Lights Out Fourth Quarter Sends Men's Lacrosse over Norwich 11-7

NEWTON, Mass. (4/27/16) – The Lasell College men's lacrosse team scored six unanswered goals in the final quarter en route to an 11-7 victory against the visiting Cadets of Norwich University Wednesday afternoon at Grellier Field. With the win, the Lasers close out the regular season at 11-4 and earn a first round bye in the GNAC tournament at 6-2, while the Cadets drip to 7-8 and 5-2 in the conference with one game remaining in the regular season.

Prior to today's contest, Lasell College honored its graduating seniors for their outstanding contributions to the men's lacrosse program. Casey Sullivan (Quaker Hill, Conn.), Pat Egan (Glen Rock, N.J.), Mike Bomberg (Merrimack, N.H.), Sean Gallahue (North Andover, Mass.), Chris Thomas-Ikier (Burlington, Mass.), Mike Pino (Tewksbury, Mass.) and Joe Bove (Floral Park, N.Y.) have been pivotal members of the Lasell men's lacrosse team, and we look forward to following their future success.

Highlighting the senior day festivities was Sullivan, Egan, and Bomberg, who each found the back of the net once in the victory. Juniors Anthony Saitta (Derry, N.H.) and Connor Johnson (Hampstead, N.H.) each contributed with a single tally, while classmate Josh Gallant (Hampstead, N.H.), sophomore Austin Tomasetti (Elmsford, N.Y.) and freshman Ryan Madden (Hingham, Mass.) added two goals apiece.

Defensively, Pino caused three turnovers, while freshman David Sheehan (Tewksbury, Mass.) caused five turnovers with five ground balls.   

Senior Ryan McCarthy (Medford, Mass.), sophomore Ian Kennedy (Gloucester, Mass.), and freshman Cody Moore (Canton, N.Y.) led the Cadets' offense with two goals apiece, while sophomore Josh Jenkins (Centennial, Colo.) added one marker in the effort.

Both teams went point for point until the last quarter of the game, when Norwich held possession on the opening faceoff from sophomore Jack Dwyer (Shelburne, Vt.) to set Jenkins up for the go-ahead goal, 6-5. The Cadets again grabbed the ground ball from the faceoff circle where Moore fed Kennedy for a two-goal gap, the largest of the game thus far, 7-5.

With 11:43 left in regulation, Gallant ignited the Lasell charge, and finished top shelf on a slick pass from Saitta to trail the visitors by just one, before Madden emerged from a sea of Maroon to net an unassisted marker for the 7-7 equalizer.

The Lasell defense held the Cadets off in the following five minutes, as Thomas-Ikier saved two clutch point-break saves from Norwich's five shots to frame in the span. The Lasers then gave up possession on a turnover in Norwich's defense zone before Johnson denied the visitors' transition attempt, and took an unassisted blast to frame for the 9-7 insurance goal.

Thomas-Ikier backed up the defense with another crucial save following the faceoff, where Bomberg sprinted to the crease for his first goal of the season on a rocket past freshman keeper Ian Kriger (Burlington, Mass.). Sullivan closed out the rally with an unassisted goal of his own to grant the Lasers the 11-7 victory.

Thomas-Ikier (2-1) earned the win in the cage for the Lasers with 10 saves on 17 shots, while Kriger (7-8) took the loss for the Cadets, stopping 12 of 23 shots.

The Lasers will host the GNAC semifinal round on Friday, May 6 at 3:30 p.m. against an opponent that is to be determined, while the Cadets close out GNAC play on Saturday, April 30 at Rivier with faceoff slated for 1:00 p.m.