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LANCASTER, PA - Franklin & Marshall College attackman Steve Welsh (Jr., Lewes, DE/Cape Henelopen) ranks among the nation's best in assists in the May 16 NCAA Division III men's lacrosse statistics. An All-Centennial Conference first team selection, he is tied with Connor Fitzgerald of Bowdoin for 20th in the nation in assists per game. A member of the March 15 and April 26 Centennial Conference Men's Lacrosse honor rolls, Welsh led the team in scoring registering 20 goals and a season high 32 assists for 52 points to raise his career numbers to 64 goals and 67 assists for 131 points. In Centennial Conference play, he scored nine goals and recorded team bests in assists (19) and points (28) as Franklin & Marshall concluded the season 4-4 in Conference play. Statistically, Welsh was the team's go-to scorer this season as he scored once and handed out two assists in a 5-3 victory over Washington & Lee at home in Lancaster. The win marked the Diplomats first over the Generals in Lancaster since a 10-9 overtime win on Sponaugle-Williamson Field on March 30, 1996 as F&M improved to 8-10 all-time against the Generals. His most memorable game of the season occurred on April 21 as he scored twice in the final eight minutes of play for the game-winner and an insurance goal as the Diplomats defeated Dickinson 7-5 in Centennial Conference action. Welsh's game-winner with 8:21 left on the clock marked the second year in a row the junior attackman scored the game-winner against the Red Devils as he scored twice and handed out three assists in a 11-9 win in Carlisle on April 19, 2003. Tied 5-5 entering the fourth period, Welsh took over the game as he split the Devils' defense and buried a feed from Mike Down (Fr., Ellicott City, MD/Centennial) past Dickinson goalie Tom Wilson for a 6-5 lead with 8:21 left on the clock. The score marked the first time the Diplomats led in the game as F&M came back from a 4-2 deficit in the opening minute of the second half to take the win. Versus Denison at Loyola University in Baltimore, Welsh scored four goals and handed out four assists for a season high eight points in a 12-10 win over the Big Red on March 20, before tallying a goal and four assists in a 10-3 win over Ursinus in the Centennial Conference season opener on March 20 in Lancaster. Franklin & Marshall concluded the season with a 9-5 record as the Diplomats finished fifth in the Centennial Conference.
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