April 10, 2007
Box Score
EASTON, Pa. - Lafayette scored three unanswered goals in the final 10 minutes of regulation to force extra sessions, but the Red Foxes of Marist spoiled the Leopards' comeback effort with the game-winning goal less than a minute into the second overtime to take a 9-8 win in a physical non-conference men's lacrosse game at Rappolt Field.
It was déjà vu for both teams, which played through a double-overtime contest nearly one year to the day back in 2006, but it was Marist again coming on top 8-7 in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
In a back-and-forth game throughout, Lafayette (1-10) had a season-high seven different players score in the effort. Freshman Steve Serling led the way with two, while classmate Matt Mersky also tallied two points with a goal and an assist.
Leopards found themselves trailing 8-5 after Marists' (4-6) Mike McGuire tallied his only goal of the day with 13:40 to play in regulation. After three and a half minutes of scoreless action, freshman Matt Beck intercepted a Marist pass in the midfield and found sophomore John Galassi for the score at the 10:12 mark.
Just 37 seconds later, Mersky connected with sophomore Joe Howard from behind the net, inching the Leopards within 8-7 with 9:35 remaining. Serling put the exclamation point on the effort, netting the game-tying goal with 5:28 to play.
Both defenses locked down for the remaining five minutes and into the first extra session. Mersky and senior Sean Burek both registered shots in the first overtime but neither punched through.
At the start of the second overtime, Marists' Matt Francis won the face-off and the Red Foxes proceeded to score the game-winner as Pat VanHall found Matt Teichmann for the score just 47 seconds into the action.
Marist rolled out to an early 3-0 lead over the opening eight minutes of the game, but Lafayette got right back in it with back-to-back goals from sophomore Andrew Horton (5:21) and junior Mike Meirowitz (4:51). Both came off assists from rookie Brett Djaha.
Marist went ahead 4-2 under a minute later, but the Leopards would use an inspired final minute of the period to level the score at 4-all. Senior Trevor Ortolano beat his defender one-on-one and found the back of the net with 37 ticks on the clock. Freshman Cane Napolitano proceeded to win the face-off following the goal, and Serling took advantage with his first goal of the day with eight seconds left.
Scoring the only two goals of the second quarter, Marist took a 6-4 lead into the intermission. Lafayette cut the lead to 6-5 just 1:45 into the third quarter, as Mersky displayed his quick reflex and rebounded a missed shot from Burek and deposited the ball back past Marist keeper Ryan Penner. The Red Foxes went back up by two (7-5) after Keith Detelj scored with 1:40 remaining in the third.
Senior co-captain Jamison Caldwell led the Leopards with five ground balls, while winning seven face-offs. Napolitano went 6-of-7 on face-offs and was one of three Leopards with three ground balls. Beck tallied four.
Serling, Howard, Peter VanderDrift, Steve Nastro, and Andrew Arkema each registered two caused turnovers, helping Lafayette to a season-high 13 on the night. Sophomore goalie Jeff Canfield guarded the net for Lafayette and totaled 14 saves in the effort.
Detelj led the Red Foxes with the only hat trick for either team. Penner finished with 15 saves in his 64:47 of work.
Lafayette remains home for its final game at Rappolt Field this season, as the team hosts Colgate in a Patriot League match-up on Saturday at 1 p.m. Prior to the start, Lafayette will honor its four seniors (Caldwell, Burek, Arkema, Ortolano).
