April 27, 2009
MLAX: BEZEK AND MCIVER LEAD EIGHT LE MOYNE PLAYERS NAMED ALL
CONFERENCE
South Easton, Mass. - Le Moyne College junior defenseman
Drew Bezek (Lowville, N.Y./Lowville) was named the
Northeast-10 Conference Defensive Player of the Year for the second
consecutive season and senior goalkeeper Doug McIver
(Altamont, N.Y./Albany Academy) earned Goalkeeper of the
Year accolades as eight Dolphins were named all-conference, as
announced by the conference office on Monday afternoon.
The 13-0 Dolphins placed five members on the conference's first
team and three on the second team. Bezek and McIver were joined on
the first team by senior face-off specialist Brian Griffin
(Camillus, N.Y./West Genesee), senior midfielder
Brian Welch (Ithaca, N.Y./Ithaca) and sophomore
attackman Jack Harmatuk (Syracuse, N.Y./Christian Brothers
Academy/Syracuse U.). Senior defenseman Tim
MacLean (Troy, Mich./Detroit Jesuit), sophomore attackman
Jack Venditti (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) and
sophomore midfielder Matt Chadderdon (Auburn,
N.Y./Auburn) earned spots on the second team.
Bezek, who marks the opposing team's top attackman for a defensive
unit that allows just 3.85 goals per game, was named to the first
team for the second consecutive season and earns Le Moyne its
fourth Defensive Player of the Year honor in the last five seasons.
Bezek caused 17 turnovers on the season and picked up 16 ground
balls.
McIver, a second team selection last season in his first year as a
starter, leads the nation in goals against average (3.83) and save
percentage (.664) for the second consecutive season. McIver, who
has posted double-digit saves in three games, has held 12 of 13
opponents to five goals or less, while playing 673:32 of 780
minutes between the pipes.
Griffin, a first team selection in 2008 and a second team honoree
in 2007, is one of four players in the conference to repeat as a
first team selection. Griffin has won 100 of 160 face-off attempts
for a winning percentage of .625, sixth-best in the country.
Griffin, who has scored four goals and recorded two assists on the
campaign, also ranks fourth in the conference and 14th in the
country in ground balls per game at 5.58.
Welch, honored as an all-conference selection for the first time,
leads the team in assists with 12, while scoring 22 goals to rank
second on the team in points with 34. Welch also ranks in the
top-50 in the nation in ground balls per game at 3.33. Welch posted
a career-high six points, including a personal-best four goals, in
a 17-2 victory at Assumption.
Harmatuk, a transfer from neighboring Syracuse University, leads
the team in points (40) and goals scored (29) in his first season
with the Dolphins. Harmatuk has scored at least one goal in 12 of
13 games played, including a career-best four on three
occasions.
MacLean, a first team selection in 2007 and a second team pick
last season, has caused eight turnovers and picked up 13 ground
balls as a starter in 11 of 13 games played.
Venditti, who has started all 13 games this season, has tallied
nine goals and dished out 11 assists for 20 points, the fourth-best
total on the team. Venditti scored twice and handed out two assists
in victories over Pace and Bentley.
Chadderdon, who ranks third on the team in points with 26, has
tallied 23 goals from his position on the first midfield line.
Chadderdon recorded a career-high four goals in a season-opening
15-4 win over Dowling, while also registering four points (3g, 1a)
against Saint Anselm and Assumption.
Le Moyne (13-0, NE-10 9-0), which won the
Northeast-10 Conference regular-season championship for the ninth
time in the last ten years after going undefeated in conference
play for the ninth time, will host an NE-10 semifinal contest on
Friday, May 1 at 4:00 p.m. against the winner of Tuesday's opening
round match-up between Saint Anselm and Saint Michael's.
-agate-
First Team:
Attack: Jack Harmatuk, Le Moyne
Attack: Greg Rogowski, Merrimack
Attack: Chris Murphy, Saint Anselm
Attack: Mike Ball, Southern New Hampshire
Midfield: Brian Welch, Le Moyne
Midfield: Jo Pisano, Merrimack
Midfield: Sean Ball, Southern New Hampshire
Defense: Doug Logan, Bentley
Defense: Drew Bezek, Le Moyne
Defense: Michael Miano, Merrimack
Specialist: Brian Griffin, Le Moyne
Goalkeeper: Doug McIver, Le Moyne
Second Team:
Attack: Kevin Gould, Bentley
Attack: Jack Venditti, Le Moyne
Attack: Michael Balbuena, Merrimack
Midfield: Matt Chadderdon, Le Moyne
Midfield: Mark Webber, Merrimack
Midfield: Matt Surette, Saint Anselm
Defense: Matt Allen, Bentley
Defense: Tim MacLean, Le Moyne
Defense: Kevin DeBenedetto, Saint Anselm
Specialist: Gary McKay, Southern New Hampshire
Goalkeeper: Cory Spinale, Merrimack
All-Rookie:
Chris Noyes, Assumption
Brendan Grant, Bentley
Nick Maggio, Merrimack
Kevin Kadlick, Pace
Sean Leahy, Saint Michael's
Brendan O'Brien, Southern New Hampshire
Player of the Year: Greg Rogowski, Merrimack
Freshman of the Year: Chris Noyes,
Assumption
Defensive Player of the Year:Drew Bezek,
Le Moyne
Goalkeeper of the Year: Doug McIver, Le Moyne
Coach of the Year: Jim Murphy, Bentley
