DETROIT (5/1/2018) -- The University of Detroit Mercy men's lacrosse team is back in the postseason for the seventh time in nine years as members of the MAAC as the second-seeded Titans will face third-seeded Monmouth in the conference semifinals on Thursday, May 3. 

Game time is set for 3 p.m. at Kessler Stadium in West Long Branch, New Jersey, the home field for Monmouth, the host of this year's MAAC Championship. The first semifinals will see top-seeded Quinnipiac battle fourth-seeded Canisius at Noon and both games will be broadcast live on ESPN+.

The Titans finished the regular season on a school-record four-game winning streak and winners of six of their last seven. They tied a school mark with eight wins on the year, including another school record by going 5-1 in the MAAC.

Monmouth comes into the game at 7-7, 4-2 in the conference. In the regular season meeting, the Titans came back to beat the Hawks, 9-8, in overtime. 

For more information on the 2018 MAAC Men's Lacrosse Championship, visit MAACSports.com/MLAX. Championship tickets can be purchased at maac.ticketleap.com, and will also be sold on-site during the event.

AGAINST THE MAAC

• Detroit Mercy is 29-27 in regular season league play since joining the MAAC in 2010.
• The Titans just set their all-time win mark for conference games in a season as their 5-1 mark broke the 4-2 record in 2011 and 2015. 
• It is the seventh time in nine seasons of MAAC affiliation that the Titans have qualified for postseason play.

MAAC CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

• The Titans are 3-5 all-time in the MAAC Championship, winning the title in 2013 and advancing to the championship game in 2011.
• Detroit Mercy has dropped its last three tournament games - falling to Monmouth last season - with its last win coming against Siena in the 2013 championship contest.

LIFE AS A #2 SEED

• The No. 2 seed is 13-15 all-time in the MAAC Championship with three titles coming in 2001 (Mount St. Mary's), 2008 (Canisius) and 2010 (Mount St. Mary's). 
• The Titans have been the No. 2 seed once before falling to Canisius in the 2012 semifinals.

ALL-TIME SERIES

• Detroit Mercy leads the series, 4-2, including a 3-0 record at Monmouth.
• The Titans won the regular season match-up, 9-8, in overtime with freshman Brennan Kamish tying it up with six seconds left and then winning it in the extra period. 
• Last year, the Titans fell 11-7 in the MAAC Championship semifinals to the Hawks in a game played at Marist. 

ROLL A 9 OR 11?

• In the last three Titan wins in the series, the winning score has been 9-8, while in the two Monmouth wins, the Hawks have scored 11 goals. 
• Even more of a coincidence is that in the first Titan win, they scored 11 goals. 

ONE MORE WIN AWAY FROM SCHOOL RECORD

• Detroit Mercy comes into the game at 8-6 and has already tied the school record of eight wins it posted in 2015, when the red, white and blue went 8-6.
• The Titans are already assured their second winning campaign in school history with the 2015 squad, which was head coach Chris Kolon's first year at the helm. 
• Detroit Mercy is also on a school-record four-game winning streak. 

DON'T TURN THAT CHANNEL

• Make sure you don't leave your seat during a Detroit Mercy-Monmouth game because these match-ups are never over as comebacks have been a part of the short series history.
• Earlier this season, Detroit Mercy had a 5-2 lead at the break, but Monmouth grabbed an 8-7 advantage with 5:14 left in the game and that stood until six seconds left in regulation when freshman Brennan Kamish came around the net and fired one high, right past the goalie to tie it up.
• In overtime, the Titans won the faceoff and less than a minute into play, senior Alec Gilhooly fed Kamish to the right side of the net and he did the rest, beating the keeper to the left side for the come-from-behind win. 
• In 2015, the Titans trailed the Hawks at home, 8-4, entering the fourth period when it ended the game on a 5-0 run. 
• In 2016, Detroit Mercy saw Monmouth start the game on a 4-0 spurt, but the Titans were able to erase that and post another 9-8 tally.
• Last year, Monmouth led 5-0 early in the second, but the Titans cut it to 7-6 with 9:18 left in the fourth before eventually falling, 11-8. 

TWO SCARLET KNIGHTS LEADING THE WAY

• It will be a battle between two Rutgers' graduates and former teammates turned head coaches in Detroit Mercy's Chris Kolon and Monmouth's Brian Fisher. 
• Both attended Rutgers between 1995-2001 and were teammates for two seasons.
• Fisher was a faceoff specialist, while Kolon played defense.

