Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/28/16
From Press Release
Defenseman Austin Pifani (Abington, Duke’s LC) and attackman Steve Pontrello (St. Augustine Prep) leads the attack for North Carolina as it meets No. 7 Loyola today at noon in the NCAA men’s Division I semifinals at Lincoln Financial field.
The Game: North Carolina Tar Heels (10-6 overall, 3-1 ACC, NCAA Tournament Unseeded, Ranked #12 USILA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Coaches Poll, Ranked #14 Cascade/Maverik Media Poll) vs. Loyola Greyhounds (14-3 overall, 7-1 Patriot League, NCAA Tournament #7 Seed, Ranked #7 USILA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Coaches Poll, Ranked #7 Cascade/Maverik Media Poll)
Get your 2016 NCAA Men’s Championship tickets for Philly’s Lincoln Financial Field here –
Television Information: ESPN2/WatchESPN; Eamon McAnaney, Play by Play; Quint Kessenich, Analyst; Paul Carcaterra, Sideline Reporter
Philly standouts: Pifani and Pontrello were both All-ACC selections and Pontrello leads the Heels with 45 goals and 17 assists. Pifani had 18 groundballs and 11 caused turnovers as the team’s ace close defender. In UNC’s 13-9 win over Notre Dame in the quarterfinals, Carolina was led offensively by Pontrello with four goals and two assists. Pontrello scored UNC’s last four goals of the gameand recorded his 12th career hat trick.
With the win over the Fighting Irish, the Tar Heels broke an eight-game losing streak in the NCAA quarterfinal round dating back to 1994. The win propelled the Tar Heels into the semifinal round for the first time since 1993 when it finished as national runner-up.
The Tar Heels were ranked 12th in the final USILA coaches poll of the 2016 season and 14th the final regular season Cascade/Maverik media poll of the 2016 campaign.
The Greyhounds are 14-3 so far this campaign and they finished 7-1 in the Patriot League standings. The Greyhounds were ranked seventh in the final USILA coaches poll of the 2016 season and seventh in the final regular season Cascade/Maverik media poll of the 2016 campaign. Loyola has advanced to the NCAA semifinals with a 16-11 first round win over Duke and a 10-8 quarterfinal victory over Towson. Carolina is unseeded in this year’s tournament field while the Greyhounds came in as the tourney’s #3 seed.
CAROLINA VERSUS LOYOLA THE SERIES: North Carolina and Loyola will be meeting for the 16th time in history on Saturday. The Tar Heels lead the all-time series 9-6.
This marks the first meeting in the series since May 8, 1999 when a #1-ranked Loyola team defeated North Carolina 10-7 at Fetzer Field.
Philly grads competing today
UNC
#0, Steve Pontrerllo, A/M, Sr., Marlton, N.J./St. Augustine Prep – All-ACC – 45 goals, 17 assists, 62 points
#17, Austin Pifani, D, Jr., Roslyn, Pa./Abington – All-ACC – 18 GB, 11 CT
#26, Charles Kelly, M, Fr., Allentown, Pa/Malvern Prep
#29, Jake Peden, D, Fr., Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown East
#32, Colin Reder, G, Fr., Bryn Mawr, Pa./Episcopal
Loyola
#2, Matt Helm, M, So., Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East
#10, Ryder Harkins, D, So., West Chester, Pa./Malvern Prep
#25, Adam Monticollo, D, Jr., Medford, N.J./St. Augustine Prep
#42, Damase Bagbonon, LSM, Fr., Paoli, Pa./Conestoga
#43, Chad Rafferty, D, Jr., Glen Mills, Pa./Malvern Prep