GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.— After spending the entire month of March playing road games, the now 18^th-ranked Colorado Mesa University men's lacrosse squad has returned home to play their next two contests at home, including this Saturday's encounter with NCAA Division III Colorado College.
 
Saturday's game at Community Hospital Field will begin at noon and will pit the 6-3 Mavericks against the 2-6 Tigers, who are receiving a vote in the latest USILA/Dynamic Division III Coaches' Poll. 
 
A Live stream can be found on the RMAC Network and live statistics for the contest can be accessed here.
 
Last Times Out
 
The Mavericks recently returned from a massive 4-game, 10-day trip to Florida that saw the Mavericks go 2-2, including  a 1-1 last week.
 
Last Tuesday, when the Mavericks were ranked 20^th in the USILA Division II poll, they dropped a heart-breaking 16-15 decision at No. 14 Florida Tech in Melbourne.  James Steinke, Alex Blatt and Braden Lowe all finished with hat-tricks while Steinke and Trent Pernell had five point offensive efforts. 
 
The Mavericks had a big 65-35 advantage in ground balls and won 26 of the 35 face-offs but ran into a hot goalkeeper in the Panthers' John Hulsman, who made 18 saves.
 
The Mavericks then bounced back in a big and versatile way as 17 different players scored in a 25-9 win over Flagler on Friday in St. Augustine.  Eight of those Mavericks scored two goals.  JJ Brummett also had three assists to lead the Mavs with five points.  Meanwhile, Nolan Hoffman made his first start and second appearance in goal for the Mavs this season.  He recorded a career-high 17 saves.
 
Continuing the award sweeps
 
The Mavericks swept the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Player of the Week honors for the fourth time this season on Monday (Mar. 21) as James Steinke and Dylan Checketts were named as the offensive and defensive honorees, respectively.  Steinke was honored for the third time after receiving the award on Mar. 2,  when Dylan Checketts claimed the first of his now two defensive honors, and again on Mar. 21.
 
The Mavericks have now combined to win all eight honors they have been eligible for this year as AJ Switzer (Offensive) and Jake Brummett (Defensive) were then honored on Mar. 7 before defensive award winner Drew Eickelman joined in on the Mar. 21 sweep with Steinke  CMU was not eligible for the Mar. 14 awards as they did not play in the preceding week.
 
In last week's two games, Steinke recorded five goals and added four assists, good for nine offensive points.  Three of his five goals came in man-up situations.
 
Meanwhile, Checketts scooped up 20 ground balls and won 35 of his 50 face-offs during the week, a 70 percent success rate.  He also scored in both games and went 26-for-34 in Wednesday's contest at Florida Tech, setting a new season-high for face-off wins while matching a season-high with 14 ground balls.
 
Last Year's Thriller
 
The Mavericks played Colorado College in Colorado Springs last season, coming home with a Mar. 29, 13-12 double-overtime victory over the Tigers.  The Mavs were down 10-8 late in the third quarter but rallied to take an 11-10 lead just before the mid-way point of the fourth when Trent Pernell scored his fourth goal of the game.  Blake Amiatu then scored another go-ahead goal with 4:21 left in the fourth before scoring the eventual game-winner just 14 seconds into the second overtime period.
 
Carson Schwark assisted on the game-winner and joined Pernell with four goals in the game.  Schwark also added three assists as did Drew Eickelman.  Nolan Hoffman played the second half and overtime in net and made 11 saves to earn the win in net.
 
CC finished the match-up with a big 64-37 advantage in total shots while the teams split the face-off wins evenly with each winning 15.
 
Winning the Face-off battle
 
The Mavericks have won more face-offs than their opponents in all nine games this season and have an impressive 200-80 face-off mark throughout the season.  That .713 team winning percentage is the third best in Division II.
 
The Mavs won 26 draws in both of their games last week, losing just 19 combined against Floria Tech and Flagler.
 
On an individual scale, Dylan Checketts ranks fourth in the country with what is now a .707 individual winning percentage and has won 133 out of his 188 total draws.  Jake Brummett has an even better .750 winning percentage (54-18) but is not eligible for the NCAA statistical rankings as he has not taken more than 40 percent of the team's total draws.  If he were eligible, he would rank second nationally.
 
