Patch scores game-winner in closing seconds

            CASTLETON, Vt. – Freshman Stephen Patch (Newbury, N.H.) scored his first goal of the season with 2.2 seconds remaining in regulation to propel Plymouth State University to a 9-8 win over Castleton State College in non-conference men's lacrosse action Saturday afternoon at Spartan
Stadium.

            Patch, who had an earlier goal waved off due to a crease violation, found himself on the receiving end of a beautiful cross-field pass from Andrew Ericksen (Beverly, Mass.), and beat Castleton goalie Dave DeGhetto (Clifton, N.J.) just inside the far post.

            Castleton (0-3), had tied the score with one minute remaining in the contest on a phenomenal individual effort by sophomore Alex Brands (Woodstock, Vt.). Brands, a long-stick midfielder, caused a turnover in his own defensive third of the field, corralled the ground ball and raced down the field, netting his second goal of the season on a laser past Plymouth goalie Kevin Hayes (Beverly, Mass.).

            Craig MacDerment (Clifton Park, N.Y.) won the ensuing face-off and the Spartans tried to hold for the final shot. With 25 seconds remaining Adam Groot (Canandaigua, N.Y.) attacked the right seam, but a Justin Dube (buzzards Bay, Mass.) stick check caused Groot to lose control and Justin Vercruysse (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) pounced on the loose ball and initiated the game-winning clear.

            Plymouth State (2-1) was led by Teddy Akrivlellis (Dover, Mass.) with two goals and three assists, while Ericksen added two goals and two assists. Zach Frank (Wakefield, Mass.) also added two goals, and Mike Ventura (Columbia, N.J.), Patch and Ty Long (Dover, N.H.) all tallied single markers.

            Alex Green (Braintree, Vt.) scored four goals to lead the Spartan attack. Kenneth Bourneuf (Waterbury, Vt.) added two goals and an assist, while Nohea King (St. Albans, Vt.) had one goal and two assists.

            Castleton came out of the gates quickly, outscoring the Panthers 3-0 in the first period, including a pair from Bourneuf. Plymouth State answered in the second period, scoring three times to slice the halftime deficit to 4-3. King's fourth goal of the season made it 5-3, but a 4-1 surge from the Panthers gave them a 7-6 lead entering the final period.

            MacDerment was 16-for-20 on the face-off and had a game-high eight ground balls for the Spartans. Brands led the Castleton defense with four caused turnovers and six ground balls in front of DeGhetto's 16 saves.

            The Plymouth State defense forced 41 Spartan turnovers, and limited the Castleton transition game to just 11-for-28 on clear attempts. Paul McInerney (Scituate, Mass.) led the charge with five caused turnovers and four ground balls, while Jeff McLoud (Bow, N.H.) had a team-leading six ground balls. Hayes finished with five saves in the win.

            Castleton returns to action Thursday when the Spartans play host to Colby at 4 p.m. Plymouth State is at Massachusetts Maritime Tuesday at 4 p.m. 

(Courtesy of Castleton Sports Information) 

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