Montclair, NJ – The Montclair State men's lacrosse team opens its 2021 campaign, taking on fellow Colonial States Athletic Conference member Kean University in non-conference action Friday evening at Sprague Field.


ON THE AIR:
YouTube - Red Hawk Sports Network - Tyler Harris


THE TEAMS:
The Red Hawks are playing for the first time since March 11, 2020 and are looking to build off of their 4-2 start from 2020. TYLER MCCREERY led MSU in 2020 with 14 goals and 22 points, while defender TYLER BALL forced a team-high 13 turnovers. Montclair State also returns CHRISTIAN BOYLE, who scored four times including an overtime winner against the University of Scranton last season. Senior goalkeeper, MATTHEW MCLAREN, who was named the CSAC Defensive Player of the Week last season, posted a 4-2 mark with a 9.78 goals against average in six games last year. Kean is currently 1-0 after knocking Division II Felician University in their season-opener Saturday. Anthony Porter tallied three goals and five assists, while Brady Moore notched four goals. Thomas Francy earned the victory, stopping three shots on 41:01 of action.


THE COACHES:
Shelley Sheiner (18^th Season at Kean): 180-104 at Kean
Matt Poskay (Third Season at MSU):  14-9 at Montclair State


KEY PLAYERS:

Kean
Brady Moore (Jr., ATT, 5-11, Princeton, NJ)
4 goals, 1 assist, 14 shots

Nick Moffa (Jr., F/O, 5-9, Marlton, NJ)
12-for-12 on face-offs, 3 ground balls

Anthony Porter (So., MID, 5-7, Scotch Plains, NJ)
3 goals, 5 assists, 6 ground balls, 7 shots


Montclair State (2020 statistics)
TYLER MCCREERY (So., MF, 5-10, Budd Lake, NJ)
14 goals, 8 assists, 36 shots, 5 man-up goals, 8 ground balls

MATT DANCSECS (So., MF, 5-11, Succasunna, NJ)
12 goals, 2 assists, 12 ground balls, 39 shots

(MATTHEW MCLAREN (Jr., GK, 5-7, Warrington, PA)
4-2 record, 67 saves, 9.78 goals against average
 


TEAM STATS (2020 Statistics):
Kean: 57 goals scored, 15 goals against, 57 turnovers, 77 turnovers forced
Montclair State: 63 goals scored, 59 goals against, 141 turnovers, 145 turnovers forced



ALL-TIME SERIES: (MSU Leads 46-15)
Friday's meeting between the Red Hawks and Cougars will be the 62^nd all-time meeting between the two programs. The Red Hawks are 30-6 all-time at Sprague Field against Kean, and have picked up a win in each of the last 18 matchups. The Cougars last victory came in the Skyline Conference Championship in 2008, winning 8-7. MSU held a 7-5 lead with 10:34 to go, but Kean scored the final three goals, including the game-winner with 57 seconds to go. In their last meeting, current assistant coach MATT HAEMMERLE scored eight times and MATTHEW MCLAREN made 17 saves to earn the victory.

LAST 5 MEETINGS
4/27/2019: MSU 20, Kean 7 (at Montclair)
4/20/2019: MSU 22, Kean 15 (at Montclair)
5/4/2018: MSU 7, Kean 5 (at Kean)
4/12/2017: MSU 14, Kean 9 (at Montclair)
5/4/2016: MSU 17, Kean 3 (at Montclair)