ST. BONAVENTURE (1-1) at VMI (1-2)
Saturday, Feb. 26 – Noon
Lexington, Va.
 
ST. BONAVENTURE at RICHMOND (1-1)
Tuesday, March 1 – Noon
Richmond, Va.
TV: ESPN+

OPENING FACEOFF

• St. Bonaventure makes the trip to the state of Virginia to play a pair of games on its spring break trip – first facing off against VMI on Saturday before a challenge at Richmond on Tuesday afternoon. There is no live stream available for Saturday's game, but the Tuesday contest will air on ESPN+
• The Bonnies look to keep momentum after scoring a 13-12 victory over Bellarmine this past Tuesday in the home opener for the Brown and White.
• This trip will bring a pair of new foes: St. Bonaventure has never played either VMI or Richmond in the sport of men's lacrosse.

 
BONNIES LEADERS

• Junior Jake Rosa, the Preseason MAAC Player of the Year, continues to pile up impressive numbers. After posting six points in Tuesday's win (2 G, 4 A), Rosa has now tallied three or more points in 11 of the team's last 12 games dating to 2021.
• Rosa paces the Bonnies in the early going in both assists (five) and points (nine).
• Senior Jackson Rose tallied four goals last season, all on the power play. He's easily surpassed that total in just two games this year, leading the squad with seven after another hat trick Tuesday.
• Rose, Austin Blumbergs and Sean Westley all posted their fourth career 3+ goal games in Tuesday's win.
• With three goals on Tuesday, Westley now has 41 for his career, most of any Bonnies player since the return of the program in 2019.
• Eight different Bonnies have found the back of the net through the first two games.
• Freshman Trent Grainger tied the program single-game record with 14 faceoff victories Tuesday.
• Brett Dobson has already totaled 41 saves through two games, including the second and third-most saves in a game in program history (22 at Saint Joseph's, second, and 19 vs. Bellarmine, third).
   

DOWN TO THE WIRE

• Bonnies games have not lacked for drama in the past two seasons. Both of St. Bonaventure's first two games were decided by one goal apiece, a 13-12 heartbreaker at Saint Joseph's Feb. 12, before holding on for a one-goal thriller over Bellarmine Tuesday.
• St. Bonaventure has played seven games decided by two goals or less the past two seasons.

NEW ADDITIONS

• A few freshmen have made their way into the lineup for the Bonnies so far, adding depth for the 2022 season.
• Anthony Cimino has handed out three assists.
• Conor Murphy registered his first two collegiate points with a pair of assists Tuesday vs. Bellarmine.
• Kyle Pepper logged his first college goal in Tuesday's win.
• Grainger has taken the lion's share of the faceoffs, posting at the X in 40 of the team's 54 faceoffs through two games.

ABOUT VMI

• VMI is fresh off a win over Hampton, 15-6, on the road Monday.
• VMI is playing its second MAAC opponent this year, dropping a 14-10 decision at Manhattan Feb. 16.
• Junior Scout Ripley has a team-high nine goals while freshman Luke Rusterucci has nine total points.
• Sophomore Jack Liselli and freshman Damian Levin have split time in the cage, with Liselli leading the team with 28 saves, though Levin earned the win over Hampton.
• Senior short stick midfielder Trejan Cannon was named to the SoCon Preseason All-Conference teams.
• VMI finished last season 1-10 overall and 0-6 in SoCon play and was selected to finish fifth of six teams in the SoCon preseason poll.

ABOUT RICHMOND

• While the Bonnies and Spiders are Atlantic 10 rivals in most sports, Tuesday's game will be a non-conference battle. A traditional power of the SoCon, Richmond was picked second in this year's preseason poll with 22 voter's points, just two points behind preseason favorite High Point.
• Richmond ranked in the national polls for much of last year before finishing 7-6 overall and 5-1 in league play. Four of its losses, though, came against top-10 teams.
• The Spiders have reached the SoCon Championship Game each season it has been contested.
• Reigning SoCon Offensive Player of the Year Ryan Lanchbury and SoCon Freshman of the Year Dalton Young lead the attack. Young led the league in goal scoring in 2021. Midfielder Luke Frankeny, a grad transfer from Mount St. Mary's and defenseman Ray Baran also made the preseason All-SoCon teams.
• The Spiders opened the season with a hard-fought loss at North Carolina, 13-9, before dominating MAAC opponent Marist, 18-4, last Saturday. Richmond is slated to travel to play at Towson Saturday.
• Young leads the team with six goals and nine points. Lanchbury also has nine points.
• In the cage, Devin Craven is the team's starter, making 26 saves through the first two games.

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