Pichel leads Panther offense, Boss scores game-winner

            WORCESTER, Mass. – Senior Aaron Boss (Keene, N.H.) scored his only goal of the night with 1:41 remaining in the fourth quarter, breaking an 8-8 deadlock and sending Plymouth State University to a 10-8 victory over Clark University Wednesday evening in non-conference men's lacrosse action at Granger Field.

            The Panthers rallied from a 6-4 deficit after three quarters, scoring four consecutive goals in the fourth frame, including three by junior Phil Pichel (Hopkinton, Mass.), to surge to an 8-6 lead. Clark answered with back-to-back goals to tie the game with 5:24 to play before Boss tallied the game-winner for PSU. Senior C.J. Frates (Merrimack, N.H.) added an insurance goal for the Panthers in the final minute of play to seal the win.

            PSU, which defeated Clark in overtime last year, won its fifth straight game this spring to improve to 6-1 while the Cougars are now 5-4. 

            Pichel finished with four goals to lead the Panthers, the most he's scored in a game in two years in a PSU uniform. Sophomore Alex Croatti (Brunswick, Maine) added two goals and senior Mike Trocchi (Danvers, Mass.) chipped in with two assists.

            Nick Johnson tallied a game-high six points for the Cougars on five goals and an assist. Will Mandracchia added two goals in the setback.

            The Panthers took a 3-1 lead in the first period on goals by sophomores Colin Claflin (Pembroke, Mass.) and Nicco Sorrentino (Chelmsford, Mass.), and Pichel. Clark outscored PSU 2-1 in the second period on the strength of a goal and an assist from Johnson but the visitors held a 4-3 lead at the break.

            Johnson scored the only three goals of the third period to push the Cougars into the lead, 6-4, but PSU pulled out the game in the final 15 minutes.

            Clark finished with a 40-36 advantage in shots. PSU senior goalie Chris St. George (Marblehead, Mass.) finished with nine saves, while Clark netminder Jacob Reiner made 19 saves.

            PSU will be back on the field on Saturday with a Little East Conference game at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (4:00 p.m.) 

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