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LANCASTER, PA - The Franklin & Marshall College men's lacrosse team moved up one spot to #8 in the April 14 STX/USILA Division III Top 20 Poll. Historically, the team's eighth place ranking marks the program's highest recognition in the national poll since the Diplomats were ranked #7 in the 1996 pre-season poll. Ranked #25 in the 2003 preseason poll, #22 in the opening week poll, #14 on March 17, #10 the following two weeks and #9 last week, the Diplomats routed Swarthmore College 13-3 on Saturday. Against the Garnet, Beau Smith (Sr., Baltimore, MD/Gilman) scored two goals and added two assists to earn Centennial Conference Weekly Honor Roll recognition as the Diplomats improved to 9-1, 4-1 in Centennial Conference play. In the latest Centennial Conference statistical rankings, he ranks eighth in assists (13/ 1.30 apg), 20th in goals (14/ 1.40 gpg) and 13th in points (27/ 2.45 ppg). Overall, midfielder Jon Singer (Sr., Reisterstown, MD/Boys Latin) leads the team in scoring with 19-21-40 as he ranks fourth in points (4.0 ppg), sixth in goals (1.90) and third in assists (2.10 apg) to anchor an F&M offense which ranks third in scoring offense with 126 goals in 10 games. Further, Singer is ranked 23rd all-time in the history of the Centennial Conference in goals, as he now has 85-46-131. In addition to Singer and Smith, Bryan Nolan (Sr., Scottsdale, AZ/Western Reserve) is ninth in points (2.90) and tied for fourth in goals (2.20) per game with teammate Colin Hanley (So., Davidsonville, MD/DeMatha) as Nolan has scored 22-7-29 so far this season. In addition, Hanley ranks seventh in points (3.10) as he has 22-9-31. As a team, F&M ranks first in team man-up percentage (19-of-42, 45.2%) and man down percentage (41-of-48, 85.4%), while rating second in scoring defense (4.50 gpg) behind Washington College (4.40 gpg). In goal, Diplomat goaltender Mike Sartorius (So., Summit, NJ/Summit) leads the Centennial Conference in save percentage (68.7%) and goals against average (4.75 gaa) as he has recorded 90 saves and 41 goals allowed in 518 minutes of play. Further, he now ranks 16th in the history of the Conference in career saves with 299, 43 short of supplanting former Diplomat Andrew Whitley '96 (341) for 15th place. Overall, the Diplomats are one of three Centennial Conference teams ranked in the top 10 as Washington (#5) and Gettysburg (#7) are just ahead of Franklin & Marshall. In addition, McDaniel College is ranked 13th. Historically, F&M's 9-1 start marks the best season-opening performance by an F&M men's lacrosse team since the 1972 squad reeled off a 9-0 string with wins over Swarthmore, Bucknell, Penn State, Lebanon Valley, Dickinson, Drexel, Lehigh, Delaware and Lafayette before dropping a 9-4 decision to Adelphi in the USILA Tournament. The Diplomats continued the year with a 12-4 rout of Gettysburg before falling 10-9 to Washington in the USILA Tourney to conclude the season at 10-2. Franklin & Marshall will continue the season on Wednesday, April 16 versus McDaniel in the final scheduled regular season home game of the year. In the history of the series, McDaniel holds a 20-14 advantage as F&M last defeated the Green Terror on April 18, 1998 by a 10-9 final. Game time is set for 3:30 p.m. 2003 STX Men's Lacrosse Poll (April 14)
1. Whittier 10-0
2. Salisbury 10-1
3. Hampden-Sydney 9-1
4. Middlebury 9-1
5. Washington (MD) 8-2
6. Cortland 8-2
7. Gettysburg 8-3
8. Franklin & Marshall 9-1
9. Ithaca 6-2
10. Roanoke 9-3
11. Washington & Lee 6-3
12. Lynchburg 9-3
13. McDaniel 9-0
13. St. Lawrence 8-1
15. Nazareth 6-3
16. Hamilton 8-2
17. Clarkson 7-2
18. Ohio Wesleyan 6-2
19. Rensselear 6-2
20. Denison 4-5
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