PLYMOUTH, N.H. – After a back-and-forth first half, the University of Massachusetts Boston scored seven straight second-half goals to pull away from Plymouth State University, 13-7, in a Little East Conference (LEC) men's lacrosse game at Panther Field on Friday evening.
PSU scored back-to-back goals in the opening minute of the second quarter to snag a 3-1 lead. The teams traded tallies throughout much of the remainder of the half. UMB pulled even with consecutive goals late in the frame, but senior
Ryan Collins (Attleboro, Mass.) gave the Panthers a 6-5 edge at the break with his 12th goal of the season.
The Beacons took over in the second half, scoring all five goals of the third quarter and adding two more early in the fourth to build a 12-6 advantage. Senior
Crosby Fay (Thornton, N.H.) buried his 20th goal of the year with roughly six minutes to play, but the Panthers were unable to generate momentum to close the gap.
Plymouth State evens out at 4-4 (0-2 LEC), while the Beacons improve to 8-1 (2-0 LEC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 7, UMass Boston 13
- Plymouth State (4-4, 0-2 LEC)
- UMass Boston (8-1, 2-0 LEC)
How it Happened:
- Fay opened the scoring 90 seconds in, and PSU held the lead until UMB pulled even late in the first quarter.
- Senior Aiden O'Loughlin (Londonderry, N.H.) restored the advantage just seven seconds into the second, and sophomore Aiden Renner (Phillipsburg, N.J.) made it a two-goal game 47 seconds later.
- The teams went back and forth over the next 10 minutes. UMB cut the margin to one on three separate occasions, but each time the Panthers answered back. Senior Ryan Jones (Tolland, Conn.) and O'Loughlin both found the back of the net, but UMass Boston struck for consecutive goals in the final four minutes to tie the game at 5-5.
- Collins converted a beautiful feed from Renner with 2:24 left in the half to give the Panthers a 6-5 lead at the break.
- The Beacons came firing in the third quarter, scoring all five goals in the frame, including one with just a second left on the clock, to take control.
- UMB extended the margin to 12-6 in the fourth before Fay stopped the run with his second of the game with just under six minutes to play.
- The Beacons added a late tally to account for the final score.
By the Numbers:
- Renner finished with three points on a goal and two assists. He also won 9-of-12 faceoffs and matched a game-high with five ground balls.
- O'Loughlin and Fay each scored twice.
- Senior Leif Charbonneau (North Grafton, Mass.) was strong on faceoffs, winning 7-of-11 and scooping up five ground balls, while classmate Jake Lusardo (Norwalk, Conn.) also collected five ground balls.
- Freshman Spencer Kennedy (East Lyme, Conn.) posted a team-best two caused turnovers and added four ground balls.
- Senior Ethan Schena (Methuen, Mass.) made 12 saves, including several from point-blank range.
- The Beacons held a 25-15 advantage in shots on goal, but PSU won the ground ball battle, 28-19.
- The Panthers held UMB scoreless on four extra-man opportunities, while PSU converted 1-of-3 chances.
- PSU knocked off the Beacons on the road in the semifinal round of last spring's LEC Tournament.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State hosts Eastern Connecticut State in league action next Saturday (Apr. 5) at 3:00 p.m.
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