Men's Lacrosse Tops Roger Williams for First Win of 2010

NEWTON, MA- Junior midfielder Chris Bulkley (Groton, CT) registered five points and scored the game-winning goal as the Lasell College men's lacrosse team topped Roger Williams University, 12-9, on a cold and rainy Saturday afternoon at Grellier Field. The victory marks the first for the Lasers in the 2010 campagin, and improves their record to 1-2. The Hawks even their record to 1-1 so far this season.

The game started out in favor of the visitors who went ahead by three goals before the Lasers began their scoring.  Jim Turenne (Bristol, RI) picked up a loose ball in the Hawks defensive end and went coast-to-coast to put the first Roger Williams goal on the board at the two minute mark.  Ninety seconds later, Connor McCabe (Stoneybrook, NY) received a leading pass from Rian Kearney (Duxbury, MA) near the midfield and made a move down the right lane to add to the Hawks edge.  At 9:23, Turenne got loose again for a three-goal Roger Williams advantage. 

Bulkey connected on his first attempt with 5:01 left in the first quarter, dodging through traffic and grabbing a feed from freshman Andy Puopolo (Duxbury, MA) to shoot at close range.  One minute later, Drew Smith (Blue Point, NY) took advantage of an extra-man opportunity to put Roger Williams back on top by three goals.  Ian Powers (Shrewsbury, MA) recorded the assist on Smith’s goal, which was shot from 12 yards out.

Lasell’s sophomore midfielder Adam Foss (Billierica, MA) made the final score of the first stanza (4-2) bouncing the ball past goalkeeper Tyler Roebuck’s (Montgomery, NJ) feet with 1:33 left to play.

With 4:32 elapsed in the second quarter, Bulkley fired a cross-crease pass to Jon Elia (East Lyme, CT) who posted his first goal of the game, bringing Lasell within one goal of Roger Williams.  Drew Beck (South Salem, NY) answered back for the Hawks, extending the visitors lead to 5-3 with eight minutes left before the break, but two unanswered man-up Laser goals by Sam Wilcox (Norforlk, MA) and Sean Speciale (HIllsborough, NJ) evened the score at halftime.

Lasell went a perfect 11-11 in clears and 2-2 in extra-man opportunities in the first half.  Both teams won an even 6-of-12 faceoff possessions in the first half and both tallied twenty ground balls. 

Lasell got the offense rolling immediately in the second half, winning the possession at the X and taking the lead 48 seconds into the third.  Brian Yepez (Hillsborough, NJ) scored the go ahead goal, picking up a loose ball and firing it into the low corner of the Hawks' cage.  Yepez then sent a short pass across the crease to Elia, at the 12:49 mark, to boost the Lasers' advantage. 

Smith notched the only Hawk mark of the third quarter when he sent a 10-yard shot off his stick for his second goal at 11:51, at which point Lasell’s defense would hold Roger Williams at bay for twelve minutes. 

With under a minute to play in the third quarter, Puopolo and Foss each added to the Lasers edge, finishing the third period with a 9-6 Lasell lead. 

Turenne scored eight seconds into the fourth, winning the faceoff and breaking away for a quick tally.  Bulkley registered what would prove to be the game-winner at the 13:25 mark, rifling a shot over Roebuck’s left shoulder, and Wilcox added to the cushion 60 seconds later picking up a loose ball out of a scrum and shooting through the chaos for an 11-7 lead. 

With just under five minutes to play, and Roger Williams down two-men, Speciale hammered in Lasell’s final score.  Adam Vorwald (East Setauket, NY) and Smith would close the scoring for the day with under four minutes on the clock. 

Bulkley was the game-leader in points, finishing with two goals and three assists.   Puopolo was a close second with four points, scoring once and adding three helpers.  Yepez made one goal and dished out two assists and Speciale, Foss, Wilcox, and Elia finished with two goals apiece.

Lasell won 13-of-25 total faceoff’s in the contest and held a 45-40 advantage in ground ball pickups.  Junior Anthony Erz (Hampton, NJ) went 9-for-15 in restarts and picked up four ground balls.  Freshman midfielder Matthew Keiler (Salem, MA) collected a game-high seven ground balls and sophomore defenseman Matthew Gagne (Longmeadow, MA) grabbed six pickups and caused three turnovers.  Lasell’s senior goalie Eric Walsh (Weymouth, MA) made six stops in the net and earned the win. 

Smith was the top scorer for the Hawks, recording three goals and dishing one assist.  Turenne added three goals and McCabe finished with two points, scoring once and adding an assist.  Junior midfielder Austin Fehringer (Rockville Center, NY) produced wins on 12-of-25 faceoff attempts and scooped up seven ground balls.

Lasell returns to action on Tuesday, March 16th when they face-off against Tufts University, currently ranked 9th nationally in Division III, at 3:30 p.m. on the Jumbo’s home turf (Bellos Field).  The Jumbos have been nationally ranked in the top 20 for the past six years.