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Sunday, April 6, 2008
M-LACROSSE HAS ENOUGH FOR 14-10 LITTLE EAST VICTORY
Warriors take early lead and hold off Plymouth; now 3-0 in conference
WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Men’s lacrosse jumped to a quick three-goal lead and finally pulled away by scoring six of the final seven goals of the match in a 14-10 Little East Conference victory over Plymouth State University Sunday morning at Thomas Nevers Field that stretched the team’s unbeaten streak to six following an 0-4 start.
The victory is the tenth without a loss for Eastern (6-4, 3-0 little east) in conference play against Plymouth State (4-3, 0-2 little east) and keeps the Warriors undefeated at Nevers Field in eight years of LEC regular-season and playoff competition.
Eastern and defending conference regular-season and playoff champion Keene State (2-0) are the only remaining undefeated teams in the eight-team conference.
After the Warriors got out to an early 4-1 lead late in the first period, Plymouth challenged to tie the match until midway through the third period. Five times, the Panthers was able to slice Eastern’s lead to one, but each time, the Warriors responded with a goal.
Leading 9-8 two minutes into the third period, Eastern finally opened up breathing room by scoring four straight goals and six of the final seven. Junior attack Matthew Savage (Southington) gave the Warriors an 11-8 advantage with his team-leading 26th and 27th goals of the year two minutes apart midway through the third period, and senior midfielder Pete Hamilton (Rutland, VT) and senior attack Tyler Prescott (Norwalk) beat Plymouth freshman goalie Billy Morgan 22 seconds apart to make it 13-8 with 1:31 left in the third period.
Offensivley, Matthew Savage and Hamilton netted four goals each. Defensively, Eastern’s man-down unit successfully staved off five Plymouth extra-man opportunities, and junior goalie Kyle Savage (Southington) made 13 saves. Junior defensemen Mike Silvestrini (Guilford) and Steve Lane (Groton) combined for 11 ground balls and freshman faceoff man Eric Vasil (Southington) won seven of 11 faceoffs.
Matthew Savage, the team leader with 31 points, has scored 19 goals during the current six-game winning streak.
Kyle Savage, who already owns the program career record for saves (526), needs 23 minutes to become the all-time leader in that category, and four starts to become the all-time leader in that department.
Eastern hosts Massachusetts Dartmouth Thursday at 4 p.m.
Eastern Conn. 14, Plymouth State U. 10
Plymouth State (4-3, 0-2 little east) 3 4 1 2 -- 10
Eastern Conn. (6-4, 3-0 little east) 4 5 4 1 -- 14
Goals: P-Steve Engel 2, Brian Giroux 2, John Cogswell, Tony Aguiar, Matt Johansmeyer, Conor McCullough, Mike Russell, Jordan Buzzell; E-Pete Hamilton 4, Matthew Savage 4, DJ Simmons 2, Jon Snedeker 2, Brendan Hoppey, Tyler Prescott.
Assists: P-Cogswell, Adam Krinsky; E-Hoppey 2; Fantl, Brian Fechtmann, Steve Lane.
Shots: P-41, E-29; Saves: P-Billy Morgan 5, E-Kyle Savage 13.
