DETROIT (4/4/2018) -- A two-game road swing is up next for the University of Detroit Mercy men's lacrosse team as the Titans head to the road to face Jesuit-rival Canisius in a MAAC Saturday night extravaganza.

Game time is set for 7 p.m. at the Demske Sports Complex in Buffalo, New York, and will be broadcast live on ESPN3. 

The top of the MAAC is all bunched together as Canisius is currently tied for first at 5-4 overall and 2-0 in the league. Quinnipiac is also at 2-0 in the conference, while Detroit Mercy and Monmouth are both 4-6, 2-1 in MAAC play. 

The Titans have played close games all season long as six of their 10 contests have been decided by three goals or less, including three one-goal games and two in overtime. 

Detroit Mercy is also on the road next week at Manhattan before returning home for match-ups with Siena and Cleveland State.

AGAINST THE MAAC

• Detroit Mercy is 26-27 in regular season league play since joining the MAAC in 2010.
• The Titans began their MAAC history with a 2-6 mark in 2010 and were 4-2 in 2011 and 2015.         
• The red, white and blue started conference play 2-0 in 2012 and 3-0 last season, finishing 3-3 in both campaigns. Detroit Mercy also got off to a 2-0 start this year. 

ALL-TIME SERIES

• The Titans and Golden Griffins have played some great games in their history as Detroit Mercy leads the overall series, 5-4, and is 2-2 on the road.
• Detroit Mercy has also had some shining moments at the Demske Sports Complex as it won the 2013 MAAC Championship as well as advanced to the 2011 title game in Buffalo. 

JESUIT PRIDE

• Detroit Mercy and Canisius are two of just eight Jesuit schools playing Division I lacrosse.
• The others are Fairfield, Georgetown, Holy Cross, Loyola (Md.), Marquette and St. Joseph's.
• The Titans have actually played four of the other seven Jesuit institutions in Canisius (5-4), Marquette (0-6), Georgetown (0-1) and Saint Joseph's (0-1). 

FAMILY CONNECTION

• Detroit Mercy and Canisius do share a common family bond on the lacrosse field in the Boissonneault family.
• Mathieu Boissonneault is currently leading the Golden Griffins with 24 goals. 
• His older sister, Emily, was on the inaugural Titan women's lacrosse team in 2009 and starred for the Titans from 2009-12. 
• She is still the Titan career leader with 272 points and 242 goals and is still in the NCAA Division I record books as she ranks ninth in career caused turnovers per game (2.28), tied for 15th in caused turnovers (157), 16th in goals per game (3.51) and tied for 16th in career goals (242). 

RALLY HISTORY

• The Titans have six fourth-quarter comebacks in their history with two coming this season and another two last year.
• Earlier this season, the Titans were down 7-2 at Mercer early in the third and 7-3 after 45 minutes when they rallied to knot it at 7-7 and eventually won it in overtime, 8-7.
• At Monmouth two weeks ago, Detroit Mercy trailed 8-7 late in the fourth when it scored with six seconds left to tie it and then won in overtime, 9-8. 
• Last year at Siena, Detroit Mercy trailed the Saints 5-0 in the first period and 13-10 in the fourth when the Titans stormed back for a 14-13 victory. Detroit Mercy scored three goals in the last 3:43 and blanked the Saints in the final period, 4-0.
• That game is tied for the second overall comeback in school history behind the five-goal rally against Siena in the 2013 MAAC Championship (trailed 8-3 in the second and 9-4 in the third), when Detroit Mercy won 11-10 in overtime. 
• Also against Monmouth in 2015, Detroit Mercy trailed 8-4 heading into the fourth, but on the strength of a 5-0 run, the Titans came back to defeat the Hawks, 9-8.
• That game marked the biggest fourth-quarter comeback in school history.
• The other two games were in the 2013 MAAC Championship against Siena (down 10-9 and won in overtime, 11-10) and in 2014 against Mercer (down 9-8 and won 11-10).

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 11th in the nation with 8.50 caused turnovers per game.
• The Titan trio of Charlie Hayes (21), Sam Horton (13) and Alex Akins (10) have combined for 44 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).

BALANCED OFFENSE

• The Titans have seen 14 players score a goal this season, with nine registering at least five goals and six with nine markers.
• The team lead in goals is currently shared by four players in Brett Erskine, Brennan Kamish, Seth Mendell and Patrick Walsh, who each have 11 apiece. 

NO ROOKIE JITTERS

• Redshirt freshman Logan Shamblin showed no signs of being nervous as he earned the start in net at No. 6 Notre Dame.
• 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 - and making 10 saves in the game. 
• 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 in an overtime victory. 
• On the year, his 95 saves is fifth in the MAAC, while he also stands third in goals against average (9.46), fourth in save percentage (.528) and fifth in saves per game (10.56). 

TURNBULL UP TO THE TASK

• Junior Michael Turnbull got the start in net against Quinnipiac last week as redshirt freshman Logan Shamblin was out with an undisclosed injury.  
• Turnbull made his first collegiate - and just second career appearance - posting 14 saves in the 14-11 shootout. He had six saves in the first period alone and also picked up a team-high seven ground balls in the contest. 
• His 14 saves are the most by a Titan in his first start in net since Jason Weber made 16 saves at VMI in 2014 and Connor Flynn's 16 saves against Mercer, also in 2014.

