NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Norwich University men's lacrosse team will face Lasell University in the 2021 Great Northeast Atheltic Conference (GNAC) men's lacrosse championship game on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. The game will be a rematch of the 2019 GNAC final in which the Cadets claimed their second GNAC title. Lasell garnered the top seed in the tournament by posting a perfect 6-0 record in conference play which included a pair of wins over Norwich. The Lasers defeated Johnson & Wales 15-6 to advance to the championship game. The Cadets, the reigning GNAC champions, earned the number two seed thanks to a 5-2 mark in the GNAC and punched a return trip to the finals with a 14-6 win over Rivier in the semis.
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 26th meeting between the two programs dating back to 2002 when the Cadets needed overtime to inch past Lasell 12-11 to begin the series. The Cadets have not enjoyed much success against the Lasers posting just six wins against 19 losses. The teams have also faced each other five times in the postseason with Norwich taking two of those contests. The Cadets will once again have to win on the road just like they did in 2019 when they clinched the title on the Laser's home field. The Lasers are in the hunt for their second GNAC crown after winning their first in 2017.
LAST MEETING
Lasell swept the season series with a pair of wins against the Cadets in 2021. The Cadets dropped the first contest 12-11 and then were outplayed 15-5 in the second game. Norwich's senior Payden Masaracchia scored three goals while junior Parker Campbell scored a goal and added three assists in the regular-season games. Graduate Chase Kapuscienski tallied seven goals and three assists to lead the Lasers' offense against the Cadets this season. Junior Bash Cunningham recorded five goals while junior James Anderson posted four goals and four assists throughout the series.
SCOUTING THE LASERS
If Norwich is going to claim back-to-back championships over Lasell it will have to find a way to beat one of the nation's best defensive teams as the Lasers rank in the top 50 teams in scoring defense (8.36 goals allowed), team man-down defense (.804 percent penalty kill), and boast a goalie in junior Alex Beauchemin who ranks 15th in the nation in save percentage (.617). The Lasers also rarely turn the ball over and their offense led the GNAC in goals per game in conference play (16.50). Much like Norwich, Lasell boasts a well-balanced attack with five different players registering double-digit goals during conference play. Anderson and Cunningham led the team with 16 goals while senior Andrew Fidalgo and Kapuscienski each netted 14. Face-off specialist Steven Phelps ranked near the top in face-off winning percentage (.617) and will be a great matchup against the Cadets' top face-off artist.
SCOUTING THE CADETS
The game projects to be a defensive battle as Norwich is also no slouch on defense ranking 44th in the nation with just 8.33 goals allowed per game while also ranking prominently in causing turnovers (11.50/game). Senior Nick Kandra figures to solidify the backend for the Cadets as the number two ranked goalie in the conference behind Beauchemin. Norwich also boasts an offense that distributes the ball amongst the best in D3 lacrosse ranking 33rd in the nation in assists (110) and is adept in man-up situations scoring at a 39.7 percent clip. Offensively, Masaracchia is the team's top scorer ranking second in the GNAC with 24 goals in conference play. Graduate Jack Anzalone (11G, 9A) and Campbell (11G, 16A) serve as playmakers while senior Russell Gilligan (14G) thrives in man-up situations leading the GNAC with 7 tallies with the extra man. Freshman Thomas Muraski has been a welcome addition at the face-off X winning 61.9 percent of faceoffs while ranking 18th in the nation with 9.92 groundballs per game. Senior Sean Wallace and freshman Mason McMahon make up one of the top defensive pairings in the league combined for 27 caused turnovers in conference games. LIVE COVERAGE
Due to safety precautions this season, no spectators will be allowed at the athletic facilities, however, the game will be live-streamed here.
UP NEXT
Should Norwich win Saturday's matchup, the Cadets would await Selection Sunday on May 9 at 9 p.m. to determine who its first-round opponent will be. First-round games will be played on May 15.
