GORHAM, Maine – Senior
Ryan Collins (Attleboro, Mass.) scored five goals and matched a career high with seven points as Plymouth State University secured a home playoff game with an 18-3 win over the University of Southern Maine in a Little East Conference (LEC) men's lacrosse game at Hannaford Field on Tuesday afternoon.
The win, combined with Keene State's loss at WestConn, clinches a home playoff game for the Panthers. PSU's final playoff seeding will be determined in the regular season finale at Mass. Maritime on Friday (Apr. 25). The winner will claim the third seed, while the loser will enter the LEC Tournament as the fourth seed.
Plymouth State opened the game with five straight goals, including two from Collins. The Panthers never looked back, exploding for eight goals in the second quarter to take a commanding 14-3 lead at the half. After a scoreless third quarter, PSU added four more tallies in the fourth to account for the final score.
Senior
Crosby Fay (Thornton, N.H.) scored three times as he continues his pursuit to become just the second player in program history to record 200 career goals. Fay now sits at 197 with one regular season game remaining.
Plymouth State improves to 9-4 (5-2 LEC), while Southern Maine falls to 2-14 (0-8 LEC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 18, Southern Maine 3
- Plymouth State (9-4, 5-2 LEC)
- Southern Maine (2-14, 0-8 LEC)
How it Happened:
- Senior Ryan Jones (Tolland, Conn.) opened the scoring 3:45 into the game, with Collins adding his first just eight seconds later.
- PSU followed with three more – a man-up goal by junior Brady Hunt (Billerica, Mass.) and tallies from Collins and Fay – to extend the lead to 5-0 before the Huskies got on the board.
- Sophomore John Yerardi (Framingham, Mass.) capped the quarter with his first goal of the season for a 6-1 lead after one.
- USM scored early in the second, but the Panthers responded with a game-deciding 8-1 surge.
- Collins added three more goals during the run, with Fay scoring twice.
- Freshman Blake McPherson (Windham, Maine) netted a pair, and senior Leif Charbonneau (North Grafton, Mass.) beat the horn for a 14-3 halftime lead.
- After a scoreless third quarter, four different Panthers scored in the fourth; senior Charlie Broas (Putnam Valley, N.Y.), and freshmen Eli Gomes (Milford, Conn.), Connor Loomis (Seekonk, Mass.), and Mason Kauffman (Somers, N.Y.).
By the Numbers:
- Collins' seven points matched a career high.
- Fay sits at 197 career goals after posting three goals and an assist.
- Charbonneau added a goal and two assists while winning 13-of-19 faceoffs and collecting six ground balls.
- Eleven different Panthers scored in the victory.
- Sophomore Kevin Cougler (Dover, N.H.) tallied a team-high three caused turnovers.
- Senior Ethan Schena (Methuen, Mass.), sophomore Colin Dillon (Boxford, Mass.), freshman Gabriel Bonessi (Milford, Conn.), and junior Matt Montoya (Shrewsbury, Mass.) each played a quarter in goal. Montoya made four saves.
- Plymouth State held a 31-9 advantage in shots on goal and dominated ground balls, 42-20.
- Fay continues his pursuit of becoming just the second player in program history to reach 200 career goals.
- PSU improves to 21-5 all-time against the Huskies.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State wraps up the regular season at Mass. Maritime Academy on Friday (Apr. 25) in a game that will decide the No. 3 seed for next week's LEC Tournament. Opening faceoff is set for 7:00 p.m.
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