Lacrosse Team Looks to Continue Success

MARS HILL, N.C.-The Mars Hill men's lacrosse team enters the season with high expectations on the heels of the Lions' best season in program history.

Last season, the Lions won the Deep South Conference regular season championship and posted an 11-3 record. Mars Hill finished the season ranked 12th in the nation in the USILA Coaches Poll. MHC returns two All-DSC performers and six players who saw action in 10 or more contests last season. This season, Mars Hill will compete as an independent in the South region. The Lions will join the South Atlantic Conference for the league's inaugural season in 2014.

Second-Team All-DSC performers Ryan Herrmann and Dan Applebaum return from last year's squad. Herrmann won 129-of-217 face-offs (.594 face-off percentage) for the Lions last season, and collected a team-high 91 ground balls. A midfielder, Applebaum is the Lions' leading returning scorer with 18 goals last season. Three of those goals were game-winners.

Joining Applebaum to pace MHC offensively this season will be senior midfielders Jamie Raezer and Zach Tomkinson. Raezer scored three goals and dished out five assists in five starts last season. Tomkinson led the Lions in shot percentage last year, scoring seven goals on 14 shots (.500 shot percentage).

Senior Kile Garrett will anchor the Mars Hill attack unit after scoring six goals last season. Sophomores Anthony Malcolm and Jimmy McBride will join the attack unit and also see time at midfield. Freshman Will Scott is projected to see time on the attack after a strong preseason.

Transfers Pat McMahon and Kevin Kolipinksi and sophomore C.J. Shane will anchor the defensive unit along with Herrmann. Freshman Tanner Leach and sophomore Zach Gregg will also see time on defense as well as long-stick midfield.

Mars Hill will open their season this Saturday, Feb. 9 when the host Lees-McRae at 2:00 p.m. in Meares Stadium and the Ammons Family Athletic Center.

The Lions will face two teams that finished last season ranked in the USILA Coaches Poll. MHC will host eighth-ranked Seton Hill on Saturday, Mar. 2. and will travel to ninth-ranked Catawba on Saturday, Mar. 23.