(Photo Courtesy of St. Bonaventure Athletics)

The 2022 MAAC Men’s Lacrosse Tournament will get underway on Thursday, May 5th with the semifinals. The championship game will be played on Saturday.

Marist will play host to this year’s tournament.

The Bracket

The Teams

No. 1 St. Bonaventure (10-3, 5-1 MAAC)

Year four has been kind to the Bonnies as they have followed the same trajectory as other new programs before them, finding immense success during its fourth season in existence. Can they keep it up and make that first NCAA Tournament appearnce?

Star Player: Brett Dobson, Goalie

One of the best goalies in college lacrosse, it is impossible to mentioned St. Bonaventure and not talk about the impact that Dobson has had on the growth of this program and their success this season. Dobson has recorded 216 saves with a DI-best 66% save percentage, anchoring this top-three scoring defense.

X-Factor: Trent Grainger, Faceoff

A freshman, Grainger has come in and been an instant impact player at a position in which the Bonnies needed improvement. Going 116-for-214 (54%), Grainger has provided a much-needed spark plug that has granted the Bonnies those extra possessions and greatly benefited their offense.

Player to Watch: Sean Westley, Attack

Leading the charge on the offensive end of the field, Westley has been crucial to the improvement the Bonies’ offense has made this season. He leads the way on that end with 29 goals and 22 assists for 51 points.

No. 2 Marist (7-7, 5-1 MAAC)

Losing Jamison Embury and Vito Musso early in the year, as well as some other injury issues, threw a bit of a wrench in the Red Foxes’ roster early on in the year and thus led them to not have the start that many may had expected. But since entering MAAC play, the Red Foxes have been as advertised with their only blemish against conference opponents coming against St. Bonaventure.

Star Player: Jojo Pirreca, Attack

An impact player the moment he stepped foot on campus, Pirreca has started in every single game of his career at Marist dating back to his freshman campaign. Now a senior, Pirreca has continued his high-level production with 51 points off 29 goals and 22 assists this season as the Red Foxes’ leader on offense.

X-Factor: Anthony Novellano, Goalie

Making a name for himself in the Red Foxes’ opener against Rutgers, Novellano has continued to standout all season long. He has made 192 saves with a 53% save percentage and has proven to be a major impact for this squad, helping give opposing shooters trouble.

Player to Watch: JT Rosselle, LSM

Maybe the most fun player to watch in the MAAC, Rosselle makes plays all over the field. Playing both LSM and close at times this season, he has recorded 28 caused turnovers, 46 ground balls, and has tallied nine points (6G/3A). He is a force on the back end, as well as in transition.

No. 3 Manhattan (6-6, 4-2 MAAC)

The MAAC runner-up a season ago, the Jaspers are once again headlined by the talent they have on the back end and will be looking to get back to the title game and finish what they started last season.

Star Player: Brendan Krebs, Goalie

The headliner of this squad for a number of years now, Krebs has proven to be one of the better goalies not only in the MAAC, but also in college lacrosse in general. He has made 130 saves with a 53% save percentage. He is and has been the biggest impact player for this program, and that’s especially true with the Jaspers struggled at the faceoff dot.

X-Factor: Clearing

Faceoffs might not be the strong suit for the Jaspers, but they can get those possessions off defensive stops. And when they do make those stops, they get the ball across the midline for an offensive opportunity better than anyone else in the MAAC with a 90% success rate. Manhattan has the fifth-best clearing percentage in college lacrosse

Player to Watch: Tadhg O’Riordan, SSDM

Part of the reason for that aforementioned clearing percentage is due to the ability to the Jaspers’s defense, and their rope unit in particular. O’Riordan is a leader on that unit as Manhattan’s top SSDM and can make plays on both ends, causing 10 turnovers, grabbing 16 ground balls, and tallying three points (2G/1A), in addition to being a one-man clear at times, this season,

No. 4 Siena (6-8, 3-3 MAAC)

2022 has been good to the Siena Saints. Coming into the season on a 10-game losing streak dating back to 2020 and seeing it extended to 13 early this season, Siena has found their winning ways once again and its back in the postseason for the first time since 2014.

Star Player: Chris Yanchoris, Goalie

Another goalie star? You bet. That is the MAAC in 2022. Yanchoris has been amazing all season, making 202 saves with a 58% save percentage as the true backbone of this team. He ranks second in the MAAC and fourth nationally in save percentage.

X-Factor: Transition Offense

Siena upset St. Bonaventure in the regular season and did so leaning on faceoff success, goalie play, and transition offense. When the Saints get out and run they can do some damage. Their transition success during that game in particular included defenseman Sean Jeffrey scoring three pole goals.

Player to Watch: Izu Oneykachi, Defense

Oneykachi missed all but one game a season ago due to injury. Returning this spring, he has played a big role on defense as a starter in all 11 games that he has played in. He has recorded 11 caused turnovers, grabbed 13 ground balls, and also dished out an assists.

Tanner’s Picks

Semifinals

St. Bonaventure vs Siena: St. Bonaventure

Marist vs Manhattan: Marist

Championship

St. Bonaventure vs Marist: St. Bonaventure