Lacrosse Slated for Undefeated Boston University
3/2/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
Full Notes in PDF 
AIR FORCE at NO. 19 BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Saturday, March 4, 12:00 p.m. ET
Nickerson Field, Boston Mass.
Watch Live on the Patriot League Network | Live Stats
THIS WEEK: Air Force hits the road to take on undefeated No. 19 Boston University for the first time in program history. The Falcons and Terriers will square off at Nickerson Field, March 4, at 12:00 p.m. ET, in Boston, Mass. A live stream and live stats will be provided for the game.
TUNE IN: The Patriot League Network will be providing a live stream for the game. Live updates will be provided by Side Arm Stats via the GoTerriers.com platform. Fans can access the live stream and stats by going to GoAirForceFalcons.com, and clicking the live tracking link in the schedule dropdown.
UP NEXT: Air Force returns to the home turf to defend Falcon Stadium against Detroit Mercy in the fourth meeting between the programs, March 11, at 12:00 p.m. MT. A live stream will be provided by Falcon Vision. Live stats will also be available for the matchup.
WALSCH NAMED TO THE TEWAARATON WATCH LIST: Chris Walsch was named to the 2017 Tewaaraton Watch List, Feb. 28. The Tewaaraton Award is given annually to the most outstanding American college lacrosse player. Walsch has led the team in goals and points every year since joining in the 2014-15 season. The Finksburg, Maryland, native leads all active players in career goals, assists and points and currently leads the team in all aforementioned categories this season. He is fourth in the program record books in career goals and points, and third in assists. Walsch has several honors to include 2016 honorable mention USILA/Nike All-American, Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year, All-SoCon first-team, SoCon Offensive Player of the Month (March, 2016), three-time SoCon Offensive Player of the Week and the SoCon all-tournament team.
HARPER BRINGS HOME FIRST WEEKLY SOCON HONOR: Sophomore Trent Harper won the SoCon's Defensive Player of the Week honors, Feb. 28. Harper, a midfielder from Birmingham, Alabama (Spain Park), dominated the center-line over the weekend as the Falcons' face-off man. He went 16-21 (.762) in face-offs against Cleveland State, winning 6-6 in the third period, facilitating Air Force's five goals in that period. He was a key defensive figure in holding CSU's top-two scorers to one shot on the game. Harper went 26-40 (.650) at face-off and scooped up 20 ground balls over the weekend. The weekly conference honor marks Air Force's first of the season.
LAST WEEKEND: The Falcons regained a winning mark on their record by sweeping the board at the Pioneer Face-Off Classic, Feb. 25-26, at the University of Denver. Air Force registered 31 goals over the weekend with a 15-10 win over Canisius on Saturday and a 16-2 win over Cleveland State on Sunday. Junior attacker Chris Walsch led the team with eight points over the weekend; he had a hat trick in both games.
BOSTON UNIVERSITY AT A GLANCE: Boston University will defend their home turf with a perfect mark on the season. Ryan Polley, who was named the inaugural head men's lacrosse coach at Boston University on June 21, 2012, has continued to reach new heights in his three seasons at the helm. Notably, Boston upended No. 17/18 Navy, 8-7, in Annapolis, Maryland, Feb. 25. The Terriers, now 5-0 this season, are led by 2017 Tewaaraton watch-list member, Cal Dearth. Dearth, a senior out of Ridgefield, Connecticut, has been outstanding so far this season for the Terriers, helping lead the team to their best start program history. He leads BU in goals (11), assists (8) and points (19) and has also recorded seven ground balls.
Boston has outscored this season's opponents, 58-36, while taking less shots and shots on goal. Ryan Hilburn, a junior attacker, is second on the team in goals (8) and assists (13), while midfielders John MacLean and Hayden Ruiz have five goals apiece. In goal, Christian Carson-Banister has all five starts and wins to his credit. He has a 7.06 goals against average and a .653 save percentage.
A QUICK LOOK AT AIR FORCE: The Air Force attack line, Chris Walsch, Nick Hruby and Andrew Tien, combine for 28 goals and 13 assists this season. Walsch leads the Falcons with 11 goals and seven points. The Tewaaraton watch list player has tallied two hat tricks this season. Hruby is second on the team with 10 goals and four assists to his credit. The Coppell, Texas, native leads the SoCon with three individual man-up goals and had a four-goal showing against then-No. 10 Duke, in the season opener. Tien has seven goals and an assist on the season. Walsch and Hruby have scored goals in every game this season; Hruby is on a 17-game scoring streak dating back to last season.
Air Force's top-five defenders combine for 16 caused turnovers and 34 ground balls this season. The Falcons have outscored their opponents, 52-46, in five games, while allowing six man-up goals in 13 opportunities. Freshman goalkeeper Paxton Boyer, who helped upend No. 10 Duke by allowing no goals in the final seven minutes of action, has 38 saves on the season. He has a .475 save percentage against 128 shots faced this season.
