Lacrosse Back Home Saturday vs. Carthage

Weather Check

MACON, Ga. – Mercer University's men's lacrosse team will play its first home game in three weeks when it welcomes Carthage College, from Kenosha, Wis., to Bear Field on Saturday (March 19). The opening face-off is slated for noon (ET).

The Bears (0-9) are still in search of that elusive first win in program history during this, their inaugural, season. The Red Men come with an unblemished 6-0 mark.

In its last match on Sunday (March 13), Mercer scored first versus the defending NCAA Division I national champs, but Duke University scored more often in an 18-5 win over MU. Colton Mattei's goal at the 12:45 mark of the first quarter put the Bears up 1-0 before the Blue Devils reeled off eight unanswered goals. Cole Branch had three goals in his four shot attempts to pace MU's offense. Brett Eisenmann had Mercer's other goal in the loss to the nation's No. 12-ranked NCAA I team.

SCOUTING CARTHAGE:

Carthage, an NCAA Division III school, is averaging 20.8 goals per game during its perfect start to 2011. The Red Men are averaging 57 shot attempts per game, while limiting the opposition to 17 shots.

CC also wins more than 60 percent of its faceoffs and has a success ratio of 81 percent on clearing the ball into the opponent's half.

Individually, the Red Men's success has translated into some impressive individual numbers, as well. Carthage has four players in double figure goal scoring, led by 23 from Cory Childs. Keegan Bowman has netted 19 goals – to go along with his team-high 15 assists – and tops the Red Men with 34 points. Danny Morse and Chris Kochajkiewicz have 17 and 12 goals, respectively.  Morse also has double-digit assists totals with 13 (good for 30 total points).

Goalkeeper Spence Curley has played every minute in the nets for Carthage. Curley has a save percentage of .576 and allows 4.67 goals per game.

GAME NOTES:

*MU attackman Cole Branch is having an outstanding season, having registered 15 goals in nine contests (1.7 g.p.g.). Branch also tops the Bears in assists with four, giving him a team-leading 19 points. The Marietta, Ga. native also makes the most out of his opportunities, with nearly 70 percent of his shots going directly on-goal.

*Mercer has struggled in the early going with face-offs, losing 73 percent of its attempts (182-249).