NORTON, MA- The Wheaton College men's lacrosse team seeks its initial Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) New England Tournament title this week, as the second-seeded Lyons begin their quest on Wednesday against number-seven Becker College in a first-round game at Mirrione Stadium at 4:30 p.m.

At 7-7 under first-year head coach Brian Endicott, Wheaton is making its fourth ECAC appearance and first since 2006, while the Hawks are 9-3. Nationally-ranked Endicott College, which is the top seed and will receive a first-round bye in the seven-team field, hosts the semifinals on Saturday and the final on Sunday. Other first-round games are third-seeded New England College hosting number-six Castleton State College and fourth seed Plymouth State University welcoming fifth-seeded Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

The Lyons are 3-3 in ECAC Tournament play after winning their opening-round games in 2002, 2004 and 2006. With a four-team field three years ago, the Blue and White advanced to its first final. Since an 0-6 start, Wheaton has won seven of its last eight contests, including matching a program record with seven consecutive wins. Finishing second in the Pilgrim League at 6-1, the Lyons reached their second straight title game for the first time in school history before falling at perennial conference power Springfield College, 12-7.

Wheaton averages over 10 goals, which ranks second in the eight-team Pilgrim, but also boasts the nation's fifth-best man-up defense, allowing just 10 tallies in 63 attempts. The Lyons are also impressive on the offensive end of man-up opportunities, converting 35 goals on 76 chances. Wheaton stands eighth in Division III in man-up offense. Ranked second in the Pilgrim in scoring offense, the Lyons are third in scoring defense, allowing 10.43 goals per contest.

A balanced scoring attack features eight different players who have recorded at least 10 goals, as the Lyons are led by a trio of underclassmen. Sophomore Ben Cederberg (Duxbury, MA/Duxbury) has tallied 45 points on 23 goals and 22 assists, recording the most single-season helpers by a Lyon in seven years. Freshman Billy McNamara (Mansfield, MA/Northfield Mount Hermon School) owns a team-best 24 goals, while sophomore Chris Landers (Manchester, MA/Proctor Academy) has 22.

Junior Drew Schaffer (New Haven, CT/Loomis Chaffee School) has netted 13 goals while handing out 15 assists. Senior Jeff Gomer (Duxbury, MA/Duxbury), who is the program's all-time ground balls leader and ranks second in face-off wins, has 71 ground balls this year and is 90-for-165 in face-offs, good for a .545 winning percentage. His ground ball total ranks sixth in program annals, while he is seventh in face-off victories. Junior Warren Garceau (Guilford, CT/Canterbury School) has won 56.2 percent of his face-off tries, going 72-for-128, and has 11 goals and 39 ground balls.

Senior Marco Barbone (Newton, MA/Newton North) and sophomores Phil Chapman (Shaker Heights, OH/Western Reserve Academy) and Cody Powers (Scarborough, ME/Scarborough) are the only three players to have started all 14 games. Barbone and Chapman have sided with sophomore Garrett McLean (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) in forming Wheaton's starting defensive unit for most of the season, while Powers has served as the team's starting long-stick midfielder, scooping up 46 ground balls. Junior goalie Schuyler Horn (New Hartford, CT/Kingswood-Oxford School) is tied for fifth in program history in single-season wins, going 7-5 with a 9.83 goals against average and .548 save percentage.