HOBOKEN, N.J. (April 5, 2013) – On Saturday at 1 p.m., the nationally ranked No. 8 Stevens Institute of Technology men's lacrosse takes on Empire 8 Conference rival St. John Fisher College at the De Baun Athletic Complex for the team's Duck Country event. Saturday is also Stevens' conference home opener of the 2013 season between the 7-2 Ducks and the 8-2 Cardinals.

Stevens enters Saturday's matchup on a two-game winning streak after a conference victory over Alfred University, 22-8, on March 30 and a hard-fought 12-11 triumph against Montclair State University on March 20. Fisher has also strung together two wins with a pair of Empire 8 victories over Hartwick College and Elmira College. The Cardinals took care of Hartwick, 12-7, on March 30 and then doubled up Elmira, 16-8, this past Wednesday.

The Ducks have been a mainstay in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Top 20 poll this season, holding a spot anywhere from No. 4 to 10 through all six weeks of the poll. Fisher is now one of 15 squads that are receiving votes in the latest rankings.

Of the four combined losses between Stevens and Fisher, three have come against top five competition. The Ducks dropped an overtime decision to the nation's No. 1 team, SUNY Cortland, 12-11, and then fell in the ensuing game to now No. 4 Tufts University, 18-14. Fisher came within two goals of upsetting No. 5 Rochester Institute of Technology, 9-7, on March 20.

Saturday's contest will display two distinctly different styles of play. Stevens boasts a high-power offense that ranks seventh in the nation in scoring at 15.22 goals per game, while Fisher is one of the stingiest defenses in the country, ranking 17th at 6.67 goals allowed per contest. The Ducks are also ninth in points per game at 23.22 and 15th in assists per game with eight. Fisher on the other hand, controls possession from the faceoff “X” with a .661 winning percentage, which is seventh best nationally.

Stevens' offense is led by senior midfield captains Nicolas Philippi (Mullica Hill, N.J.) and Rich Dupras (Hillsborough, N.J.) who are both within the top 35 nationally in goals per game and points per game. Philippi averages 3.56 goals per outing which is seventh best in Division III, while his 4.89 points per game is 17th. Dupras sits 29th in points per game at 4.56 and is 34th with 2.88 goals per contest.

Fisher's faceoff specialist, Ryan Freije wins .675 percent of his faceoffs for the ninth best mark in the nation. Freije also scoops up an average of 7.67 groundballs per contest which is within the top 30. At the backend of the Cardinal defense, goalkeeper Jamie Campagna surrenders just 6.94 goals per game for a goals-against average that is 24th in the land.

Before the 1 p.m. start, Order of Omega will be sponsoring a pre-game tailgate at Palmer Lawn with Italian subs and pasta salad. The tailgate is free to all students and fans in attendance and will begin at 11 a.m. Also, the first 75 fans will receive a pair of brand new Stevens Athletics sunglasses.