In 2014, Denison took a perfect 19-0 record into its NCAA Quarterfinal match with second-ranked Salisbury. The Seagulls came away with a 15-5 win over Denison, placing the only blemish on what was the most successful season in program history. That year, Salisbury advanced to the national championship game.
This year, Denison and Salisbury are back in the national title picture and primed for a 7 p.m. rematch at Seagull Stadium. Both teams have just one loss on their 2016 ledger but veteran head coach Mike Caravana understands the task that lies before them.
"Each team is different and of course, we have been through some ups and downs but for us it is really about a level of consistency," said Caravana. "Eventually, you are going to have to through Salisbury if you are playing in the southern bracket like we are. For us to go there and have another shot at a final four is great. We won there in 1999 and hopefully we can break through and get to another final four and eventually a championship game."
Sixth-ranked Denison advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the 13th time in program history after a 19-2 win over Carthage in the first round and a 12-3 victory over Aurora in the second round. Third-ranked Salisbury dispatched Catholic, 19-6 in the first round and Colorado College, 16-5 in the second.
Senior All-American midfielder Blair Farinholt paces the offense along with junior attackman Liam Rooney. Farinholt has scored 35 goals to go along with 24 assists. He scored a season-high five goals in the 16-12 win over No. 9 Nazareth on March 19.
Rooney is the team leader in points with 62 and his 35 assists tie for ninth most in a single season. Denison goalie Chris Thomas has started all 19 games this season. He enters with a .578 save percentage and 5.84 goals against average.
Salisbury's offense is led by a trio of players with 47 goals or more. Carson Kalama leads the Seagulls with 55 goals. Thomas Cirillo follows with 50 goals while Nathan Blondino is the team's leader in points with 47 goals and 44 assists. Colin Reymann has been Salisbury's starting goalie since early April. He is 10-1 with a .606 save percentage and 5.52 goals against average.
On Saturday, Caravana passed Denison Hall of Famer Tommy Thomsen as the program's winningest coach. He has had two stints as Denison's head coach with the first spanning 1991-2005 and the second running from 2009 to the present. He is appreciative to all who have played a part in elevating Denison lacrosse to its present status.
"I think Denison is a special place," Caravana said. "The caliber of student-athlete we attract is very high. We have very good students who care about their academics as well as their lacrosse. I've played and coached at Virginia so I've been to the top and seen what's there but I like the idea that we can compete for a national title here. The success that we've had over the years, that drives me professionally to keep working hard and it lets me know there is a result at the end of all that work."
