With the status of senior attackman Cooper MacDonnell still unclear, Loyola has been leaning on freshman Patrick Fanshaw.
The Glyndon native and Calvert Hall graduate scored a career-high five goals in the No. 11 Greyhounds' 18-3 rout of Air Force last Saturday. The five goals were the most by a freshman since Chris Georgalas scored five goals against Delaware on April 22, 1995.
In three starts, Fanshaw has scored nine goals and added one assist, and coach Charley Toomey said Fanshaw has lived up to the coaching staff's expectations.
"Pat was a kid that could flat-out finish the ball," Toomey said. "We don't expect him to dodge and create as much as we've asked Cooper to do, but he's brought a different dynamic to our team. Somebody else can get him the ball and just like he did at Calvert Hall, he's a terrific finisher. I'd like to believe that over the last couple weeks, he's become more confident and the speed of the Division I game has slowed down for him. He's doing what we expected him to do and to rack up goals when he's close to the net."
Fanshaw could be a starter for a while as MacDonnell continues to rehab the right shoulder he injured in the second game of the season. MacDonnell has sat out three of the last four games and is questionable for Saturday's home contest against Towson.
"We thought he was going to play last week," Toomey said. "Again, it was a decision right before the Air Force game where he said he couldn't go. He's out there and going through some drills, and again, it's going to be a game-time decision."