BREAKING OFFENSIVE RECORDS

• Detroit Mercy has already set a few team records on the year and is looking for more.
• At the moment, the 2018 team tops the record book in total points (231), points per game (16.5), goals per game (10.29), shots per game (35.9) and goals-against average (9.34).
• The Titans 144 goals are eighth in school history, five away from the school record, while the 87 assists are tied for second and four away from the top spot. 

SETTING NEW TEAM STANDARDS

• Detroit Mercy established a new school record for a single game offense in its 18-8 victory over Manhattan. 
• The 31 points on the day and 13 assists were a pair of new school watermarks, while the 18 goals were the second most in Titan history and the most ever in MAAC play.
• Junior Matthew Vangalen led the offense with a Titan record 11 points and tied another pair of school records with seven goals and four assists in the win.
• Vangalen's 11 points broke the previous school record of Joel Matthews, who had eight at Canisius in 2012, while the seven goals are tied with Matthews' seven at Canisius and Shayne Adams' seven against Mercer in 2011. He also tied a school record and career record with four helpers. 
• His 11 points and seven goals are the most by any player in the MAAC this year and tied for the fifth most in the NCAA on the season.         The seven goals were the most in the MAAC since 2016, while the 11 points are the most since Siena's Bryan Neufeld had 11 in two games in 2012.

GIVE ME THAT

• Detroit Mercy has had a history of being among the leaders in caused turnovers and the Titans are regaining that form this season.
• The Titans currently lead the MAAC and are seventh in the nation with 9.00 caused turnovers per game.
• Detroit Mercy had a season-high 13 caused turnovers at Mercer and also recorded 12 at Manhattan, at Jacksonville and against Bellarmine, Siena and Cleveland State. 
• The Titan trio of Charlie Hayes (32), Sam Horton (16) and Pat Masterson (16) have combined for 64 caused turnovers, sixth most among a trio of defenders at Division I.  
• The red, white and blue led the nation in caused turnovers in 2011 (11.63) and 2012 (10.47) and finished tied for second in 2013 (10.00) and third in 2010 (10.47).

MAN DOWN, NOT A PROBLEM

• The Titans are third in the MAAC on the penalty kill at 67.9 percent, allowing just 17 goals in 53 opportunities.

KEEP 'EM OFF THE BOARD

• The Titan defense has done its part this year holding teams to a school-record 9.36 goals per game, second in the MAAC and 19th in the nation.
• Detroit Mercy has allowed less than 10 goals in three-straight games and 10 goals or less in five of its six MAAC games.

BALANCED OFFENSE

• The Titans have seen 16 players score a goal this season, with four players at 15 or more and eight registering at least 10 markers.
• The 16 Titans that have scored are the fourth most in school history behind the 20 in 2012, 18 in 2015 and 17 in 2013.
• Meanwhile, the eight double-digit goal scores are the most ever on a Titan squad. 

A HELPING HAND

• Detroit Mercy is second in the MAAC and 28th in the country with 6.21 assists per game.
• The 6.12 average and 87 assists on the year are both second in the school record book.
• The Titans have 14 different players who have recorded an assist on the season and have 11 games with at least five helpers on the year, including in seven-straight games. 

CANADIAN POWER

• The Titans top two point scorers are both Canadian in junior Matthew Vangalen (44) and freshman Brett Erskine (31).
• When you add in junior Patrick Walsh's 13 goals and 17 points, senior Lucas Ducharme's 12 goals and six assists, Pat Masterson's two goals and an assist and senior Marcus Butter' one marker, Canadians have accounted for 74 goals, 40 assists and 114 points.
• As a team, the Titans have 144 goals, 87 assists and 231 points.

VANTASTIC

• Junior Matthew Vangalen had a great start to his Titan career challenging the school record for points last year and he is back to once again make a run at that record. 
• He leads the team with 44 points on a team-best 27 goals and 17 assists and is seventh in the MAAC in points per game (3.14) and assists per game (1.21) and eighth in goals per game (1.93). 
• Last year, he had 47 points, just two shy of the school record, and is now just five away from tying the 49 points set by Shayne Adams in 2014. 
• Vangalen - who has earned the MAAC Offensive Player of the Week three times this year - just ended the regular season with his fourth-straight hat trick tallying four goals and five points against Cleveland State.
• He had a game-high six points on four goals and two assists in the win over Siena and that was after a school record 11 points tying a Titan record with seven goals and four assists at Manhattan. 
• His offensive spurt started with three goals at Canisius and that gives him 25 points on 18 goals and seven assists during the Titan four-game winning streak. 
• Vangalen recorded a team-high five points on two goals and three assists at No. 6/6 Notre Dame and also caused a pair of turnovers. He also notched a goal with three assists versus No. 4/6 Ohio State. 
• He was All-MAAC Second Team in 2017 after posting 47 points – third in school history – 26 goals – seventh in Titan history – and 21 assists – tied for second in record books.
• He is now fifth in school history with 91 points and sixth in school history with 38 assists and 53 goals. 

