The Hobart College lacrosse team will travel to Emmitsburg, Md., to take on Sacred Heart University in Northeast Conference semifinal game Thursday. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. at Mount St. Mary's Waldron Family Stadium.
 
The Statesmen are the No. 2 seed in the NEC tournament after finishing the regular season with a 10-4 overall record and a 4-2 mark in conference play. The Pioneers are the No. 3 seed and bring a 9-5 overall record and a 4-2 mark in the NEC into the tournament. The Mountaineers won the NEC regular season crown and will host the tournament after posting a 9-6 overall record and a 5-1 mark in conference play. The Mount will take on Robert Morris in the first semifinal, scheduled to get underway at 5:30 p.m. The winners of each semifinal will meet Saturday, May 4, in the championship game. Faceoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.
 
Hobart enters the weekend with one of the nation's top offensive units. The Statesmen are second in the nation in assists per game (9.57), fifth in points per game (23.79), sixth in man-up offense (.458), eighth in scoring offense (14.21 gpg) and 10th in scoring margin (+3.14 gpg). Additionally, Hobart is ninth in the nation in ground balls per game (35.43) and 11th in winning percentage (.714).
 
Individually, the Statesmen are led by the duo of junior Eric Holden (39-20-59) and senior Chris Aslanian (23-32-55). Holden is 24th in the nation in goals per game (2.79) and Aslanian is 17th in the nation in assists per game (2.21). First-year Jason Knox is second on the team with 33 goals. Junior Justin Scott (22) and first-year Derrek Madonna (21) also have 20+ goals this season. Senior Matthew Pedicine has scooped up a league best 150 ground balls. He is third in the nation in ground balls per game (10.71). Pedicine has won 235-of-382 faceoffs and ranks 16th in the nation in faceoff winning percentage (.615). Junior Sam Lucchesi has played a majority of the minutes in goal this season. He is 8-3 with a 10.61 goals against average and a .528 save percentage.
 
The Pioneers enter the tournament 10th in the nation in scoring offense (14.0 gpg). Sacred Heart also ranks among the nation's best teams in caused turnovers per game (2nd, 11.71), ground balls per game (7th, 36.86), points per game (14th, 21.07) and scoring margin (15th, 2.79).
 
Joe Saggese leads the team with 70 points on 42 goals and 28 assists. He leads the NEC and is ninth in the nation in points per game. Max Tuttle has 36 goals and 17 assists for 53 points. Joseph Cipoletti leads the Pioneers with 61 ground balls and 38 caused turnovers. He is second in the nation, averaging 3.17 caused turnovers per game. Jake Giaquinto has won 128-of-257 at the X for a .498 faceoff winning percentage. Brooks Dutton has started all 14 games in goal. He is 9-5 with an 11.24 GAA and a .503 save percentage.
 
Hobart won the regular season meeting between the two teams, edging Sacred Heart 10-9 in Fairfield, Conn. Lucchesi made a career-high 20 saves including seven in the fourth quarter.  He picked up a career-high six ground balls in the win. Pedicine won 12 of 21 faceoffs and had seven ground balls. Scott led the offense with four points on three goals and an assist. Connor O'Reilly and Saggese each had three points for the Pioneers. Dutton made 17 saves in goal.
 
Thursday's semifinal contest will be the eighth meeting between Hobart and Sacred Heart. The Statesmen lead the series 4-3. Hobart won the only other postseason meeting between the two teams 15-9 on Boswell Field in 2017.
 
Fans unable to make it to Maryland can follow the action with live video on NEC Front Row and Live Stats. Veteran play-by-play man Ted Baker will have the call of the game live on WEOS-FM (89.5/90.3) with analysis provided by former Hobart defenseman Dave Mapstone '93.