh, N.Y. – The Mount Saint Mary College Men's Lacrosse team opens the 2018 season when it travels to Scranton, Pa. for a date with Marywood Saturday afternoon. Face-off with the Pacers is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. with Live Stats available for those who cannot attend the game.
 
At A Glance: The Knights are coming off a 6-10 season in 2017, but registered the program's most number of conference victories (4) and made an appearance in the Skyline Conference Championship for the first time in program history.
 
Mount Saint Mary returns its top seven point producers from the 2017, including Inside Lacrosse Preseason Division III All-American Honorable Mention Dylan De Meo (Franklin Square, N.Y.). De Meo became the first player in the program history to produce a 100 points season, setting single season records in assists (65) and points (105) last year. During his junior campaign, De Meo cruised past the program record for points, finishing the year with 240.
 
Senior Danny Kugler (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) posted a single season record 47 markers in 2017 and is one of just three players in program history to date to score at least 100 career goals. He is second on the all-time list with 112, just 23 shy of matching the program's standard.
 
Fellow senior Tristan Earle (Millrift, Pa.) registered 44 points in 2017 and ranks sixth all-time at the Mount in points with 127. Classmate Nicholas Graziano (Franklin Square, N.Y.) potted 31 goals in 2017, while Kenneth Gallagher (Northport, N.Y.) finished with 18 goals and 25 points. A pair of sophomores in Michael Galluci (Northport, N.Y.) and Ryan Maraio (Staten Island, N.Y.) return after combining for 24 goals and 31 points as freshmen in 2017.
 
The Mount defense will be anchored by Peter Beidl (Clifton Park, N.Y.) who picked up 49 groundballs and caused 22 turnovers a season ago, with Kyle Russo (Commack, N.Y.) returning after being limited to two games due to injury in 2017.
 
Attack: In addition to Earle and Gallagher, the Mount returns Vincent Escudero (Bridgewater, N.J.), Billy Holland (Pearl River, N.Y.) and Joe Schofield (Modena, N.Y.) to the position group in 2018. After missing the 2017 season, Escudero returns after appearing in 16 games in 2016 and registering 15 points on the strength of nine goals and six helpers. Holland finished a solid rookie season in 2017 with 10 points, including seven goals.
 
Mount Saint Mary adds five newcomers to the fold in 2018 with the addition of Richard Mahar (Mount Sinai, N.Y.), James Desrochers (Watertown, Conn.), Thomas Bahmer III (East Brunswick, N.J.), Trevor Cannella (Wantagh, N.Y.) and transfer Tyler Porter (Wallkill, N.Y.).
 
Midfield: The deepest position group of the roster, the midfield corps returns eight players from the 2017 season. In addition to De Meo, Kugler, Graziano, Gaulluci and Maraio, the Mount welcomes back Caleb Hildebrand (Bristol, Conn.), Christian Hildebrand (Bristol, Conn.) and Gregory Ruocco (Staten Island, N.Y.) from the 2017 season. Ruocco picked up 27 groundballs as a junior, with Caleb Hildebrand scooping 11 and Christian Hildebrand contributing 13 groundballs and seven turnovers.
 
Mount Saint Mary welcomes back Michael Romanik (Hicksville, N.Y.) and Anthony Benavidez (White Plains, N.Y.) who missed the 2017 season. In 2016, Romanik recorded eight assists and 13 points, while Benavidez appeared in nine contests.
 
A talented group of newcomers for the 2018 season is headlined by Anthony Kearns (Clifton, N.J.), Jack Santaroni (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.), Brian Schneider (Hicksville, N.Y.), Anthony Perrone (Cranford, N.J.), Joshua Markland (Mastic, N.Y.), Jake Camerino (Shelton, Conn.), Brandon Holloway (Garden City, N.Y.), Scott Sottung (Mastic, N.Y.), Kamil Sudol (Mahopac, N.Y.) and Christopher Lane (Newburgh, N.Y.).
 
Defense: Senior Nicholas Boffoli (Hopewell Juntion, N.Y.) has appeared in just eight games over the last two seasons due to injury, but produced 22 groundballs and nine caused turnovers in 2015. He joins Beidl and Russo in the backfield that also returns Trevor Dyess (Monroe, Conn.), Brandon Deacon (Hyde Park, N.Y.) and Joe Tristano (North Massapequa, N.Y.).
 
Newcomers Gavin Kelly (Miller Place, N.Y.), James Farrell (East Brunswick, N.J.), Matthew Martino (Watertown, Conn.), Mark Andreacchi (East Northport, N.Y.), A.J. Bolger (West Milford, N.J.) and Danny Marshall (Oceanside, N.Y.) look to make an immediate impact in 2018.
 
Face-off: Sophomore Marco Spagnuolo (Staten Island, N.Y.) returns after winning 43 face-offs a season ago as a freshman, adding 11 groundballs.
 
Goalie: All-time leader in wins and saves, senior Christopher Doerr (Pleasantville, N.Y.) is back after starting 15 games and making 171 saves in 2017. Entering his final season, Doerr has won a program best 20 games in the cage and made a program-high 503 saves. Sophomore Eli Laikin (Oak Bluffs, Mass.) and Alec Durkin (Mattituck, N.Y.) are back, with Durkin making five saves and Laikin stopping four shots during their rookie season.
 
A Look At Marywood: The Pacers enter Saturday's contest at 1-1 overall and are coming off a 12-7 win over Wilkes on Wednesday. Matt Casto and Rob Maini each produced four points, while Vinny Biancardi stopped seven shots in goal.
 
Through two games, Maini leads the team with four goals and six points, while Luke McFadden has picked up a team-high seven groundballs. Biancardi has started both games in goal for the Pacers, making 15 saves.
 
What's Next: Mount Saint Mary opens the home scheduled on February 28 when it welcomes Western Connecticut to Newburgh. Face-off with the Colonials is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.