Garnet on the Defensive in 2008
Graduation has robbed Swarthmore men's lacrosse of top-notch scorers each of the past four years. Head coach Pat Gress has combated this annual occurrence by surrounding a talented goalie with hard-hitting defensemen and midfielders.
The 111th version of Garnet lacrosse will rely on a strong returning defensive unit to elevate the team towards for a spot in the exclusive Centennial Conference playoffs—four teams in the Conference are currently ranked in the top-25 of the latest United States Lacrosse Association (USILA) poll.
The 2007 Swarthmore defensive unit allowed 7.8 goals per game, good for sixth in the Centennial. After losing just one senior, captain Anthony Orazio ‘07, to graduation, the Swarthmore defense is poised to build upon last year’s success.
Three senior captains are back on the Garnet defense. All-Centennial defender Dan Sartori (Darien, Conn. / Darien), who has started 39 of his 40 games in a Swarthmore u
niform, led the team with 44 ground balls in 2007. Fellow senior captain Drew Bonessa (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Shady Side Academy) will join Sartori (left) on the Garnet back line, bringing a wealth of playing experience along with physicality.
Playing behind Sartori and Bonessa in net is three-year starter Frank Mazzucco (Redding, Conn. / Joel T. Barlow). Mazzucco posted the second-best saves per game average (12.58) in the conference last
season, while ranking third in save percentage (.624). He was named Centennial Conference Defensive Player of the Week on March 6 after making 14 saves in a 5-4 double-overtime victory over Goucher in the season opener. Mazzucco (right) was the first Garnet to be honored by the Conference with a weekly honor since 1996.
Mazzucco, a two-time Avery Blake '28 Most Valuable Player recipient, also represented the Garnet off the field, having been named Men’s Lacrosse Academic Performer of the Year by the Philadelphia Inquirer and to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District At-Large second team.
At the other end of the field, Swarthmore will be counting on 
increased offensive production from sophomore attackman Tyler Bradshaw (Marietta, Ga. / Lassiter) (left), second on the team in scoring last year with 10 goals and four assists. Swarthmore got six goals and three assists from sophomore Gavin Musynske (Floral Park, N.Y. / Floral Park) in 2007, and will look from increased playing time and production from him, as well as from attackmen Chris Harman ’08 (New Market, Mary. / St. John’s Prospect Hall) and Stelios Wilson ‘09 (Moorestown, N.J. / Moorestown).
Also playing important offensive roles will be a trio of talented juniors: midfielders Ben Young (Washington, D.C. / St. Albans), Will Predun (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. / Cold Spring Harbor), and Todd Friedman (Miami, Fla. / Miami-Palmetto). Young scored six goals for the Garnet in 2007, including a hat-trick vs. Muhlenberg on March 31 while Predun led the team with six assists, using his speed to create openings in transition. Friedman looks to bring his aggressive play back to Swarthmore's midfield in 2008 after a knee injury cut his 2007 season short.
Midfielders Alex Hahn ’08 (Sykesville, Mary. / Chapelgate Christian Academy), Ivano Ventresca ‘08 (Macungie, Pa. / Emmaus) and junior Dave DeSimone (Ronkonkoma, N.Y. / Connetquot) play valuable roles for the Garnet this season. Senior Adam Winegar (Chatsworth, N.J. / Lenape) returns for his fourth season as a defensive midfielder.
Swarthmore opens the 2008 season with a trip to Baltimore on March 1 for a 1:00 p.m. game against Randolph-Macon—the game is to be played at Baltimore Lutheran High School. The Garnet will make their home debut on March 8 against the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at 1:00 p.m. The team will then travel to Florida over spring break, taking on St. Mary’s (Md.) and New England before returning home to open up Centennial play at Ursinus on Wednesday, March 19.