2019 Men’s College Lacrosse Year In Review: #64 Lafayette Leopards

With the 2019 college lacrosse season complete, it’s time to look back at how all 73 teams did during the season, along with an early look at each squad for 2020.

Note: These are not end of season rankings.

Here’s our last five Year In Review posts we’ve done:

• #69 Wagner
• #68 Binghamton
• #67 Dartmouth
• #66 Bryant
• #65 Bellarmine

To see all of our posts, check out the 2019 Year In Review section on the site.

Let’s continue our 2019 Year In Review!

#64 Lafayette Leopards

Conference: Patriot League
2019 Record: 4-11 (0-8 in Patriot League)
Head coach: Patrick Myers (1st Season)

Statistical Leaders

Goals: Connar Dehnert (24)
Assists: Conor Walters (14)
Points: Connar Dehnert, Conor Walters, and Cole Dutton (31)
Faceoffs: Gabe Smithline (37-of-89; 41.6%)
Ground balls: Chris Adamo (48)
Caused turnovers: Stephen Sajer (17)
Goals against average: Ryan Ness (12.61 GAA)
Save percentage: Ryan Ness (45%)

Personnel Losses

Key seniors departing: A Conor Walters (17 Gs, 14 As, 22 GBs, 2 CTs), M Connar Dehnert (24 Gs, 7 As, 18 GBs, 3 CTs), D Jack Lydon (6 CTs, 23 GBs, 10.5% FOs), D Zack Merle (8 CTs, 9 GBs), SSDM Sam Friedman (4 CTs, 11 GBs), M Luke Cummings (2 Gs, 3 As, 2 GBs)
Senior scoring departing: 67 of 188 points (35.6%)
Senior starts lost: 45 of 150 (30%)

Season Summary

It was Lafayette’s second straight season with an improved record. After winning three games in 2018, the Leopards won four games in 2019 under new head coach Patrick Myers.

Things started well against Rutgers despite a 14-8 loss. Lafayette played the Scarlet Knights very well, only trailing 8-5 after three quarters. The performance showed early signs of what to perhaps expect from young players such as goalie Ryan Ness.

The Leopards’ best part of the season came shortly after as Lafayette went on a four-game win-streak, even though they defeated NJIT, Wagner, Manhattan, and Binghamton. The team hoped to carry that momentum into Patriot League play. It didn’t really happen. They lost to eventual Patriot League champion Army West Point followed by Navy by five, their closest margin in a Patriot League conference game. But three days after the Navy loss, Lafayette had leads of 8-4 and 9-6 against Cleveland State in the second half. But the Vikings stormed back with the game’s final four goals to steal the win.

It was tough for the team to bounce back, as the Leopards lost every game the rest of the way and by eight or more goals.

But once again, it was also the first year for Myers and his coaching staff to execute their plan and instill their culture. Ness, Stephen Sajer, Cole Dutton, George Enman, and Ryan Kirkwood all played huge roles as freshmen. Andrew Robbins, Pat Tully, Bryan Ness, and John Natoli were impact players as sophomores. Even senior Connar Dehnert put up a career-best 31 points. His previous high was 16.

Looking Ahead

Year two under Myers should be better, with their younger core having another year of play. Could more incoming freshmen make an impact on the Leopards?

One area worth highlighting is at the faceoff X. Six players took at least 15 faceoffs in 2019, with the team registering a 29.3% winning percentage from the dot. Gabe Smithline and Christian Park led the way for FOGOs, while rising senior LSM Chris Adamo took 84 draws on the year.

Lafayette’s last conference win was in 2017 against Navy. Their only Patriot League Tournament appearance was in 2010 under head coach Terry Mangan. With very good leadership, the hope is that the Leopards can once again reach the conference tournament in a short period of time.