(Box
Score)
PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Fourth-seeded Plymouth
State University rallied from an early 6-0 deficit Tuesday
afternoon to defeat fifth-seeded University of Massachusetts
Dartmouth, 15-12, in the first round of the Little East Conference
men's lacrosse tournament at Panther Field.
Senior Brian Giroux (Wolfeboro Falls, N.H.) and
junior Andrew Eriksen (Beverly, Mass.) combined
for nine goals and one assist to lead the Panthers, Giroux with
five goals and one assist and Eriksen with four goals. The
second of Giroux's goals was the 100th of his
career, making him the eighth player in school history to reach the
milestone. Senior middie Steve Engel (South
Windsor, Conn.) chipped in with two goals while winning 17-of-23
face-offs and picking up 14 ground balls.
UMD got five goals from senior Andrew Foster (Danvers, Mass.) and
three apiece from junior Josh Arsenault (Revere, Mass.) and
sophomore Christian Roberto (Wakefield, Mass.).
The Panthers, 8-7 overall, advance to Thursday's semifinal
game at top-seeded and regular-season champion Keene State College
(2:30 p.m.). The Owls (10-5 overall, 7-0 LEC), who defeated
PSU 15-7 a week ago, await the Panthers after enjoying a
first-round bye on Tuesday. UMD completes its season at 7-10
overall.
PSU, which had defeated UMass Dartmouth 15-4 in a regular season
game 10 days ago, fell behind 6-0 in the first quarter
Tuesday. Foster and Roberto scored two apiece for the
Corsairs in the outburst, while Arsenault and freshman Cody Santor
(Glastonbury, Conn.) added one apiece.
Engel put the Panthers on the board in the final minute of the
opening stanza, and the Panthers used the momentum from that goal
to outscore the visitors 7-1 in the second frame to take an 8-7
lead into the intermission. Giroux and Eriksen scored three
each during the Panther rally.
The teams traded three-goal swings in the third period.
Senior Brett Zebrowski (Bayville, N.Y.), Engel and
sophomore Teddy Akriviellis (Dover, Mass.) scored
consecutive goals for PSU, but UMD answered with two from Foster
and one from Roberto to make it an 11-10 game after three quarters.
Eriksen and Arsenault traded goals for the two teams early in the
fourth quarter but PSU pulled away on goals by Zebrowski and
Giroux, the latter coming with 4:45 to play. Foster scored
one more for the Corsairs but Giroux sealed the win with his final
goal with 2:31 on the clock.
UMD sophomore goalie Cameron Crown (Walpole, Mass.) made 10 saves
in 43 minutes before coming out of the game with an injury.
Freshman Peter Foley (Northbridge, Mass.) came off the Corsair
bench and made four stops. PSU sophomore reserve goalie
Jack Tyo (East Sandwich, Mass.) earned the win for
the Panthers, making six saves after replacing starter
Kevin Hayes (Beverly, Mass.) late in the opening
quarter.
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