Joey Grzetic IV also has an .818 (9-2) percentage in his limited opportunities at the face-off mark.
 
Scooping them up
 
Dylan Checketts also ranks amongst the nation's top players for ground balls per game.  He has already scooped up 75, good for an average of 9.38 per game, the second best average in the country.  The Mavs also second fourth nationally as a team with their 43.67 per game average.  They have won the ground ball battle in eight of their nine games so far this season, claiming a season-high 65 ground balls in last week's win at Florida Tech before recording 51 more against Flagler. 
 
High Octane Offense
 
The Mavericks have scored 152 goals in their first nine games reaching double figures in eight of them.  They have surpassed the 20-goal mark on three occasions.
 
After scoring a season-high 25 goals in their last game, the Mavs now lead the country for scoring with their 16.89 per game average, just above Roberts Wesleyan's average of 16.88.  The Mavs also rank third in the country with their 9.44 assist per game average having recorded assists on 85 (55.9 percent) of their goals thus far.
 
They Mavs also rank sixth in the Division II for scoring margin, having out-scoring their opponents by a combined 54 total goals, good for an average of 6.00 per game.
 
Season-Best Offense
 
The Mavericks are coming off their best offensive performance of the season.  The Mavs put up 25 goals in Friday's win at Flagler, which is equal to their ninth best offensive performance in the program's history and the team's best since 2019. 
 
The goals came from everywhere as 17 different Mavericks scored against the Saints.  Eight of those players had two goals while none had three.
 
Thirteen of the Mavericks' goals were also assisted, which is also a new season-high.
 
The 38 total offensive points that they Mavericks recorded against the Saints are equal to tenth most for the Mavs in a single game throughout their history.

Hat-tricks
 
Maverick redshirt sophomore Braden Lowe scored five goals last week, recording his first career hat-trick (3 or more goals in a game) in Wednesday's game against Florida Tech before netting two more goals against Flagler. 
 
Lowe is one of eight different Mavericks to have recorded hat-tricks this season.  Those eight players have combined for 12 of them.
 
AJ Switzer leads the group with four while James Steinke has two.

 
Moving up the scoring ladder
 
Fifth-year Maverick redshirt senior Carson Schwark has steadily moved up the Mavericks' career goal scoring charts this season.  He scored one more last week at Florida Tech and has now recorded 14 this season raising his career total to 63 in just 48 games.
 
The Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota native is now in seventh place on the Mavs' all-time goal scoring charts.  He now has his eyes set on Austin Pridham, who is in sixth place with 66 career goals.
 
Schwark is third on the Maverick squad and in the RMAC with his 14 goals this season and has now been in double figures during each of the last four seasons, including the 2020 and 2021 campaigns, which were significantly shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic.  He scored a career-high 17 goals in just nine games played last season earning Second Team All-RMAC honors as the team's third leading scorer.  He also ranked sixth in the RMAC for goals last season.
 
Schwark's goal last week was also good for his 86^th career offensive point, putting him in a tie for ninth place on the Mavericks' career points chart with Michael Beimford (2013-15).  Daniel Caddoo (2012-16) is eighth in CMU history for career points with 88.  Schwark could become just the sixth Maverick to reach 100 career points if he maintains his offensive pace.
 
Streaking Steinke
 
Maverick James Steinke has been on a scoring tear this season having scored in all nine games this year and each of the last ten dating back to last year.  He has scored two or more goals in each of the Mavs' last five contests, netting two hat-tricks as well.  Earning three RMAC Offensive Player of the Week honors this season, including each of the last two, Steinke paces the conference with 31 offensive points.  He is second in the conference for both goals (16) and assists (15).
 
His 15 assists this year has also lifted Steinke to the No. 10 spot in CMU history for career assists with 32.
 
Speaking of Streaks
 
AJ Switzer has also been on quite a goal scoring tear as of late having scored two or more goals in each of the Mavs' last six games.  He has scored 17 in that stretch alone and leads the team and the RMAC with 21 this season.  Switzer has scored in all but three of his 27 career games as a Maverick.
 
