March 29, 2008
NO. 1 LE MOYNE HANDLES FIFTH STRAIGHT TOP-TEN
FOE WITH 12-5 VICTORY OVER NO. 6 MERRIMACK
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Brian Griffin's
efforts in the face-off circle propelled the No. 1 Le Moyne College
men's lacrosse team to a 12-5 victory over No. 6 Merrimack
College in Northeast-10 Conference action at West Genesee High
School. Griffin scored once and won 16-of-18 face-offs, including
14 in a row to open up the contest, for the Dolphins (5-0, 2-0
NE-10). Greg Rogowski scored a goal and dished out two assists for
the Warriors (4-1, 1-1 NE-10).
Le Moyne and Merrimack traded goals in the
game's first four minutes. Brian Cost netted a score for the
Dolphins just over one minute into the game and the Warriors
answered with a Michael Balbuena strike at the 11:50 mark. Le Moyne
rattled off three straight goals to end the first quarter with
tallies from Cost, Brad Wolken and Alex Bily. Merrimack could not
capitalize on two extra-man opportunities in the second quarter as
Le Moyne took a 4-1 advantage into the halftime intermission.
The Dolphins found instant offense in the
first six minutes of the third quarter when Mike McDonald tallied
back-to-back goals and Bily added his second of the game. After a
Merrimack goal from Thomas Fennel with just over two minutes
remaining, Griffin netted an unassisted score to push the Le Moyne
lead to 8-2.
Merrimack received consecutive goals in the
waning seconds of the third quarter and early in the fourth quarter
from Jo Pisano and Kyle Beaudoin to trim Le Moyne's lead to
8-4. But Gatto, who scored three fourth-quarter goals against No. 7
Bryant last week, was brilliant in the final frame again. He scored
back-to-back goals in the fourth quarter and Bily tacked on his
third goal of the game to push the Dolphins' lead to 11-4.
Rogowski added a goal for Merrimack at the 3:40 mark and Tom
Donahue found the back of the net for Le Moyne with just under two
minutes remaining to round out the game's scoring.
A stellar Le Moyne defense, anchored by Tim
McLean, Drew Bezek, Mike Malone and Marc Cizenski, held its
opponent under six goals for the fourth time this season. Doug
McIver earned his fifth victory of the season between the pipes
with eight saves in 60 minutes of action. Corey Spinale finished
with 12 saves for the Warriors.
The Dolphins held a 42-25 advantage in the
shots category and rode Griffin's dominant performance in the
face-off circle, collecting 17-of-20 draws for the game. Bily paced
the Dolphins with three goals; Cost, Gatto and McDonald collected
two apiece; and Donahue, Griffin and Wolken each scored once. Bily,
Cost, Gatto, Donahue, Keith Vetter and Nick DiSarro dished out Le
Moyne assists.
The Dolphins travel to Colchester, Vt.
Saturday to face St. Michael's College (3-3, 1-1 NE-10) in
Northeast-10 Conference action. The game is slated for a 4 p.m.
start.
Michael Bersani - Sports Information
Assistant
