MLX: Lasell too strong for Norwich in GNAC match-up on Senior Day

NEWTON, Mass. – The Lasell University men's lacrosse team celebrated Senior Day at Grellier Field Tuesday afternoon with an impressive 15-5 victory over Norwich University in a key Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) match-up between the top two teams in the conference.

The Lasers scored six unanswered goals twice in the game, once in each half, and held the Cadets scoreless for 24 straight minutes in the first half and more than 22 consecutive minutes in the second half. Lasell earned a sweep of two games this season between the two schools after taking the first meeting 10 days ago with a goal in the final minute of regulation to post a 12-11 triumph.

Graduate student Chase Kapuscienski (Grafton, Mass.) led the Lasers with four goals and one assist, and senior Colby Buccheri (Rowley, Mass.) tallied three goals and three assists. Junior Bash Cunningham (Norwalk, Conn.) contributed three goals and senior Andrew Fidalgo (Wilbraham, Mass.) added two goals and three assists.

Junior goalie Alex Beauchemin (Westfield, Mass.) earned an impressive win in goal for Lasell, making a career-high 17 saves on 22 shots. He posted his 23rd career victory, tying Mark DeMieri (2005-08) for Lasell's career record.

The Laser defense held Norwich to a season-low five goals, its lowest total since scoring just five goals in an 11-5 setback to Lasell on April 6, 2019. Senior Payden Masaracchia (Enola, Pa.), Norwich's leading scorer with 26 goals entering the game, was held to just one goal in the first minute of the game, and grad student Jack Anzalone (Ridgewood, N.J.), who had 19 goals, was held scoreless.

Lasell scored four straight goals to end the first quarter with a 4-1 lead, and notched the first two of the second frame to pull ahead 6-1. The teams traded two goals each as the Lasers held an 8-3 margin at halftime. Kapuscienski tallied three goals in the third quarter as Lasell exended its lead to 12-4 after three, and Buccheri set up senior Josif Giogas (Burlington, Mass.) and junior Max Litchfield (Barrington, N.H.) for man-up goals to start the fourth quarter to make it a double-digit margin.

Senior Nick Kandra (Crofton, Md.) made 15 saves on 29 shots for Norwich.

The Lasers play their final regular season game this Saturday, April 24, at Grellier Field against Rivier University at 12 noon. Norwich wraps up its regular season Saturday at Saint Joseph's College of Maine at 1 p.m. The GNAC playoffs begin next Saturday, May 1.

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