DATE: Feb. 7, 2015

Stats at a Glance PC MC Record from 2014 6-8 6-11 Goals per Game 11.14 10.06 Shot Percentage 30.5 29.1 SOG Percentage 62.9 60.6 Goals Against Avg. 11.71 12.35 Faceoff W-L % 52.8 41.7 Caused Turnovers 270 207

TIME: 1:00 pm ET
LOCATION: Jackson, MS
FACILITY: Harper Davis Field
LAST MEETING: PC 12-10 (2/8/14@PC)
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Demorest, GA - Four years ago, Pete Manderano was entrusted with the construction of a new men's lacrosse program at Piedmont College after the sport was added to the institution's listing of intercollegiate offerings.  After three seasons, Manderano is now graduating his foundational class, the first ever recruiting class that came in for Piedmont lacrosse - something Manderano hopes will help his team focus on the task at hand. 

"I think what's been most impressive about this class is them wanting to leave the program better than how they found it," said Manderano of his first four-year senior class. "Of course we didn't have any wins when they got here, but for them it's the pride of starting a program.  It's not easy, it hasn't been easy."

Manderano hopes the experience that this now veteran group holds will start to trickle down to the younger players now entering his program including a pair who have already stood out in preseason practices.  Freshmen BRITT KENNEDY and DAVID SALVATELLI both figure to be impact pieces early for the Lions according to the man who brought them to campus though they may have to adjust quickly to the college game.

"They're (Kennedy & Salvatelli) going to help add depth, and also be a couple of guys that we lean on a little bit," said Manderano. "As we welcome them into college lacrosse, they won't have much of a learning curve.  But I think the leadership of our attackmen, our midfielders, that will help us to know offensively who we can count on."

Familiar faces will of course be back again on the offensive end with the Lions returning their top three scorers from a year ago in NICK GREEN, SPENCER ORTIS, and TAYLOR CARTER who each scored at least 21 for Manderano and the Lions in 2014.  Green led the way with his 32 while Ortis is the all-time leader for the Lions with 75 career goals. 

With almost all of the key offensive pieces returning, Piedmont should also be a force on the defensive end with each of the three goalies who saw time in 2014 coming back for another year including DALE MORLEY and MICK BAKER who helped Piedmont post its best save percentage, .546, in the three history of the program. 

The familiarity will not be limited to those returning pieces though for PC as the season-opening opponent will once again be Millsaps College as the Lions travel to face the Majors in Mississippi on Saturday, February 7 for a 1:00 pm start.  The match-up will mark the third straight year that Piedmont has opened the season against Millsaps winning both of those affairs with last year's win coming in the friendly confines of Walker Athletic Complex.  

Manderano is 3-0 vs. the Majors though the last two have been closer contests than the 21-6 blowout that went in favor of PC in the program's inaugural season of 2012.  The 2013 matchup was a 3-goal win for PC (10-7) while the margin closed to 2 at 12-10 last year. 

Under the direction of now 2nd-year Head Coach John Hoeffler, Millsaps returns several key players from a year ago including junior midfielder Simon Sherman who scored 36 goals for the Majors in 2014.  

One familiar feeling that Manderano is pushing his team to get away from is the feeling that his team has had at each of these previous three seasons as the Lions are looking to turn the corner for their first winning season in program history.  Piedmont has come close each season under Manderano's leadership with last season a prime example needing a win in last season's finale vs. Huntingdon to finish even for the first time.  

However, the Hawks thwarted the Lions' chance at doing so with an 18-11 win at Walker.  This time around, Manderano believes his team's experience will once again be the determining factor between that familiar feeling at the end of the year and the team's first winning season.

"We're getting them prepared to finish a game, our maturity with the veterans now will be something our guys will hear about, it's not just a message coming from the coaches," said Manderano. "When we have an opportunity, we need to capitalize on that opportunity.  This season is going to be one of those seasons where we are going to have to capitalize on every opportunity we have."

It all starts with Piedmont's season opener vs. Millsaps on February 7 at 1:00 pm ET with live stats and video coverage provided by the Office of Sports Information at Millsaps College.  The home opener for the Lions will take place on February 20 against Berry College with complete live coverage on Piedmont's Mane Event Broadcasting Network. 

Fans are encouraged to stay tuned to PiedmontLions.com for all schedule results, interviews, and information. For more information on the Piedmont men's lacrosse program, follow Piedmont on Twitter (@PiedmontLax or @PiedmontLions), like the Lions on Facebook (facebook.com/piedmontcollegemenslacrosse or facebook.com/PiedmontCollegeLions), or sign up for the Lions' Roar text-messaging score & news alerts through the "All-Access" pulldown menu on the main page at PiedmontLions.com.

STORYLINES
-Piedmont opens the season with Millsaps for the third straight season
-Millsaps fell by 15 in the first meeting between the two
-Lions look for their third straight win in a season opener having started 3-0 in the last two seasons

GAME FACTS
Contest will start at 1:00 pm and is one of just five true road contests for Piedmont in the 16-game 2015 schedule.  Game coverage will include live video and live stats provided by the Office of Sports Information at Millsaps College.

THE COACHES
Piedmont Head Coach Pete Manderano comes into the season with a 17-24 record as the leader of the Lions as PC has posted back-to-back six win seasons.  Manderano came to PC after a successful stint at Lassiter High School in Georgia where the coach helped his team to the 2006 GHSA State Championship as well as a pair of runner-up finishes.

On the other side, Millsaps Head Coach John Hoeffler is now in his second year leading the Majors with a six-win season in his first year, best in the four-year history of the Millsaps program.  Hoeffler came to Millsaps after a stint as an assistant at Misericordia.  The coach is a former Division III lacrosse player himself having played at Widener University where he was a four-year starter helping the program to three MAC titles and a trio of NCAA tourney appearances.

SCOUTING MILLSAPS
This matchup will also be the season opener for Millsaps who finished last year with a 6-11 record including a 2-5 mark in conference play.  A member of the Southern Athletic Association, Millsaps must replace one of its best goalscorers from a year ago, Hunter Stevison with his 41 goals.  The contest against Piedmont is the first of six at home for the Majors to start the 2015 season. 

SERIES RECORDS
These two young programs have matched up three times with Piedmont owning a perfect 3-0 record against the Majors.  The last meeting to occur in Mississippi between these two came in the 2013 season opener with Piedmont claiming a 10-7 win.  TAYLOR CARTER of Piedmont is the one to watch in this matchup as the Lion has seven goals in the last two meetings with Millsaps, the most of any Lion during that stretch. 

LAST TIME OUT: HUNTINGDON COLLEGE (L, 18-11)
Piedmont trailed by just one at half of this 2014 season finale, but saw the Hawks of Huntingdon tally ten goals over the final two quarters to roll the 7-goal win over the Lions at Walker Athletic Complex.  PC entered the day with a chance at its first season with at least a .500 record, but instead finished at 6-8 overall in 2014 with the loss.  

TAYLOR CARTER was the top scorer on the day with four goals on eight shots while SPENCER ORTIS and NICK GREEN each had two.  Faceoff specialist SUMNER GANTZ had four assists to lead the Lions in that column. 

NEXT UP FOR PIEDMONT
Piedmont stays on the road for its next action, a Valentines' Day date at Randolph-Macon College set to start at 1:00 pm.  It will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs.