Dec. 24, 2007

Erie, Pa. - Coming off of its most successful season in program history, the Mercyhurst College men's lacrosse team can't be accused of avoiding tough competition. The Lakers will play all of the other three NCAA Division II semifinalists in 2008 and will meet eight of the other nine teams in the final 2007 USILA poll. Included on the schedule is defending Division II National Champion Le Moyne, as well as semifinalists Limestone and New York Institute of Technology.

"We have always played a competitive schedule and 2008 will be no different," head coach Chris Ryan, 75-22 in seven years as Mercyhurst head coach, said. "We feel that our schedule might be the strongest in Division II and we look forward to the challenges it will present every game."

Mercyhurst will open the 2008 season away from the friendly confines of Tullio Field for three games in North Carolina against Queens, St. Andrew's and Wingate. It is the first time in years that the Lakers will play three games while on spring break.

When the Lakers arrive home the schedule includes a three-game stretch in which the Lakers will travel to Syracuse for a rematch of last year's national championship game with Le Moyne, renew a rivalry with Limestone, and then travel to Long Island for the opening East Coast Conference showdown with the Lions of Dowling. Mercyhurst is 10-1 in its first two seasons in the conference, winning the league crown in both seasons.

Ryan believes this to be the most difficult start to any season in the 10 years he has been on staff (two years as an assistant prior to taking over as head coach) with six of the first seven games on the road.

"We are going to find out early what we are all about," Ryan said. "Our first six games include the national champion, the top two teams in the CVAC, the Deep South champion, and a Dowling program that enjoys an overall winning record against us and is two years removed from a final four appearance."

The Lakers will then have to return to the metropolitan New York area to face an ever-improving Dominican team before embarking on a stretch in which the Lakers will play six of their remaining seven games on the turf of Tullio Field.

That stretch will include visits from ECC rivals Molloy, CW Post, and Adelphi. Mixed in between ECC games are critical in-region games against Seton Hill, Wheeling Jesuit, and Notre Dame de Namur. The lone road game will see the Lakers traveling to Long Island for a late-season run in with NYIT, which the Lakers defeated in last season's NCAA semifinal.

"We have always prided ourselves on playing the toughest schedule possible and we definitely are going to have to work hard on a daily basis to be successful," Ryan said. "If we are fortunate enough to qualify for the NCAA playoffs in 2008 this schedule will ensure that we are battle-tested and prepared to compete."

Complete Schedule