HAYES JUST A MENACE ON DEFENSE

• Senior captain and short stick midfielder Charlie Hayes - a Preseason All-MAAC Selection - is playing like an All-American as he already has career highs with 32 caused turnovers, 72 ground balls - both team highs - to go with a career-best 13 points on eight goals and five helpers.  
• He is already third in school history with 68 caused turnovers and sixth picking up 136 ground balls. 
• He leads the MAAC and is tied for fifth in the nation with 2.29 caused turnovers per game, while his  5.14 ground balls per game are fourth in the league and 28th in the nation.  
• In his last four games - all Titan wins - he has four caused turnovers, eight ground balls and two goals against Cleveland State, two caused turnovers and six ground balls against Siena, two caused turnovers, six GB's and an assist at Canisius and three caused turnovers with six ground balls and an assist at Manhattan. 
• He posted three ground balls, a caused turnover and a goal at No. 6/6 Notre Dame. 
• He had a goal and an assist at Mercer, four ground balls and four caused turnovers at Jacksonville and two caused turnovers with four GB's versus Marquette. 
• Hayes was a defensive menace to Bellarmine tallying a career-best six caused turnovers with seven ground balls and scooped up a career-high nine ground balls against Marist.

NO ROOKIE JITTERS

• Redshirt freshman Logan Shamblin showed no signs of being nervous as he earned the start at No. 6 Notre Dame in the season opener. 
• He finished with 11 saves - five in the third period alone - and picked up three ground balls in the tough 10-7 setback. 
• He picked up his first win at Mercer allowing just seven goals - one in the second half - with 10 saves in the game. 
• He had a career game with 15 saves and eight ground balls against Siena as he remained undefeated in MAAC play on the season (5-0). 
• Shamblin made 28 saves at the Midwest Classic with 14 apiece against Bellarmine and No. 4/6 Ohio State and had nine against Marist in the MAAC opener and 11 at Monmouth, at Canisius and at Manhattan. 
• He ranks second in the league in save percentage (.548), third in goals-against average (9.08), fourth in total saves (142) and fifth in saves per game (10.92).
• Nationally, he is 10th in save percentage, 17 in saves per game and 21st in goals-against average. 
• In school history in a single season, he ranks second in GAA and fourth in save percentage.

ERSKINE SHINES

• Brett Erskine continues to make a name for himself as one of the MAAC's top rookies. 
• He just posted his fourth-straight game with two goals against Cleveland State and that was after a season-high five points on two goals and season-best three assists in the win over Siena.
• He has scored two goals in eight games this season, including four in MAAC play (Canisius, Manhattan, Siena, Marist). 
• At Mercer, he recorded his first collegiate points on two goals and an assist and all three came in dramatic fashion, earning him the MAAC Co-Rookie of the Week. 
• His assist came on the Titans' sixth goal in a comeback victory at Mercer, while his first goal tied the game at 7-7 with 19 seconds left.
• Erskine's final marker was the game-winner in overtime.
• Erskine is now second on the team with 31 points, 17 goals and 10 assists. 
• He has also attempted just 41 shots and 33 have been on goal for an .805 shots on goal percentage. 

KAMISH CONNECTION

• Freshman Brennan Kamish has had a strong start to his collegiate career scoring a goal in nine of the 14 games on the season and is fourth on the squad with 16 goals and tied for sixth with 18 points.  
• He posted a career-high three goals in the win over Siena. 
• Kamish tallied his first career marker at No. 6/6 Notre Dame. He also posted two at Mercer, against Bellarmine and No. 4/6 Ohio State, at Monmouth and at Manhattan. 
• At Monmouth, he tied the game at 8-8 with six seconds left and then won it in overtime just 46 seconds into the extra period. 

WALSH WEARING A HAT

• Junior Patrick Walsh recorded his first career hat trick scoring three goals against Marist in the MAAC opener.
• Walsh now has a career-high 13 goals and 17 points after recording a goal and an assist against Siena.
• He also has a team-best three man-up goals and is currently tied for 10th in school history with six power-play markers.

