ANNVILLE, Pa. – The Lebanon Valley men's lacrosse team will play its first postseason game since 2021 on Wednesday as the Dutchmen enter the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom Championship as the fourth seed. LVC will head to Hoboken, New Jersey, to face top-seeded and 10th-ranked Stevens Institute of Technology in the semifinals.
 
The Dutchmen won a program-record 13 games this spring and enter the conference tournament at 13-4 with a 5-2 mark in conference play. LVC tied for the second-best record in the conference but lost out on the three-way tiebreaker due to goal differential. The postseason berth is LVC's first in the MAC Freedom, and the game marks the first time the Dutchmen have qualified for the conference semifinals since 2013. The program had four consecutive appearances in the MAC Commonwealth play-in game from 2015 to 2018 and played in the quarterfinals during the 2021 COVID season, where every team made the playoffs.
 
The Ducks are five-time defending conference champions and have not lost to a MAC Freedom opponent since joining the conference prior to the 2020 season. This year, Stevens is 15-2 overall and cruised through conference play with the closest game being a 20-7 victory at DeSales University on Saturday in the regular season finale. The Dutchmen had the second-best result against the Ducks in conference action with a 24-6 decision at the DeBaun Complex back on April 11. DeSales is the second seed this week and will host third-seeded Arcadia University on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Center Valley. LVC and Stevens will face off at 4 p.m. in Hoboken, New Jersey. The winners will meet on Saturday at the site of the higher seed for the title. DeSales is 8-9 overall with a 5-2 mark in conference action, while Arcadia is 11-6 and 5-2 in conference play. LVC dropped a 12-8 decision at DeSales to begin conference play and defeated Arcadia 9-7. Arcadia defeated DeSales 14-13 in an overtime thriller on April 11 in Glenside.
 
There is an admission cost for all conference tournament games. Prices are set by the conference office and are $10 for adults, and $5 for seniors (65+), and youth (7-17). MAC students with an ID and children six and under with an adult are free. DeSales is a cash-only facility.
 
Ryan Grace has powered the Dutchmen with 72 points on 47 goals and 25 assists. The sophomore has scored three game-winning goals while adding 35 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers. Sean Poole has scored a team-high four game-winning goals with 47 points on 39 goals and eight assists. The senior has four caused turnovers and 32 ground balls. Hayden Carling adds 44 points on 23 goals and 21 assists with two game-winning goals and five man-up goals. The senior has picked up 19 ground balls and caused two turnovers. Rowan Myers has recorded 31 points on 23 goals and eight assists with 16 ground balls and four caused turnovers.
 
Brayden Brown has sparked the offense off the bench with 29 points on 20 goals and nine assists with 25 ground balls and six caused turnovers. Ethan Keenan has 27 points on 23 goals and four assists with seven man-up goals, 18 ground balls, and three caused turnovers. Wyatt Shamer adds 23 points on 10 goals and 13 assists with eight ground balls and five caused turnovers. Dylan Rinyak has recorded 20 points on 10 goals and 10 assists with 10 ground balls. Sam Spagnuolo and Jacob Olson have also recorded double-digit points this year. Spagnuolo has eight goals and six assists for 14 points, while Olson has nine goals and three assists for 12 points.
 
The Dutchmen have been very good at faceoffs this year, winning 60.3% of them. Connor Rowe is having an outstanding rookie season with 197 wins, a 59.9 winning percentage, 99 ground balls, five caused turnovers, and seven points on six goals and one assist. Ish Bolorin has also been effective, winning 56 faceoffs for a 61.5 winning percentage, 41 ground balls, and three points on two goals and one assist. Christian Valanzola has won eight of his 13 faceoff attempts with seven ground balls.
 
Nick Gleason leads the defensive front with 16 caused turnovers, 26 ground balls, and one assist. Jacob LaRue is having an excellent senior year with 14 caused turnovers and 25 ground balls. Sheadan Makosy adds 11 caused turnovers and 41 ground balls to the defensive effort. Montgomery Sensenig has been a ball hawk, picking up 51 ground balls with nine caused turnovers and six points on two goals and four assists. Connor Mulada has recorded 33 ground balls, four caused turnovers, and three points on one goal and two assists. Branden Manderbach has 18 ground balls, eight caused turnovers, and three points on two goals and one assist off the bench. Connor Sample has 15 ground balls, 11 caused turnovers, and three assists.
 
Kellen Markley has made 160 saves this season and is 13-4 with an 8.58 goals against average and 54.6 save percentage in goal. The senior also has 39 ground balls and six caused turnovers. Collin Regina, Dominic Varacallo, and Ben Wagner have also seen time in between the pipes. The Dutchmen have received contributions from Jacob Mrose, Owen Cummins, Jayden Peck, Jaden Pham, Trevor Moore, Jack Capone, Grayson Carswell, Riley Walker, Anthony Asfor, Collin Heavlow, Branden Yost, and Oscar Esobar.
 
Stevens has defeated DeSales in the past three conference finals. Arcadia's last conference title appearance was in 2022. The Dutchmen are looking for their first conference title game appearance in what has already been a record-breaking season.

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