The Boston University men's lacrosse team will open its 2020 season on Saturday when the Terriers host Providence at Nickerson Field. Game time is set for 1 p.m.

 

If you want to hear Joe McSorley, Nick Ellerton and Coach Polley talk about the upcoming season - and we know you do - then check out the video 🔽 pic.twitter.com/83SKURIJjk

— BU Men's Lacrosse (@TerrierMLAX) February 1, 2020

FRIARS A FAMILIAR FOE

• This is the seventh straight season that the Terriers have faced off against Providence and the fifth consecutive year that the teams have opened their respective seasons with one another.
• BU has won each of the last four meetings, including a thrilling 12-11 overtime win at Nickerson Field in the opening game of 2018 and an 8-7 triumph at Providence last year.
• Three years ago at Providence, the Terriers came back to earn a dramatic 8-7 double-overtime victory to begin the 2017 campaign.
• The series stands at 4-2, as Providence won each of the first two tilts.
• BU leads Providence, 48-47, in the all-time score, showing how close all six games have been.

STELLAR IN SEASON OPENERS

• BU has won its last five season openers dating back to the 2015 season.
• The lone loss on opening day came during the program's inaugural campaign in 2014.
• Four of those five victories have been against the Friars.

RECAPPING ANOTHER BU-PROVIDENCE THRILLER

• The Terriers trailed, 6-5, heading into the final quarter before they scored three straight goals to grab an 8-6 lead and eventually earn an 8-7 win at Providence on Feb. 3, 2019.
• Junior Joe McSorley made a career-high 24 saves, including 10 in the final 30 minutes to hold Providence to just two second-half goals.
• Jett Dziama's first collegiate goal proved to be the game-winner.
• Jack Collins scored his first two collegiate goals in the first quarter.
• Sean Christman went 8-of-11 at the faceoff X and won five ground balls.
• The Terriers went 4-of-4 clearing in the fourth quarter.
• BU caused 10 of the Friars' 12 turnovers, with Nicholas Ellerton and junior Reece Eddy each responsible for two apiece.

FORECASTING THE FRIARS

• Providence was picked to finish fourth in the BIG EAST preseason poll.
• The Friars graduated their starting goalkeeper, top-two scorers and starting faceoff specialist from a year ago.
• Sophomore Matt Grillo is the Friars' top returning scorer.
• He tallied 30 goals and added 10 assists for 40 points as a freshman.
• Junior Emmett Jennings led the Friars with 22 caused turnovers last season.
• Providence will return faceoff specialists RJ Romeo (47.2%) and Alex George (37.5%).

TWO OF THE BEST BACK AT LSM

• Two of the top LSMs in the conference - seniors Reece Eddy and Chase Levesque - return for BU in 2020.
• No returning Patriot League player caused more turnovers last year than Eddy (34) and Levesque (31). 
• In addition, Eddy totaled 71 ground balls and Levesque picked up 65 ground balls in what was a career season for both players.
• Levesque was also an impact player on offense as he scored a career-high seven goals and added two assists for nine points.

LEY LEADING THE WAY ON OFFENSE

• Sophomore Timmy Ley is the Terriers' top returning scorer from a year ago.
• He matched a program record for points by a rookie with 40 thanks to 34 goals and six assists.

MCSORLEY BACK IN THE CAGE

• Senior Joe McSorley is back after another strong campaign in 2019.
• McSorley was named to the Inside Lacrosse preseason All-Patriot League Team.
• He leads all returning conference goalkeepers with a .549 save percentage, a number that ranked 12th in the NCAA last season. 
• McSorley averaged 12.18 saves per game a year ago, including an impressive 24-stop performance in last year's season-opening win at Providence.
• The Forest Hill, Maryland, native is a six-time Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week and has been named to the Academic All-Patriot League Team in each of the first two years he has been eligible.
• He has started all 17 of the Terriers' games in each of the last two seasons.

DEFENSE CAUSED HAVOC

• BU finished the year first in the country in caused turnovers per game.
• The Terriers forced an average of 11.71 giveaways per game.
• BU also completed 2019 with an NCAA-best 199 caused turnovers.
• The Terriers return players who combined to cause 147 of those giveaways last year, including Reece Eddy (34), Chase Levesque (31) and Will Carson (18), who were the Terriers' top three players in that category last season.

WINNING THOSE BATTLES

• BU ended 2019 ranked fifth in the NCAA and second in the Patriot League in ground balls per game, averaging 38.06 over its 17-game campaign.
• The Terriers totaled 647 ground balls.
• Junior Sean Christman returns for BU after gathering 120 ground balls last year, which ranked 12th in the nation.
• The Terriers' top four ground ball collectors from a year ago were Christman and seniors Reece Eddy (71), Chase Levesque (65), and Joe McSorley (40).