LEAVE IT TO AKINS

• Sophomore defender Alex Akins had a strong start to his second season posting a pair of caused turnovers and limiting Notre Dame attackers in the season opener. 
• He is tied for fourth on the squad with 11 caused turnovers, while picking up a career-best 22 ground balls. 
• Akins recorded a career-high three caused turnovers and seven ground balls at Mercer. 
• As a freshman, he earned All-MAAC Second Team and All-Rookie Team recognition after playing in all 16 games with 12 starts and was third on the team with 12 caused turnovers while picking up 15 ground balls.

PAT IN THE TOP 10

• Senior LSM Pat Masterson has registered a caused turnover in all 14 games on the year and is tied for second on the team and fifth in the MAAC with 1.14 caused turnovers on the season as well as second on the Titans with 45 ground balls. 
• He has also scored two goals on the season.
• He had five ground balls versus No. 4/6 Ohio State and a season-high six against Air Force, Quinnipiac and at Canisius. 
• At Canisius, he posted two caused turnovers with those six GB's and even scored his second collegiate goal in the game.  
• Masterson is now top 10 in school history in both categories as he is tied for sixth with 41 caused turnovers and ninth with 119 GB's. 

HORTON WITH THE CAUSE

• Junior Sam Horton is currently among the leaders in caused turnovers as he is tied for fifth in the MAAC and 63rd in the nation with 1.14 caused turnover per game.
• He started the year with a career-high three caused turnovers at No. 6/6 Notre Dame and at Mercer and also had two caused turnovers and two ground balls against Marist. 
• He recently just tied his career best with three caused turnovers versus Siena. 

DON'T MESS WITH TEX

• Senior Will Kane had two ground balls in the season opener at No. 6/6 Notre Dame and tied his career high with three caused turnovers at Jacksonville. 
• He is tied for fourth on the team with 11 caused turnovers and has 21 ground balls on the season, one away from a career high. 
• At Monmouth, he had two caused turnovers and two ground balls.
• He played in all 16 games with 15 starts last season and was second on the team with a career-high 17 caused turnovers and sixth racking up a career-best 22 ground balls.
• He has played in 50 career games and has tallied 35 caused turnovers - eighth in school history - and 64 ground balls. 

ALEX THE GREAT 

• Sophomore Alex Jarzembowski has been outstanding at the faceoff position in MAAC play - both this year and his career.
• On the season, he is 77-of-139 (55.4%) in the MAAC and 105-of-186 (56.4%) in conference play since the start of 2017.
• He won 14-of-25 at Canisius with six ground balls. Against Quinnipiac and the preseason faceoff All-MAAC honoree Will Vitelli, he was 15-of-25 with four GB's. 
• Against Marist, he tied a school record winning 16-of-25 and was also 11-of-20 at Monmouth with five GB's and 11-of-19 at Manhattan with five more ground balls. 
• Overall on the year, he is third in the league winning 49.8 percent. 
• As a rookie, he saw action in 14 games and led the team in faceoff winning percentage at 57.4 percent (74-of-129), a new school record and second in the MAAC.

BIRNEY BOMBS

• Senior Sean Birney is fifth on the team with 20 points on 10 goals and a career-high 10 assists. 
• Birney scored a goal in all six MAAC games notching a career-high four points on two goals and two assists at Manhattan, and with his goal against Cleveland State last week, he has now found the back of the net in seven-straight games. 
• In his career, he has 39 goals and 28 assists - ninth in school history - for 67 points and is seventh in Titan history with nine man-up goals.
• Last year, he had a career-high 15 goals and 21 points and tied for the team and conference lead with seven man-up goals, which was also tied for sixth in the nation. 

LOOKING FOR MORE

• Senior Alec Gilhooly is the steady leader on the field among the offensive players and is fourth on the team with 21 points on 10 goals and a career-high 11 assists. 
• On the season, he has a goal and two assists against Quinnipiac and has now scored at least one goal in seven of the last 10 games, including three versus Bellarmine and one goal with three assists at Manhattan. 
• As a junior, he finished second on the team with 19 goals, tied for second with 26 points and tied for third handing out seven assists. 
• He also tied for the team and conference lead with seven man-up goals, which was also tied for sixth in the nation.
• In the MAAC semifinals against eventual conference champion Monmouth, he recorded a career-high four goals.
• In his career, he has 42 goals - ninth in school history - and 25 assists for 67 points. 
• He is also fourth in the Titan record books with 14 extra-man goals.