GORHAM, Maine – Senior
Jake Dolcimascolo (Georgetown, Mass.) and junior
Crosby Fay (Waterville Valley, N.H.) scored four goals apiece and Plymouth State University matched the program record for wins in a season as the Panthers toppled the University of Southern Maine, 16-9, in a Little East Conference (LEC) men's lacrosse game at Hannaford Field on Tuesday.
With the win, Plymouth State secures a first round home game during next week's LEC Tournament.
Five different Panthers scored during a 5-0 run between the first and second quarters as PSU grabbed a 7-1 lead. Southern Maine scored back-to-back goals in the third quarter to pull within three, 10-7, and had a man advantage, but Fay scored a man-down goal with 41 seconds left and Fay and Dolcimascolo combined to score three fourth-quarter goals to put the game out of reach.
Plymouth State matches the program record for wins, improving to 12-3 (5-2 LEC). The 2015 team finished the season with a 12-4 mark, while the 2008 and 1970 teams also reached a dozen victories. PSU is assured of at least the #4 seed for next week's tournament. Southern Maine slips to 4-11 and 2-5 in the LEC.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 16, Southern Maine 9
- Plymouth State (12-3, 5-2 LEC)
- Southern Maine (4-11, 2-5 LEC)
How it Happened:
- Junior Ryan Hanlon (Hull, Mass.) converted a feed from senior Karl Flinter (Pittsburgh, Pa.) 3:23 into the first quarter and the Panthers would lead throughout. Flinter added a goal of his own at the midpoint of the frame.
- The Huskies cut the deficit to 2-1 with 6:26 left in the first, but Dolcimascolo scored his 30th goal of the season as the clock was winding down for a 3-1 lead after one.
- PSU scored the first four goals of the second period, with senior Mike Fleury (Lebanon, N.H.), freshman Cam Jenkins (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and senior Nick Drew (Chelmsford, Mass.) all scoring before sophomore Matt Miner (Chelmsford, Mass.) buried a man-up goal to make it 7-1.
- Southern Maine closed out the half with a 3-0 spurt to make it a 7-4 game at the half.
- The teams traded goals over the first five minutes of the third, with Dolcimascolo scoring in the opening minute, for an 8-5 advantage.
- Fay scored back-to-back goals, but the hosts answered with two straight to pull within 10-7 with four minutes left in the stanza.
- Fay scored a man-down goal in the final minute, then opened the fourth quarter with his 50th goal of the season. Dolcimascolo followed with consecutive strikes as the lead ballooned to 14-7.
- Southern Maine scored a pair of goals sandwiched around tallies from Fleury and junior John Barros (Milton, Mass.) to account for the final score.
By the Numbers:
- Fay finished with four goals and an assist. His 50 goals are the most in a season since Connor Delea poured in 55 during the 2019 campaign.
- Dolcimascolo matched a game-high with six points behind four goals and two assists. Miner chipped in a goal and two assists, while Fleury added a pair of scores.
- Four other players had multi-point games.
- Sophomore Leif Charbonneau (Grafton, Mass.) won 13-of-14 faceoffs and snagged a game-high seven ground balls.
- Jenkins scooped up five ground balls to go with his goal and assist.
- Sophomore Joey Loeber (Chelmsford, Mass.) paced the defense with four caused turnovers and four ground balls.
- Junior Owen McNichols (Manchester, N.H.) made ten saves to pick up the win.
- PSU owned a 50-37 advantage in shots and went 12-for-14 in clear attempts. The Panthers also won the ground ball battle by a 38-28 margin.
- Plymouth State improves to 19-5 against the Huskies and has won four straight and six-of-seven.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State wraps up the regular season on Friday (Apr. 28), when Keene State comes to Panther Field for a 5:00 p.m. contest.
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