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LANCASTER, PA - The Franklin & Marshall College men's lacrosse team remained #8 in the April 21 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, #9 on April 7 and #8 last week last week, the Diplomats fell to then #13 McDaniel (18-9 L) and defeated former #7 Gettysburg (15-12 W) to clinch the #4 seed in the Centennial Conference Championships set for April 25 and 27 at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland. Last week, Beau Smith (Sr., Baltimore, MD/Gilman) tallied four goals and four assists against Gettysburg to earn Inside Lacrosse/Warrior Division III National Player of the Week in helping the Diplomats (11-2, 6-2 CC) snap a 15-game losing streak to the Bullets. F&M’s last victory in the series was an 18-8 decision in the teams’ 1990 season finale. On the season, he now has 20-20-40 and raised his career numbers to 67-52-119 with one goal and two assists in an 11-9 victory at Dickinson College on April 21. In the latest Centennial Conference statistical rankings, he ranks ninth in assists (1.30 apg), 19th in goals (1.58 gpg) and seventh in points (3.08 ppg). Overall, midfielder Jon Singer (Sr., Reisterstown, MD/Boys Latin) leads the team in scoring with 22-27-49 as he ranks fourth in points (3.73 ppg), 15th in goals (1.75) and third in assists (2.00 apg) through games of April 21 to anchor an F&M offense which ranks second in scoring offense with 162 goals in 13 games (12.46 gpg). Further, Singer is ranked 23rd all-time in the history of the Centennial Conference in goals, as he now has 88-52-140. In addition to Singer and Smith, Bryan Nolan (Sr., Scottsdale, AZ/Western Reserve) is eighth in points (3.00 ppg) and tied for fourth in goals (2.25) per game with teammate Colin Hanley (So., Davidsonville, MD/DeMatha). As a team, F&M ranks second in team man-up percentage (25-of-59, 42.4%) and fifth in man down percentage (47 stops-on-63, 74.6%), while rating second in scoring defense (5.61 gpg) behind Washington College (4.17 gpg). In goal, Diplomat goaltender Mike Sartorius (So., Summit, NJ/Summit) is third in the Centennial Conference in save percentage (66.9%) and goals against average (6.69 gaa) as he has recorded 122 saves and 75 goals allowed in 673 minutes of play. Further, he is 16th in the history of the Conference in career saves with 331, 11 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) is just ahead of Franklin & Marshall (#8) and McDaniel (#10). In addition, Gettysburg College is ranked 12th. Franklin & Marshall will continue the season on Friday as the Diplomats will face #1 seed Washington at 1:30 p.m. in the opening round of the Centennial Conference Championships. Thirty minutes following the conclusion of the Diplomats-Shoremen game, #2 seed Gettysburg will take on #3 seed McDaniel in the other semi-final game. On Sunday, the winners of the semifinal contests will face off at 2:00 p.m. on the campus of Washington College in the Centennial Conference Championship game. 2003 STX Men's Lacrosse Poll (April 21)
1. Whittier 12-0
2. Salisbury 12-1
3. Hampden-Sydney 11-1
4. Middlebury 10-1
5. Washington (MD) 10-2
6. Cortland 10-2
7. Ithaca 9-2
8. Franklin & Marshall 10-2
Lynchburg 10-4
10. McDaniel 10-1
Washington & Lee 8-3
12. Gettysburg 9-4
13. Nazareth 8-3
14. Roanoke 10-4
15. Hamilton 10-2
16. Rensselaer 7-2
17. St. Lawrence 8-2
18. Clarkson 9-2
19. Ohio Wesleyan 8-2
20. Geneseo 8-2
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