DANBURY, Conn. – Graduate student
Alex Hawkom (Manchester, N.H.) scored a four times and senior
Crosby Fay (Waterville Valley, N.H.) notched three goals during an 8-1 surge in the first half to lead third-seeded Plymouth State University past top-seeded Western Connecticut State University, 16-10, in the championship game of the Little East Conference Men's Lacrosse Tournament at Westside Athletic Complex on Saturday.
WestConn, the defending champions, held a 3-1 lead midway through the opening quarter, but Fay notched three consecutive goals, including two in man-up situations, to build a lead the Panthers would not surrender.
The teams traded goals to end the first quarter with PSU holding a slim 5-4 lead, but the Panthers scored all four goals of the second to push the lead to 9-4. WestConn was able to pull within three in the fourth quarter, but each time the Panthers responded. The hosts cut the deficit to 13-10 with more than 12 minutes to play, but Hawkom buried his fourth of the afternoon to spark a game-sealing 3-0 run to clinch the program's first title.
Hawkom was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player, finishing the three-game tournament with eight goals and two assists.
Plymouth State improves to 15-4, setting a new program record for wins, and captures its first LEC title and the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. PSU, now riding a nine-game winning streak, will learn its tournament fate when the NCAA selection show airs on NCAA.com on Sunday (May 5) at 9:00 p.m.
WestConn finishes the season at 13-5.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 16, WestConn 10
- Plymouth State (15-4)
- WestConn (13-5)
How it Happened:
- WestConn opened the scoring just over five minutes into the game, but senior Nolan Burke (Worcester, Mass.) answered back a minute later to tie the game at one.
- The hosts took their biggest lead of the day with a pair of goals in a 50-second span to go up 3-1 with seven minutes left in the frame.
- Fay buried his first just 11 seconds later. Freshman Aiden Renner (Phillipsburg, N.J.) won the faceoff and hit Fay for the score to spark a 4-0 surge.
- Fay tallied another with 6:15 on the clock, the first of two straight man-up goals, before capping his hat trick with three minutes left in the stanza.
- Junior Ryan Jones (Tolland, Conn.) extended the lead with his goal late in the quarter, but the Wolves found the back of the cage with 22 seconds left to make it 5-4 heading to the second.
- Junior Ryan Collins (Attleboro, Mass.) continued his outstanding run through the LEC Tournament with his first of three scores in the opening minute of the second and Renner won the faceoff and scored just four seconds later.
- Hawkom got into the action less than a minute later and Collins capped the second quarter with another goal to make it 9-4 at the half.
- The Wolves attempted to rally in the second half, scoring just over a minute in, but Hawkom had the answer and Jones converted two minutes later to make it 11-5.
- WestConn chipped away with back-to-back goals, but Hawkom again had the response. The Wolves added a goal with 4:10 left in the third to make it a four-goal game, 12-8, heading to the final quarter.
- The Wolves sandwiched a pair of goals around a tally by sophomore Brady Hunt (Billerica, Mass.) to cut the margin to 13-10 with more than 12 minutes remaining, but Plymouth State would not budge.
- Hawkom buried his fourth of the afternoon and Jones and Collins sealed the historic win with insurance goals to account for the 16-10 final.
By the Numbers:
- Hawkom poured in four goals, while Jones, Collins and Fay finished with three apiece.
- Collins and Jones each added an assist to secure four-point games.
- Senior Owen McNichols (Manchester, N.H.) made 12 saves to add to his season and career-record win totals.
- Renner notched a goal and two assists and scooped up a team-best nine ground balls.
- Junior Joey Loeber (Chelmsford, Mass.) led the Panthers with three caused turnovers and added six ground balls, while senior Jack Bonazzoli (Clinton, Mass.) had four ground balls and two caused turnovers.
- Plymouth State was an efficient 24-for-26 in clear attempts and held a slight 32-27 edge in ground balls.
- PSU finished 2-for-6 in extra man opportunities while holding WestConn scoreless in four chances.
- The Panthers held off WestConn in overtime (10-9), during the regular season matchup on Mar. 22.
- Plymouth State was playing in its third LEC Championship game. The Panthers most recently appeared in the 2019 title contest against Keene State and faced WestConn in the 2008 championship.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State will wait to learn its NCAA Tournament opponent when the NCAA airs its selection show on NCAA.com on Sunday (May 5) at 9:00 p.m.
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