Manhattan University Athletics

RIVERDALE, N.Y. – Manhattan puts its 2-0 MAAC record on the line on Saturday against Canisius at Gaelic Park at noon.
 
Manhattan (5-2, 2-0 MAAC) is the lone undefeated team in MAAC play. The Jaspers are also the only team in the MAAC that has a winning record so far this season.
 
Manhattan held on to beat Sacred Heart 9-7 last Saturday to move to 2-0 in league play. Liam Walshe and Quinn Bowler scored twice for the Jaspers. Joseph Persico made six stops in the win.
 
Canisius (2-6, 1-1) has won back-to-back games after starting the season 0-6. The Golden Griffins topped Marist 18-16 last Saturday and St. Bonaventure 13-5 last Tuesday. Three Griffs collected MAAC weekly honors for their performances against the Red Foxes and Bonnies. Colin Kelly was named the offensive player of the week, Tommy Kunz earned defensive player of the week honors, and Micah Hanson was tabbed face-off player of the week. Kelly had nine goals over the two games to lead the offense. Kunz posted a .580 save percentage, and Hanson won 60-percent of the faceoffs he took.
 
Kyle Gucwa has recorded at least one point in 37 straight games. It is the sixth-longest streak in the nation. The senior has scored in every game he has played, minus his first game as a freshman. Gucwa has 112 points in his career. This season, Gucwa is third in the MAAC in points per game at 3.57.
 
No team in the MAAC or Division I is better than the Jaspers in terms of scoring defense. Manhattan is allowing only 8.14 goals per game. Notre Dame, the current No. 1 team in the country, is second at 8.17 goals per game.
 
The Jaspers also pace the MAAC in man-down defense and scoring margin. The Jaspers are third nationally in man-down defense (85%) and 28th in scoring margin (1.14).  
 
Goalie Joseph Persico leads the MAAC in goals against average (8.15) and save percentage (.615). Persico is second nationally in both categories. Liam Entenmann of Notre Dame leads the nation in goals against average (7.50), and Matt Knote from UMass paces the nation in save percentage (.632).
 
Walshe has scored at least two goals in four straight games. Bowler has at least a point in every game this season and has scored in back-to-back contests. Dan MacKinney has four goals in two league games. Christian Lyons has a point streak of five straight contests.
 
Freshman Michael Schafer has a team-best nine caused turnovers. Schafer checked in at number 23 on Inside Lacrosse's Freshmen Impact Rankings. Christian Clifford paces the defense with 15 groundballs and is second to Schafer with eight caused turnovers.
 
For the latest on the Manhattan College men's lacrosse program, follow the Jaspers on Twitter @ManhattanMLAX and Instagram @Manhattan_Lacrosse.