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LANCASTER, PA - The Franklin & Marshall College men's lacrosse team slipped to #11 in the April 28 STX/USILA Division III Top 20 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 the prior two weeks, the Diplomats defeated Dickinson College by an 11-9 final in the regular season finale, but fell at #3 nationally ranked and 2003 Centennial Conference Champion Washington College in the Conference playoffs, 13-6. Last week, midfielder Bryan Nolan (Sr., Scottsdale, AZ/Western Reserve) scored five goals, including three in the loss to Washington, to lead the team and earn Centennial Conference Men's Lacrosse Honor Roll recognition. On the season, he now has 32-10-42 to raise his career numbers to 82-38-120. In the latest Centennial Conference statistical rankings, he ranks seventh in points (3.00 ppg) and third in goals (2.29 gpg). Overall, midfielder Jon Singer (Sr., Reisterstown, MD/Boys Latin) leads the team in scoring with 23-27-50 as he ranks fifth in points (3.57 ppg), 15th in goals (1.64 gpg) and third in assists (1.93 apg) through games of April 27 to anchor an F&M offense which ranks second in scoring offense with 167 goals in 14 games (11.93 gpg). Further, Singer is ranked 23rd all-time in the history of the Centennial Conference in goals, as he now has 89-52-141. As a team, F&M ranks second in team man-up percentage (27-of-63, 42.9%) and fourth in man down percentage (50 stops-on-66 attempts, 75.8%), while rating second in scoring defense (6.29 gpg) behind Washington College (4.14 gpg). In addition to Singer and Nolan, Beau Smith (Sr., Baltimore, MD/Gilman) is tied with Colin Hanley (So., Davidsonville, MD/DeMatha) for 10th in points per game (40, 2.86 ppg). Individually, Smith ranks 20th in goals (20, 1.43 gpg) and eighth in assists (20, 1.43 apg), while Hanley is seventh in goals (28, 2.00 gpg). Further, Steve Welsh (So., Lewes, DE/Cape Henelopen) is among the Conference leaders as he ranks sixth in points (42, 3.00 ppg) and assists (23, 1.64 apg). In goal, Diplomat goaltender Mike Sartorius (So., Summit, NJ/Summit) is second in the Centennial Conference in save percentage (61.9%) and goals against average (7.20 gaa) as he has recorded 143 saves and 88 goals allowed in 773 minutes of play. Further, he is 14th in the history of the Conference in career saves with 352, 28 short of surpassing Swarthmore College's Ben Henwood '97 (379) for 13th place. Overall, the Diplomats are one of four Centennial Conference teams ranked in the top 15 as Washington (#3), Gettysburg (#12) and McDaniel (#13) round out the Conference representation. Franklin & Marshall (11-3, 6-2 Centennial Conference) will now await word from the NCAA selection committee on Sunday regarding a possible at-large berth to the national championship playoffs. If the Diplomats are not selected, Franklin & Marshall will await word from the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) selection committee on Monday regarding a berth to the organization's South Region Championships. The Diplomats won the 2002 ECAC South Region Championship at Williamson Field courtesy an 18-3 rout of the University of Scranton. 2003 STX Men's Lacrosse Poll (April 28)
1. Whittier 12-0
2. Salisbury 14-1
3. Washington 12-2
4. Cortland 12-2
5. Middlebury 12-1
6. Lynchburg 12-4
7. Hampden-Sydney 11-1
8. Nazareth 10-3
9. Ithaca 10-3
10. Washington & Lee 9-4
11. Franklin & Marshall 11-3
12. Gettysburg 11-5
13. McDaniel 10-3
14. Hamilton 11-2
15. Renssalaer 9-2
16. St. Lawrence 11-2
17. Roanoke 10-5
18. Ohio Wesleyan 10-2
19. Geneseo 10-2
20. Tufts 10-4
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