ROCHESTER, NY -- The No. 2 RIT men's lacrosse team begins post-season play on Friday, May 6 when they host Union College in the semifinals of the 2016 Liberty League Men's Lacrosse Championship at 4 p.m. from Tiger Stadium.

The Tigers earned the top seed and home field advantage throughout the tournament by finishing the regular season 15-1 overall and 7-0 in conference play. The fourth-seeded Dutchmen come into the weekend 9-6 overall, finishing 4-3 in the Liberty League.

The winner moves on to the Liberty League Championship on Sunday, May 8 at 12 p.m. versus the winner between second seeded St. Lawrence University and third seed Rensselaer. The game will be played at the highest remaining seed. Sunday's winner earns the automatic berth into the 2016 NCAA Division III Tournament.

RIT is vying for their fifth straight Liberty League, and an 18th trip to the NCAA Tournament. RIT has won six straight league titles, including four straight Liberty League titles (2012-15) and two Empire 8 titles (2010 & 2011). The Tigers are gunning for their seventh straight NCAA Tournament berth.
 
The Tigers clinched the top seed in this weekend's tournament with a 23-0 win over Bard College last Saturday. It was the first shut out for the Tigers since 1992. Ryan Lee (Sharon, Ontario/The Hill Academy) tallied six goals, while Kyle Sterzin (Fairport, NY/Fairport) and Zack Thompson (Orangeville, Ontario/Culver Academy) each had two goals. Cam Isaac (Webster, NY/Webster Thomas) tallied three goals, and Matt Pogue (Mississauga, ON/St. Paul Secondary) scored his first collegiate goal. Jarryd Lee (Melbourne, Australia/St. Leonards) improved to 8-1 on the season in net.
 
RIT enters Friday first in the Liberty League and fourth in Division III in scoring averaging 16.56 goals per game. The Tigers are out-scoring their opponents 265-127 this season, and are fifth in the league converting 31.5 percent (12-for-38) of their man-up chances.

RIT features 13 players with 10 or more points, and three players with 45 points led by Lee who leads the team in scoring with 71 points on 53 goals and 18 assists. He leads the Liberty League, averaging 3.38 goals per game and is second tallying 4.50 points per game. Lee has three straight seasons with 50 or more goals. Levick is second on the team in scoring with 56 points on 41 goals and 15 assists. He is sixth in the league, averaging 3.50 points per game. Sterzin is third on the team with 48 points.

The Tigers are third in the league, allowing 7.92 goals per contest, and lead the league averaging 41.13 ground balls per game. RIT is winning 60.4 percent of its face-off. Nick Nesbit is 7-0 on the season and leads the conference with a .633 save percentage and fourth with a 7.73 goals against average. Jarryd Lee (Melbourne, Australia/St. Leonards) is 8-1 on the season and is sixth with an 8.27 goals against average and fifth with a .556 save percentage.

RIT has won 271-of-449 (60.4%) of its face-offs led by junior Steven Ricci (Rochester, NY/Pittsford Sutherland) who has won 108-of-165 (65.5%) draws. He leads the team and the Liberty League with 87 ground balls, while Matt Hossack (Port Perry, Ontario/Port Perry) is third in the league averaging 5.44 ground balls per game and is eighth averaging 1.20 caused turnovers per game. Patrick Hannigan (Hanover, MA/Hanover) is ninth in the league causing 1.20 turnovers per contest.
 
Union enters Friday's semifinal fourth in the conference in scoring, averaging 11.40 goals per game and have outscored its opponents 171-161. Union's man-up is fourth in the conference, converting 34.7 percent (17-of-49) of its chances.


Union features eight players with 10 or more points led by Nolan Stauffer who has 47 points on 23 goals and 24 assists. Peter Richardson is second on the team in scoring with 43 points on 25 goals and 18 assists, and Daniel Kycia is third with 27 points on 21 goals and six assists.
 
Union is fourth in the league defensively, allowing 10.59 goals per game. The Dutchmen have held their opponents to 10 goals or less five times. Sam Bebout has played in all 15 games in net. He is 9-6 on the season with a 10.63 goals against average and a .515 save percentage.  

Union is third in the league winning 54.5 percent (171-of-205) of its face-offs. Tom Lawton has taken the majority of draws, winning 182-of-316 (57.6 percent) of his face-offs. He leads the team with 68 ground balls, while Lance Lonegran, Jr. leads the team with 15 caused turnovers.

RIT is 17-3 all time against Union, including a 19-6 win on March 16. Lee led the Tigers with five goals and an assist, while Peter Richardson led the Dutchmen with two goals. The Tigers are 11-0 versus the Dutchmen since joining the Liberty League in 2012. Union's last win was an 8-3 win on March 3, 2008. It is the fourth straight season the two teams have met in the postseason.