PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- It gets no bigger for a men's lacrosse program to be playing on Memorial Day weekend in Philadelphia with a National Titile on the line. That is the stage the Lenoir-Rhyne men's lacrosse team has put themselves on with a historic run in May. The Bears are the first five seed in the history of the NCAA Division II Tournament to make it to a National Championship game and look to finish of their story as road warriors with a win over Mercyhurst on Sunday afternoon. 

After two epic Division I National Semifinal games that each went into overtime, the stage is set for the DII natty. Since the Selection Show that aired on Sunday, May 6, the Bears have piled up the road miles. Starting with a trip on Monday afternoon to Tampa, Fla. and culminating with the trip up north to Philly, the Bears have accumulated 1,913 miles traveled. However, LR has come out of the stretch unscathed and have used it as a rallying cry. 

The Bears are no stranger to this moment as they are in a National Championship game for the second time in three years. LR fell to a perfect Le Moyne team in 2021 by a final of 12-6 but are more battle tested than any team in Division II. LR is set to compete in its 12th NCAA Tournament game, all since 2018, and graduate student Myles Moffat has played in 11 NCAA Tournament games by himself. 

The game will serve as a homecoming of sorts for a quartet of LR players. Bryce Reece and Rob Pensabene grew up together in Mt. Laurel, NJ, just a quick 25 minute drive from Lincoln Financial Field. Brad Maslowski grew up in Magnolia, NJ and Kyle Hatcher also has some Philly roots. 

The Bears have relied on Pensabene since a loss at home to Wingate. Pensabene had served as the backup goalie before that game but was thrust into the starting lineup and held the spot from that game on. He has responded with a 9-1 record and has stopped nearly 61 percent of the shots he has faced. 

Standing in the way of LR capping a Cinderalla run as a 5-seed is the North's number 2 seed Mercyhurst. A 2013 National Champ, Mercyhurst stunned the #1 seed in the North Le Moyne with a narrow 11-10 victory last Sunday. The Lakers have won back-to-back NCAA Tournament games by just one goal each. They rely on a goal-scoring duo of Myles Hamm and Ethan Landymore to account for 103 combined goals. 

The Bears and Lakers each play lockdown defense. LR ranks fifth nationally in goals allowed per game, one spot behind Mercyhurst. The X-Factor in the game may be at the face off spot where Mercyhurst has the top face off percentage in the nation at over 70%. 

The Bears are looking for just the second National Championship from a men's team in the 102 year history of LR Athletics. Only the 1960 NAIA Football team brought home a National Championship. With a win on Sunday, the 2023 men's lacrosse team can put themselves in the most elite of categories. To do so, they must roll through another top team in the nation in a game far away from campus.