Over and Nearing 50
 
Switzer has joined Schwark in the over 50 club for career goals.  Switzer scored four last week, two in each game, and now has 51 career goals to his credit.  He is just the 12^th Maverick to have ever reached 50 in the history of the men's lacrosse program. 
 
Jed Brummett is tied for 14^th in program history with 44 career markers.
 
Good GB Getter
 
Just a sophomore, Dylan Checketts has already moved into fifth place on the Mavericks' all-time charts for career ground balls.  He has scooped up 124 in just 19 career appearances, having claimed 75 this year alone, which is already the third best single-season mark in Maverick history.
 
Checketts could easily move into the No. 2 spot of the Mavericks' career charts during the upcoming 2-game home-stand.  Johnny Nitti had 142 in his 2011-14 career to rank second, ahead of Shane O'Neill (136) and Brad Brandenburg (134).  Former Maverick face-off standout Michael Marino holds the CMU record of 387 by a wide margin.
 
Marino set the single-season record of 149 as a senior in 2019 after claiming 127 in 2018, when the Mavs' made their NCAA Tournament run.
 
In the poll
 
After their 1-1 week with a narrow loss to  No. 14 Florida Tech and a drubbing of Flagler, the Mavericks moved up two spots to a season-best 18^th in this week's USILA/Dynamic Coaches' Division II Poll, released on Monday afternoon.
 
The Mavs are now receiving 50 points in the poll.  Their only three losses this season have come against teams ranked above them in the poll.
 
Tampa, one of those teams, retained the top spot in the poll for the second straight week.  The Spartans, at 9-0 are one of three undefeated teams in the country and are receiving 22 of the 24 first place votes.  Former No. 1 Le Moyne is receiving the other two first place votes and is still second in the poll.
 
Rollins, which is also undefeated at 8-0, is ranked 11^th while Florida Tech is still 14^th.
 
RMAC rival Westminster, a team the Mavericks defeated, has seven points and is in the also receiving votes portion of the poll.
 
A look back
 
The Mavericks went 9-2 in 2021, winning nine straight games after dropping their season-opener in overtime at Mount Olive.  They played each of their first seven on the road and were not home until Apr. 25 and saw two of their four regular season home games thwarted by COVID issues within the opposing programs.
 
Despite the pandemic challenges, the Mavericks won all five of the RMAC contests they played to win the conference title for the fourth time in five completed seasons.  They then won their RMAC Tournament semifinal over Adams State, a team they beat three times, but were downed by RMAC rival Westminster in the RMAC Tournament Championship game, ending any potential hope for an NCAA Tournament bid.
 
On an individual basis, the Mavericks had 17 players earn All-RMAC honors, including RMAC Freshman of the Year Dylan Checketts, Attacker of the Year Hunter Holcomb and Midfielder of the Year James Steinke.  Vince Smith was named as the RMAC Coach of the Year.
 
Jed Brummett, Sergio Pelayo, Tanner Stopkoski, Brian Buckner, Cole Emmanuel, Jake Eickelman and Drew Eickelman joined Holcomb and Steinke on the First Team All-RMAC unit.    All but Buckner and Emmanuel, now at Division I Marquette, return to the Maverick roster in 2022.
 
On a statistical basis, the Mavericks ranked amongst the nation's top 10 in 11 different statistical categories and won the national statistical title in ground balls per game, racking up 44.36 per game.
 
The Mavs also ranked second in the country for assists per game (11.27) and clearing percentage (.901) and led the RMAC in all but three of the NCAA tracked statistical categories.
 
Long time success
 
The Mavericks' 2021 success was certainly not a "one-hit wonder".  The Mavericks went a perfect 7-0 in 2020 when that season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Including, this year's start, CMU has now won 22 of their last 27 games and have posted a winning record in each of the last ten seasons after going 6-8 in their inaugural 2011 season.
 
As a program, the Mavs are 118-46 all-time, good for a .720 winning percentage that is fifth best amongst active Division II programs.
 
Home Sweet Home
 
After claiming a win over Westminster in their last and so far, only home game of 2022, the Mavericks have now posted a 49-8 all-time record at home since beginning their program in 2011, good for an .860 home field winning percentage.  The Mavericks had a 20-game home field winning streak from 2016-18 and have now won 29 of their last 32 games at Community Hospital Unity Field.
 
Best in the West
 
The Mavericks have proven to be the best Division II program in the western half of the United States, winning four Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference titles in the last five opportunities after claiming two Western Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association crowns in the program's earliest years. 
 
The Mavericks are an impressive 37-4 (.902) in RMAC play since the conference began sponsoring the sport in 2016.
 
CMU is the only RMAC team to have ever qualified for the NCAA Division II Tournament, doing so in 2018 after posting a school-record 17 wins (17-3) while going a perfect 8-0 in conference play that year.
 
It starts at the top
 
Maverick Head Coach Vince Smith, in his eighth season at the helm of the program, has a 87-25 career record.  His .777 career winning percentage ranks him seventh amongst active NCAA coaches (all three divisions) with a minimum of five years as a head coach at the NCAA level.  He ranks fourth amongst Division II coaches.
 
Smith has been named as the RMAC Coach of the Year on two occasions, including in 2021 (2016), and was named as the WILA Coach of the Year in that organization's final year (2015).
 
His players have earned a combined 38 First Team All-RMAC honors since 2016 and have received a conference-high 15 "Of the Year" major awards since then.
 
The Mavs are 1-1 against Colorado College under Smith, who has never coached against his Tiger counterpart Mike Horowtiz, in his first year at CC after a 6-year run as an assistant coach at Division I Saint Joseph's in Philadelphia.
 
About the Tigers
 
The Tigers are 2-6 but have played a very difficult schedule with four of their losses having come against other nationally-ranked Division III teams, including top-ranked Salisbury.  The Tigers are 2-0 at home this season but are still looking for their first victory away from Washburn Field.
 
Anders Erickson leads the Mike Horowitz's squad with 26 points and has tallied 14 goals while assisting on 12 others.  Dylan Brown leads the team with 19 goals while another Dylan (Wells) has a dozen goals to his credit as well.
 
Sam DiMaio and Charlie Harrington lead a group of ten different Tigers who have double-figure ground ball totals.  They both have 27.  Harrington is also the Tigers' main face-off man and has won just less than half (57) of his 118 draws.  Winston Chodnicki has won 40 of 75 face-offs and has 20 ground balls.
 
Ben Anastos has been the Tigers' main goalie.  He has a 2-5 record and has made 117 saves, good for a .539 save percentage in the Tigers eight games to date.  He has a 14.07 goals against average.  Two other net-minders have higher goals against average marks and have played in three games each for less than an hour in total game time.
 
The 2021 Tiger squad that Horowitz inherited went 13-4 and made the program's first appearance in the Elite 8 of the NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship, one of eight overall NCAA Division III Tournament appearances the Tigers have made.
 
Erickson was an honorable mention USILA All-American as a member of last year's team.  He scored 42 goals and 44 assists last year, posting two goals and three assists in a 13-12 overtime defeat at the hands of CMU last spring (Mar. 29)
 
Series History
 
The Mavericks have the slightest of 3-2 leads in the all-time series with CC.  They won a 13-12 double overtime game last spring (Mar. 29) on the road in Colorado Springs and were due to have hosted the Tigers in Grand Junction just days later.  That game was canceled due to COVID issues within the Tiger program at the time.
 
Last year's game renewed the intra-state, yet inter-division rivalry that had seen the teams play against each other in four of CMU's first five years with a program from 2011-15.  The teams split those four meetings, two apiece. 
 
The Tigers are 1-1 against the Mavs in Grand Junction, having won 13-9 in their last trip after CMU had won an 11-7 decision in 2013.
 
All five games between the teams have been decided by four or fewer goals, including last year's double-overtime thriller.
 
Up Next
 
The Mavericks will remain at home to play what will be just their third (of 4) home and third (of 6) RMAC contest on Sunday, Apr. 10.  The Mavs will host CSU Pueblo on that day before stepping outside of conference play for a trip to the Midwest, where they will play Quincy and Rockhurst on Apr. 14 and 16, respectively.