Garnet Comeback Stopped in Overtime
SWARTHMORE, Pa. -- Muhlenberg junior midfielder Ari Jacobson scored an unassisted goal with 3:09 left in the second overtime Saturday afternoon to snuff Swarthmore's comeback attempt.
Jacobson's game-winner gave the visiting Mules a 4-3 win over Swarthmore at Clothier Field in Centennial men’s lacrosse action.
Swarthmore (3-4, 2-2 CC) was unable to solve Mules goalie Mike Horowitz in the first 30 minutes, despite holding a 12-10 shot advantage.
Unassisted goals by Muhlenberg players Brent Siebold, Corey Aferiat and Al Carpetto opened up a 3-0 advantage for the visitors.
The donut on Swarthmore’s end of the scoreboard finally straightened out with 5:39 left in the third period. Junior attacker Tyler Bradshaw (Marietta, Ga. / Lassiter) rotated the ball to classmate Anthony Phalen (Neeham, Mass. / Needham) on the left wing. Phalen immediately flashed towards the Muhlenberg cage and snapped a shot past Horowitz for his second goal of the season.
A key Garnet timeout at the beginning of the fourth period led to the team’s second goal. Sophomore midfielder Bryan Baum (Miami Beach, Fla. / Ransom Everglades) isolated himself behind the Muhlenberg cage, got a step on his defender and curled around the far post before firing his first goal of the season into the net at 11:26.
Another unlikely source accounted for the tying goal. The play began in the Swarthmore defensive end when Garnet goalie Kevin Friedenberg ’10 (Needham, Mass. / Needham) sensed the Mules attacker was losing control of the ball. Friedenberg checked the ball away and Garnet defender Max Wilson ’10 (Great Falls, Va. / Langley) scooped up the ground ball.
Senior midfielder Will Predun (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. / Cold Spring Harbor) transitioned the ball into the Swarthmore offensive end and hit long-stick middie Jacob Metzger ’10 (New York, N.Y. / Cape Elizabeth [ME]). Metzger took one hop and fired in his first goal of the season at 9:37 to tie the game.
The two goalies preserved the tie, combining for eight saves (five by Horowitz) in the fourth period and the first over time. It was the fourth overtime game for the Garnet in the past three seasons (1-3 record).
The Mules won the face-off at the start of the second over time and calmly set up a play. Jacobsen made a wide turn off the left side of the Swarthmore cage and found a seam in the top side, putting home his sixth goal of the season to send Muhlenberg to their first win of the season (1-6, 1-3 CC).
Horowitz finished the afternoon with 12 saves while Friedenberg accounted for six stops and four ground balls. Predun led Swarthmore with five ground balls while causing two turnovers.
The Garnet resume Conference action at Clothier Field next Saturday when McDaniel visits campus for a 1:00 p.m. contest.