LOUISVILLE, Ky.—After five games away from home, the Bellarmine Knights lacrosse team returns to Owsley B. Frazier Stadium on Saturday, March 31 for a noon game with Southern Conference foe Air Force.

The Knights have dropped their first two SoCon contests and enter Saturday's game 2-6 overall. The Falcons are 3-7 and 1-1 in league play.

While Bellarmine and Air Force have three common opponents this year, trying to gauge Saturday's matchup based on those results is confusing at best. While both squads lost to Michigan, the Knights defeated Cleveland State by a comfortable margin but the Falcons dropped their game against the Vikings by just one goal. Games against the other common opponent, Detroit Mercy, also yielded widely different results. The Falcons took a 9-7 decision over the Titans, while the Knights lost by six to UDM.

Statistically speaking, Saturday's matchup looks as if it should be a tight battle.

Offensively, the Knights and Falcons share similar numbers with Bellarmine averaging 7.5 goals per game and AFA putting up 7.4. Both squads also put about 55 percent of their shots on frame.

Individually, both Air Force and Bellarmine are being led by senior captains. For the Knights, that's Brian Wall, who ranks fifth in the SoCon with a 2.14 goals per game average. The Falcons counter with Nick Hruby, who paces his squad and ranks eighth in the league by averaging two goals a game.

On defense, both teams have turned to freshmen at the goalie position. Bellarmine's John Hulsman has started the last four games and racked up 60 saves with a save percentage of 59.4, which ranks second in the SoCon. Air Force's Braden Host has been in the cage for all three of the Falcon's victories and sports a goals against average of 9.25.

At the face off X, Bellarmine's Michael Autry ranks fourth in the SoCon with a 55.2 win percentage (64-52). Right on his heels in the statistical rankings is AFA's Trent Harper at 54.4 percent (112-94).

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