VANTASTIC

• Sophomore transfer Matthew Vangalen had a great start to his Titan career challenging the school record for points in a single season last year, and his 2018 is shaping up to be another banner year.
• He already leads the team with 19 points on a team-best 10 assists with nine goals. 
• Vangalen tallied 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 notched a goal with three assists versus No. 4/6 Ohio State. 
• He was selected All-MAAC Second Team in 2017 after posting 47 points – third in school history – 26 goals – seventh in school history – and 21 assists – tied for second in Titan record books.
• He now ranks eighth in school history with 31 assists, 10th with 66 points and tied for 10th with 35 goals. 

HAYES TOP 10 IN THE NATION IN CAUSED TURNOVERS

• Senior captain and short stick midfielder Charlie Hayes - a Preseason All-MAAC Selection - has started the season playing like an All-American as he already has career highs with 21 caused turnovers, 46 ground balls - both team highs - to go with nine points on six goals and three helpers.  
• He is already fifth in school history with 57 caused turnovers and eighth picking up 110 ground balls. 
• He leads the MAAC and is ninth in the nation with 2.11 caused turnovers per game, while his  4.60 ground balls per game is second in the league and 37th in the nation - behind Quinnipiac faceoff specialist Will Vitelli's 4.70. 
• He posted three ground balls, a caused turnover and a goal at 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. 
• He was a 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. 

    
ERSKINE ARRIVES

• Freshman Brett Erskine made a name for himself and the nation took notice of his play.
• 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.
• He posted two goals in the MAAC opener against Marist and has now tallied two goals in four games this season. He also had a goal and two assists at Monmouth and a goal and a helper last week against Quinnipiac. 
• Erskine is tied for the team lead with 11 goals and is second with 17 points. 
• He has also attempted just 26 shots and 23 have been on goal for a .885 shots on goal percentage. 

KAMISH CONNECTION

• Freshman Brennan Kamish has had a strong start to his collegiate career scoring a goal in seven of the 10 games on the season and is tied for first on the squad with 11 goals. 
• He tallied his first career marker at No. 6/6 Notre Dame. He also posted two at Mercer and against Bellarmine and No. 4/6 Ohio State. 
• 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. 

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 has now caused a turnover in six of the 10 games on the season and is tied for third on the squad with 10 caused turnovers, while picking up a career-best 16 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.    

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 11 goals and is just three points shy of his career best 15 points (8g, 7a) from last season.
• He also has a team-best three man-up goals and is currently tied for 10th in school history with six power-play markers. 

MENDELL NOT A ROOKIE ANYMORE

• Sophomore Seth Mendell was named to the MAAC All-Rookie Team after tying for second on the team with 26 points and eight assists and tied for third scoring 18 goals
• Mendell led all MAAC freshmen in goals and was second in points
• He recorded his first collegiate hat trick in a big way as he exploded for six goals versus Bellarmine, tied for first in the MAAC and the second most in school history, and it was also tied for the fourth most goals by anyone in Division I on the season
• This season, Mendell has 11 goals and three assists for 14 points, and has posted at least two goals four times in the last six games against Bellarmine, Air Force, Marist and Quinnipiac.
• In fact last week against the Bobcats, he registered his third career hat trick as he found the back of the net three times. 

LOOKING FOR MORE

• Senior Alec Gilhooly will look for another career season as he set career highs in almost every statistical category as a junior finishing 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.
• He had a goal and two assists last week against Quinnipiac and has now scored at least one goal in six of the last seven games, including three against Bellarmine for his third hat trick. 
• In his career, he has 41 goals - eighth in school history - and 20 assists for 61 points. He is also fourth in the Titan record books with 14 extra-man goals. 

BIRNEY BOMBS

• Senior Sean Birney is back at midfield after finishing fifth on the team with a career-high 15 goals and 21 points last season.
• He also handed out six assists, sixth on the squad, and tied for the team and conference lead with seven man-up goals, which was also tied for sixth in the nation. 
• Birney has now scored a goal in all three MAAC games and has five goals and six assists on the year for 11 points. 
• In his career, he has 34 goals and 58 points and is eighth in school history with nine man-up goals.

ALEX THE GREAT 

• Sophomore Alex Jarzembowski is back at the faceoff-X position and started the year winning seven faceoffs at No. 6/6 Notre Dame and eight at Mercer. 
• Against Marist, he tied a school record winning 16-of-25 and that was after winning 13-of-18 versus Air Force. He was also 11-of-20 at Monmouth with five GB's and 15-of-25 against Quinnipiac.
• He is now 55-of-88 (62.5%) in his last four games, which includes 42-of-70 (60.0%) in the three MAAC games. 
• 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. 

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. 
• At Monmouth, he had two caused turnovers and two ground balls and added another caused turnover against Quinnipiac last week.
• 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 46 career games and has tallied 32 caused turnovers - eighth in school history - and 59 ground balls. 

PAT IN THE TOP 10

• Senior LSM Pat Masterson had registered a caused turnover in each of the first 10 games as well as three ground balls at No. 6/6 Notre Dame, five versus No. 4/6 Ohio State and a season-high six against Air Force and Quinnipiac. 
• He is now top 10 in school history in both categories as he is seventh with 35 caused turnovers and ninth with 103 GB's.