GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart College lacrosse team will host the Sacred Heart Pioneers on Saturday, May 1 to wrap up the regular season. The opening faceoff of the Northeast Conference contest is scheduled for noon at Urick Stadium.

Saturday's game will be webcast on HWS All-Access and broadcast on WEOS-FM (89.5/90.3 in Geneva). Fans can also follow the game through Live Stats. Prior to the start of the game, Hobart will honor the team's graduating seniors.

The game will be the ninth meeting between the league rivals with Hobart leading the series 5-3. None of Hobart's games this season have been decided by more than four goals and if the series history is any indicator, fans should expect another close game. Half of the Statesmen-Pioneer games have been one-goal affairs, including each of the past two showdowns.

Junior Derrek Madonna has the hot stick for the Hobart offense. He's produced 17 points over the past three games, including a career-high five goals in last Saturday's win over Merrimack. Madonna leads the team with 16 goals and 24 points. Senior Ryan Archer is Hobart's top playmaker with 12 assists as well as 11 goals for 23 points. Junior Bradley Simas scored the overtime game-winning goal at Wagner on Tuesday, his team-leading third game winner of the season.

Sophomore goalie Kevin Holtby has played every minute in goal this season, posting a 5-2 record with a .565 save percentage and a 10.37 GAA.
 

TALE OF THE TAPE
SHU		HOB
9.55	Offense	12.0
14.09	Defense	10.43
.902	Clearing	.839
.399	Faceoff	.637
27.09	Ground Balls	31.0
.250	Extra-man	.171
.760	Man-down	.688
14.55	Turnovers	16.3

Sacred Heart aims to stop a nine-game losing streak. The Pioneers got their lone win of the season on Feb. 24, topping LIU 12-10 in a non-conference game. In April, SHU has been in some tight games, aside from last weekend's eight-goal loss to Bryant. The Pioneers loss by two to Mount St. Mary's, by four to Merrimack and by two to Wagner.

Senior Logan Liljeberg paces the team with 27 assists and 48 points. Classmate Drew Edwards has a team-high 27 goals and is second with 30 points. Two Pioneers have grabbed more than 40 ground balls, senior Tristan Dowd has a team-leading 46 and junior Donovan Lacey has 41. Senior Colton King has played the majority of minutes in goal, registering a 1-6 record, a .548 save percentage and a 13.91 GAA.

The four-team NEC Tournament field is set. Saint Joseph's has secured the top seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Hobart can lock up the No. 2 seed with a win over Sacred Heart. If the Statesmen win, Bryant will be the No. 3 seed and LIU will be the No. 4 seed. If Hobart loses to the Pioneers, the Statesmen would fall to the No. 4 seed with Bryant landing at No. 2 and LIU at No. 3.

The semifinals will be on Wednesday, May 5, on the campuses of the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds. The highest remaining seed will host the championship on Saturday, May 8.

Episode 24 of the Hobart Lacrosse Podcast is available now. Hobart Head Coach Greg Raymond talks about leaving Staten Island with an overtime victory, a pair of Statesmen on hot streaks, the regularity of one-goal games Hobart plays, Sacred Heart and the Class of 2021.