Hayes with strong game in goal for Panthers

            GORHAM, Maine – Freshman Dylan Bousquet-Smith (Bowdoinham, Maine) scored with 17.1 seconds remaining Wednesday afternoon to cap a frantic finish as the University of Southern Maine tallied five unanswered goals in the fourth quarter to defeat Plymouth State University, 9-8, in a Little East Conference men's lacrosse match at Hodgdon Field.

            The win snapped a two-game losing skid for the Huskies, and improved their record to 4-8 overall and 2-2 in conference play.  The Panthers slide to 6-5 overall and 2-2 in the conference.

            Bousquet-Smith finished the game with two goals and one assist.  Junior Kyle Baker (Kennebunk, Maine) led all scorers with a game-high five goals and one assist.  Senior Tim Bryant (Peterborough, N.H.) had a goal and two assists.  Sophomore goalie Kyle Dussault (Lewiston, Maine) finished with six saves.

            Freshman Zach Frank (Wakefield, Mass.) led the Panthers with three goals and an assist.  Sophomores Stephen Patch (Newbury, N.H.) and Mike Ventura (Columbia, N.J.) each had a goal and an assist, and junior Teddy Akrivlellis (Dover, Mass.) passed out two assists.  Senior goalie Kevin Hayes (Beverly, Mass.) played an outstanding game stopping 19 shots.

            In the fourth quarter, freshman Chris Annunciata (Waltham, Mass.) scored for Plymouth State with 12:16 to play to give the visitors an 8-4 advantage before Southern Maine grabbed the momentum.

            Baker ignited the Huskies' comeback with his fourth goal of the day with 10:30 remaining.  Bousquet-Smith netted a man-up goal with 7:50 showing on the clock, and Baker scored his final goal with 4:52 to play to get the Huskies within one.  Bryant tied the game the in final minute beating Hayes high to the near post.  Both teams had turnovers in the final seconds before Baker found Bousquet-Smith to the right of the goal and the rookie attack beat Hayes for the game-winning goal.

            Playing in misty, cold conditions, both teams were cautious in the opening quarter.  The Panthers took control in the second quarter, outscoring the Huskies 5-1 to assume a 6-2 lead at halftime.  Frank had two goals, and Ventura, Patch and senior Drew Kirwin (Bow, N.H.) one apiece.

            Frank got his third goal of the game in third quarter to extend the lead to 7-2.  Baker scored twice before the end of the quarter to set the stage for the Huskies' fourth-quarter rally.

            Southern Maine hosts Keene State College on Saturday (3:00 p.m.) for an LEC match.  Plymouth State will entertain the University of Massachusetts Boston on Saturday (1:00 p.m.) in another LEC match. 

(Courtesy of Southern Maine Sports Information) 

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