:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51520883/598899096.0.jpg)
Navy and Manhattan released their schedules Tuesday afternoon, bringing the total amount of teams with known 2017 schedules to 11. The Midshipmen hope to improve on last year’s outstanding 11-5 record, which included a trip to the NCAA Quarterfinals where they barely lost to Brown, 11-10. Meanwhile, the Jaspers hope to make strides after a 3-12 season under second year head coach Drew Kelleher.
Let’s dive into each schedule, first with the Mids.
NAVY
The Mids have two road scrimmages in January against Penn State (January 21) and North Carolina (January 28) before opening the season at Homewood Field against Johns Hopkins on February 7. Four days later, Navy hosts National Finalist Maryland in their home opener. Navy travels to Delaware to take on the Blue Hens on the 18th before opening up Patriot League play on the 25th against Boston University.
Bucknell comes to Annapolis March 4 as Patriot League play continues, before Rick Sowell’s crew takes on Penn three days later in University City. Navy stays in the Keystone State as they continue Patriot League play on the 11th against Lafayette, before wrapping up a three-game road trip on the 18th with National Semifinalist Loyola in Baltimore. Ivy League foe Dartmouth visits Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on the 21st, followed by a visit from the Lehigh Mountain Hawks on the 25th to conclude the month of March.
Navy wraps up the season with three more Patriot League opponents. The Mids travel to take on Holy Cross on April 1, followed by a trip to Hamilton, New York to play Colgate on the 8th. The annual Army-Navy game is the 15th in Annapolis and once again could be a big game to decide the Patriot League regular season title or at least Patriot League Tournament seedings.
Navy does lose leading point-getter Patrick Keena, attackman T.J. Hanzsche, defenseman Jules Godino, and goaltender John Connors to graduation, but Navy returns numerous contributors to last year’s team as well. Chris Fennell and Matt Rees will be instrumental on defense after being one of the best units in 2016, while Jack Ray, Casey Rees, and Greyson Torain hope to continue Navy’s success on offense. Brady Dove enters his senior season as the primary faceoff taker.
MANHATTAN
The Jaspers only have five away games this year after having nine last year, and have no consecutive road games at all in 2017. Manhattan is home at Gaelic Park for the first three games of the season as they host NEC foes Bryant (February 4), Wagner (February 11), and Robert Morris (February 18). The Jaspers then travel to Connecticut to take on the defending America East champion Hartford Hawks on the 28th.
Manhattan makes a quick pit stop at home on March 4 to host the St. Joe’s Hawks before heading to Newark, Delaware to take on the Blue Hens on March 7. The Jaspers take on UMass Lowell on the 11th before opening up MAAC play in Detroit against the Titans on the 18th. Manhattan is back home to take on Canisius in a New York state showdown on the 25th.
The Jaspers have a huge April opener at home as they host defending MAAC champion Quinnipiac on the 1st, before traveling to Loudonville to play Siena on the 8th. Manhattan wraps up their home slate with Marist on the 15th and a non-conference game against NJIT on April 22. The season finale is on the road against Monmouth on April 28.
The Jaspers hope their large amount of home games can help them increase their win total in 2017. That is if they can win games at home. Their last win in Riverdale came against NJIT back on March 31, 2014. All three wins last year (UMass Lowell, NJIT, and Marist) were all on the road. The Jaspers return their top seven scorers from last season, including sophomore attackman Parker Giarratana, who lead the team in goals (31) and points (44), and senior midfielder Matt Garvey, who had a team-high 15 assists in 2016.
Here’s who released their schedules so far: