BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Lehigh earned two of the five Patriot League GEICO men’s lacrosse weekly awards when they were announced by the League office on Monday. Boston University, Bucknell and Colgate all received one weekly laurel.
Lehigh junior attack Cole Kirst was named the Patriot League Men’s Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Week, while teammate junior Mike Sisselberger collected faceoff specialist of the week.
BU attack Christian Quadrino earned rookie of the week, while Bucknell junior Travis Talarico garnered defensive player of the week, and Colgate junior Sean Collins earned goalkeeper of the week.
Army West Point junior attack Brendan Nichtern, Colgate sophomore faceoff specialist Thomas Colucci, Lehigh freshman attack Scott Cole and senior goalkeeper James Spence, Loyola Maryland graduate student long-stick midfielder Ryan McNulty and senior faceoff specialist Bailey Savio all earned honorable mentions.
Offensive Player of the Week
Cole Kirst, Lehigh, Jr., A, Bernardsville, N.J./Seton Hall Prep
* Kirst scored a career-high four goals, including the game-winner with 2:02 left in the fourth quarter against Army West Point this past weekend.
* The junior scored three of Lehigh's first five goals on the day, helping lead the Mountain Hawks to a 6-5 halftime advantage.
* The game marked his third-straight hat trick, as he has scored multiple goals in all five games this season, owning 14 goals and an assist.
Defensive Player of the Week
Travis Talarico, Bucknell, Jr., D, Oradell, N.J./Bergen Catholic
* Talarico had a career-high 10 ground balls, four more than his previous career-best total, and caused two turnovers against Colgate this past weekend.
Faceoff Specialist of the Week
Mike Sisselberger, Lehigh, Jr., FO/M, Center Valley, Pa./Southern Lehigh
* Sisselberger went 23-of-27 at the ‘X’ to go with 14 groundballs against Army on Saturday, as the junior marked career-highs in faceoffs won and attempted.
* The junior won all five first-quarter faceoffs, going 12-of-13 in the first half.
* Sisselberger is currently leading the nation in faceoff win percentage at 77.6.
Goalkeeper of the Week
Sean Collins, Colgate, Jr., GK, Darien, Conn./Darien
* Collins posted a season-high and matched his career-high with 18 saves, including six in the fourth quarter as Colgate defeated Bucknell, 10-9.
* The junior faced 48 shots and improved his save percentage 36 points to .488, as he tied his previous career high of 18 saves last year at Princeton.
* Those nine goals were the fewest allowed by the Raiders since a 16-7 victory over Lafayette back in April 2019.
Rookie of the Week
Christian Quadrino, Boston University, Fr., A, Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem North
* Quadrino scored three goals and added an assist for a four-point day against Utah to match a career-high.
* One of his tallies came with 1:40 remaining in regulation to tie the game and send it to overtime.
* Quadrino has recorded at least one point in all seven games this year, scoring 12 goals and adding five assists for 17 points.
Honorable Mentions
Brendan Nichtern, Army West Point, Jr., A, Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa (USMAPS)
* Nichtern tied a season-high mark with seven points in the game at No. 10 Lehigh. He had a career-high five goals and factored in all five goals in the first half for the Black Knights with four goals and an assist.
Thomas Colucci, Colgate, So., FO, Westfield, N.J./Seton Hall Prep
* Colucci helped Colgate to a 15-8 edge at the ‘X’ as he went 15-of-23 and grabbed a career-high eight ground balls in Colgate's 10-9 victory at Bucknell.
Scott Cole, Lehigh, Fr., A, Reisterstown, Md./McDonogh
* Cole recorded second-career multi-goal game, scoring twice in Saturday's 13-12 win over No. 7 Army West Point.
James Spence, Lehigh, Sr., GK, Springfield, Pa./Springfield
* Spence made double-figure saves for the third time in five games, finishing with 10 in the win over Army.
Ryan McNulty, Loyola Maryland, Gr., LSM, Exton, Pa./Bishop Shanahan
* In the 14-10 win over Navy, McNulty had a goal and an assist in transition, scoring with 3:23 to go in the second quarter off a Kevin Lindley assist and then adding an assist on a Lindley goal midway through the third. He also had two caused turnovers and three ground balls on the defensive end.
Bailey Savio, Loyola Maryland, Sr., FO, Greenwich, Conn./Greenwich
* Savio won 19 of 28 faceoffs (67.8 percent) against three different players for the Midshipmen to go along with 16 groundballs in the 14-10 win.
Men’s Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Week
2.15 – Kevin Lindley, Loyola Maryland, Sr., A
2.22 - Brendan Nichtern, Army West Point, Jr., A
3.1 - Brendan Nichtern, Army West Point, Jr., A
3.8 – Brendan Nichtern, Army West Point, Jr., A
3.15 – Timmy Ley, Boston University, Jr., A
3.22 – Aidan Olmstead, Loyola Maryland, Sr., A
3.29 – Tommy Schelling, Lehigh, Jr., A
Men’s Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Week
2.15 – Ryan McNulty, Loyola Maryland, Gr., LSM
2.22 – Nick Franchuk, Navy, Sr., D
3.1 – Chris Conlin, Holy Cross, Jr., D
3.8 – Marcus Hudgins, Army West Point, Jr., D
3.15 – Cam Wyers, Loyola Maryland, Jr., D
3.22 – Cam Wyers, Loyola Maryland, Jr., D
3.29 – Nicholas Ellerton, Boston University, Gr., D
Men’s Lacrosse Faceoff Specialist of the Week
2.15 – Bailey Savio, Loyola Maryland, Sr., FO
2.22 – Stevie Grabher, Army West Point, Jr., So., FO
3.1 – Jacob Jarosz, Navy, Jr., FO
3.8 – Mike Sisselberger, Lehigh, Jr., FO
3.15 – Connor DePiero, Holy Cross, Fr., FO
3.22 - Bailey Savio, Loyola Maryland, Sr., FO
3.29 - Stevie Grabher, Army West Point, Jr., So., FO
Men’s Lacrosse Goalkeeper of the Week
2.15 – Sam Shafer, Loyola Maryland, Sr., GK
2.22 – Wyatt Schupler, Army West Point, Jr., GK
3.1 - Wyatt Schupler, Army West Point, Jr., GK
3.8 – James Spence, Lehigh, Sr., GK
3.15 – Matt Garber, Boston University, Jr., GK
3.22 - Matt Garber, Boston University, Jr., GK
3.29 – Spencer Rees, Navy, Sr., GK
Men’s Lacrosse Rookie of the Week
2.15 – Seth Higgins, Loyola Maryland, Fr., M
2.22 – Seth Higgins, Loyola Maryland, Fr., M
3.1 – Jon Jarosz, Navy, Fr., A
3.8 – Charlie Cunniffe, Lafayette, Fr., A
3.15 – John Mathes, Lafayette, Fr., M
3.22 – Tommy Bourque, Boston University, Fr., M
3.29 - Charlie Cunniffe, Lafayette, Fr., A
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