Feb. 26, 2006

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AMHERST, Mass. - All-American Sean Morris had a hand in eight of the Minutemen's 11 goals as No. 9 UMass opened the 2006 with an 11-7 win over No. 19 Hofstra at a frigid Garber Field on Sunday.

The 2005 Tewaaraton Finalist as National Player of the Year, Morris had three goals and five assists to tie his career high of eight points. Senior Jamie Yaman had his second career multi-goal game. In goal, freshman Doc Schneider had 14 saves in his collegiate debut.

Sophomore Rory Pedrick has a career-high three points on a goal and two assists. Brett Garber also had two assists playing on the first midfield. Other UMass goal scorers were: freshman Jim Connolly, junior Pat Larmon, junior Andrew Recchione, senior Jake Deane and redshirt-freshman Evan Blum. For Blum, it was his first career-point in his first game after missing all of last season with an injury.

Schneider was strong in his first career collegiate game after an All-American High School career at Massapequa on Long Island. He got off to a quick start with five first quarter saves as UMass scored the game's first three goals. Deane won 11-of-18 face-offs while grabbing a game-best six groundballs.

"Coming into the season we were looking to get better production on face-offs and in goal," said head coach Greg Cannella, who is beginning his 12th season as UMass head coach. "Doc Schneider held his own in the goal and we are happy about that. Fortunatley for us we won the face-off battle as well. Hofstra is a very good team and you will hear from them this year. It was a nice way for us to open our season after some slow starts in our scrimmages."

UMass controlled the game throughout building a 7-2 lead late in the first half. Morris was a part of five of the first half goals assisting Pedrick's game opener. He scored the team's third goal off a pass from Paul Manesis -- the sophomore's first career point -- before assisting three of the four second-quarter goals. He set up both of Yaman's goals and Blum's first career tally.

The second half was more of the same as Morris scored twice in the third quarter as well as setting up Larmon's goal in the fourth quarter making it 11-5 with 11:03 left in regulation.

"Sean Morris is obviously a top player and you expect him to take advantage of every opportunity," said Cannella. "He's an unselfish guy who knows he needs to include his teammates and does that. I wish every guy was like that, it helps your team get better when one of the top guys works as hard as he does."

The UMass defense was stellar again, flanked by senior All-American Jack Reid, sophomores Sean Krygier and David Von Voight were steady and consistent in their first collegiate starts.

Hofstra's Athan Iannucci scored four goals in the loss and added an assist. In goal, Matt Southard made 10 saves.

UMass travels to Yale to face former assistant coach Andy Shay and the Bulldogs next Saturday, March 4 at 3 p.m.