April 21, 2008

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Erik Hotaling (Syracuse, N.Y./Bishop Ludden) was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week in men's lacrosse for the week ending April 20. Hotaling was the cog of the SJU defense in two wins against Mount St. Mary's and Wagner last week.

Hotaling put together two of his finest games of the season against The Mount and the Seahawks, both of which were victories for Saint Joseph's. He made 28 saves on 55 shots faced while giving up just seven goals. By doing so the Hawks moved to 4-3 in MAAC play and a victory at Manhattan away from clinching a berth in the 2008 MAAC Lacrosse Championship.

The junior held the Mountaineers to just three goals while making 13 saves, in SJU's hard-fought 4-3 win. Three days later, Hotaling made 15 saves to help Saint Joseph's win its first back-to-back road games since 2006.

The seven goals given up were the least amount of goals given up in back-to-back games all season and the Wagner game was the third game in a row that he had allowed five or less goals.

Hotaling and Saint Joseph's travel to Riverdale, N.Y. to take on Manhattan on Wednesday at Gaelic Park, which will conclude SJU's slate in MAAC competition. The Hawks conclude the regular season on Saturday night, Senior Night, against Penn State at 7:00 p.m. Should SJU defeat the Jaspers on Wednesday, the Hawks will travel to Loudonville, N.Y. to compete in the MAAC Men's Lacrosse Championship on May 2.