COLCHESTER, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College men's lacrosse team has secured the No. 5 seed in the six-team Northeast 10 Conference Championship and will visit No. 4 Assumption University for a first-round contest on Saturday at 12 p.m. Ticket prices are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and children under 18, and free for current students at NE10 schools. The winner heads to No. 1 Adelphi University for a semifinal next Wednesday.
 
The Purple Knights (9-4, 4-4 NE10), who were 19th in this week's United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) national poll and seventh in the NCAA North Region rankings, take on an Assumption (10-4, 5-3 NE10) team that is ranked 16th nationally and fifth in the region. The Greyhounds, who tied for third in the final NE10 standings, earned the right to host by virtue of an 11-10 win over Saint Michael's on April 4.
 
The teams have split two postseason meetings, with the Purple and Gold taking a 15-8 decision during a 2011 NE10 quarterfinal before Assumption won, 10-7, in a 2021 first-round contest. Both games occurred on Duffy Field. The Purple Knights seeks their eighth semifinal bid, and first since 2013, and initial championship game.
 
The remainder of this year's NE10 Championship bracket features No. 3 Pace University taking on No. 6 Bentley University in Saturday's first round at 3:30 p.m. before the winner faces No. 2 Saint Anselm College in a Wednesday semifinal. The championship game occurs on May 2 at the site of the highest remaining seed. Beyond Saint Michael's and Assumption, the NE10 was well-represented in this week's USILA national poll, by two-time defending national champion and No. 1 Adelphi, No. 3 Saint Anselm and No. 12 Pace. Bentley received votes.
 
The Purple Knights have qualified for two of the past three NE10 Championships thanks to defeating multiple nationally-ranked teams for the first time on record, downing No. 17 Southern New Hampshire University, 11-10, on March 21 and No. 20 Bentley, 13-9, last Saturday. Saint Michael's suffered losses to three more ranked foes in succession by a combined four goals, versus No. 6 Pace, 6-5, on March 28, at No. 2 Saint Anselm, 13-11, on April 1, and at No. 19 Assumption, 11-10, on April 4. Saint Michael's won two of three to close the regular season.
 
Under ninth-year head coach Alex Smith, the Purple Knights have relied upon a strong defense and faceoff unit, as they stand fourth in NCAA Division II in ground balls per game (41.9), seventh in caused turnovers average (12.3), 11th in faceoff winning percentage (63.7%), and 12th in scoring defense (8.38).
 
Sophomore Noah Poirier (Dalton, Mass./Wahconah Regional) has keyed the Purple Knights' success at the faceoff X, standing 10th in the nation in winning percentage (66.5%) and 12th in ground balls per game (7.8), placing second in program history in both victories (171) and ground balls (101). Junior long-stick midfielder Taylor Wiercinski (Groton, Mass./Lawrence Academy) scooped 48 ground balls with 16 caused turnovers while scoring 10 goals, and sophomore short-stick defensive midfielder Matt O'Donnell (Marshfield, Mass./Cardinal Spellman) adds 39 ground ball, with both contributing on the faceoff crew.
 
Senior Mike Nelson (Worcester, Mass./Auburn) is 5-0 between the pipes with an 8.44 goals-against average and a .545 save percentage, while sophomore Nate Gulachenski (Southboro, Mass./Algonquin Regional) owns an 8.33 GAA and .573 save percentage with a 4-4 record. Both have seen their first extensive time in net.
 
Junior Paul Mannke (Stoneham, Mass./Stoneham) recorded 35 ground balls and 29 caused turnovers, standing 19th nationally in caused turnovers per game (2.2), while senior Gavin Proutt (Baltimore, Md./Boys' Latin School of Maryland) and junior Travis Keel (Temecula, Calif./Great Oak) join him as part of the regular starting defense. Keel has caused 19 turnovers and Proutt 11 while standing sixth in program history with 59 for a career. Senior short-stick defensive midfielder Benjamin Riggs (Plainville, Mass./King Philip Regional) adds 18 ground balls.
 
First-year Chris Davis (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) leads the attack with 27 goals and 13 assists, and senior Sean Murphy (Medway, Mass./Medway) has turned in 19 goals, 28 points and 12 caused turnovers despite missing three games. Classmate Owen Balfour (Mashpee, Mass./Mashpee) adds 14 goals, while first-year Zeke Peraza (Los Angeles, Calif./Saint Francis) and sophomore Noah Veroneau (South Portland, Maine/Thornton Academy) own 24 points and 13 goals, respectively, from the midfield.