LAX Opens 2012 Season on Tuesday

NEW LONDON, Conn. - The Mitchell College men's lacrosse team opens the 2012 spring season on Tuesday evening at Mount Saint Mary College.

The Mariners will look to sustain the momentum that carried them to one of the nation's top turnarounds last year. Under head coach Derek Marks, the Mariners went 9-4 and won more games in a single season than in their previous six years combined. Mitchell also made its postseason debut and was a semifinalist in the ECAC Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship.

Marks has recruited both locally and nationally to bring in the best possible mix of hard-working kids to his program. Mitchell will enter the 2012 season with a roster of 23 players, the majority of whom have joined the team since Marks' arrival.

Leading the way will be senior Adam Grillo, who scored a team-best 42 goals last season and became the first player in school history to record 100 career points. Sophomores Shane Sullivan (31 goals) and Demetre Lyras (26 goals) will supplement the offense while goalie Peter Eshenfelder will anchor a solid defensive unit.

Last season the Mariners pulled out a 13-6 win over Mount Saint Mary. Grillo led the way with a game-high five goals and added an assist. Mitchell trailed 6-3 late in the first half but scored the final 10 goals of the game.

Mount Saint Mary enters the contest with an overall record of 1-2 in 2012. The Knights won their season opener against Penn State Abington on February 25 by a 25-2 final but have lost their last two contests. Nick Findlay leads the team in scoring with 16 points while Andrew Pullen has netted a team-best 10 goals.