Fatal Third Period Cramps Garnet
SWARTHMORE, Pa. -- The Swarthmore men's lacrosse team went toe-to-toe with fifth-ranked Washington (Md.) through the first 30 minutes of action, but a torrid scoring run by an All-American attackman swung the decision in favor of the Shoremen, 13-6, in Centennial action at Clothier Field Wednesday evening.
Swarthmore dips to 6-5 overall and 1-5 in the Centennial while Washington improves to 10-1 overall and 5-1 in the Conference.
The Garnet put the first goal on the board with 9:07 left in the first when junior midfielder Todd Friedman (Miami, Fla. / Miami-Palmetto) fired the ball over the shoulder of the Shoremen goalie for his sixth goal of the season. Swarthmore assumed a 2-1 lead two minutes when sophomore attackman Tyler Bradshaw (Marietta, Ga. / Lassiter) answered a Washington goal with his ninth goal of the year. Bradshaw took an intial shot, beat the Shoremen goalie to the loose ball and while falling down, slung a backhanded shot into the net.
The Shoremen wrapped three goals around an unassisted goal by Swarthmore midfielder Ben Young '09 (Washington, D.C. / St. Alban's). Young started his run outside the offensive zone, gaining a step on his defender before hitting pay dirt in the top corner of the cage. Washington concluded the period with a 4-3 advantage.
Swarthmore jumped all over Washington at the start of the second period, as junior attackman Stelios Wilson (Moorestown, N.J. / Moorestown) snapped a one-hopper into the goal for his team-leading 15th score of the season at 12:58. Garnet senior midfielder Ivano Ventresca (Macungie, Pa. / Emmaus) put Swarthmore ahead, 5-4, at 9:25 after hopping in his fourth goal of the season off a feed from junior midfielder Will Predun (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. / Cold Spring Harbor).
Washington countered with two goals in 16 seconds, the latter coming from junior defenseman Eric Shea (Lutherville, Md. / Towson) at 8:42. It was Shea's first collegiate goal and it sent the Shoremen into half time with a 6-5 lead.
The stat line at the intermission was almost identical: shots were knotted at 22-all, shots on goal stood at 13 a side while Washington won one more face-off (7-6).
Washington senior attackman Chris Read (Baltimore, Md. / Boys Latin), a 2007 All-America, emphatically put his stamp on the game's outcome at the onset of the third period. He scored four straight times in a span of 4:13 as the Shoremen scored all seven of the goals in the period and held a 17-2 advantage in shots in the quarter. Washington midfielder Andrew Generazio (Springfield, Va. / West Springfield [Maine]) gave the Shoremen their first two-goal lead of the game, scoring 26 seconds into the third quarter. O'Connor then found Read for an extra-man goal 21 seconds later to give Washington a 8-5 lead with 14:13 left in the third quarter. Read scored again, this time off a feed from attackman Kolyn Kirby (Chestertown, Md. / Kent County), with 11:53 left in the third to push the margin to 9-5.
Read fired in his third straight goal, this one off an assist from Kielek with 10:36 remaining, and netted his fourth goal in a row just 36 seconds later to make it 11-5. Kielek scored a goal of his own with 4:05 to play off an assist from Read, pushing the margin to 12-5. Kielek netted another goal, this off an acrobatic assist from Kirby on an extra-man opportunity, to increase the lead to 13-5 with 36 seconds on the clock.
Swarthmore sophomore attackman Gavin Musynske (Floral Park, N.Y. / Floral Park) scored his 12th goal of the season with 7:44 left in the game to provide the only goal of the fourth quarter.
Read added an assist to go along with a game-high six goals. Kielek added two goals and two assists, while Kirby had three assists.
Washington junior goalie Gordon Cohen (New Canaan, Conn. / New Canaan) made 14 saves in the win for the Shoremen, while Swarthmore netminder Frank Mazzucco '08 (Redding, Conn. / Joel Barlow), the reigning Conference Defensive Player of the Week, made 12 for the Garnet in the loss.
Washington held a 41-39 advantage in shots and a 42-21 advantage in ground balls in the game.
The Garnet head to upstate N.Y. this Saturday, April 12 for a 12:00 p.m. game at Hamilton College. Swarthmore is undefeated in non-conference action this season, running a 5-0 record outside the Centennial thus far.