Garnet Lax Still Undefeated
SANFORD, Fla. -- Sophomore attack Gavin Musynske registered a career-high six points as Swarthmore (3-0, 0-0) used an explosive second quarter to sail past St. Mary's College of Maryland 9-6 on Wednesday afternoon.
Swarthmore’s defense shut down the Seahawks in the second half, allowing just three goals. Senior goaltender Frank Mazzucco (Redding, CT / Joel Barlow) made 11 saves in net.
St. Mary’s (2-3, 0-0) struck first before junior attack Stelios Wilson (Moorestown, NJ / Moorestown) scored his sixth goal of the season with just over three minutes left in the first quarter to tie up the score at 1-1. The Seahawks scored with 16 seconds left in the first quarter, and added two quick goals at the beginning of the second to jump out to a 4-1 lead.
Swarthmore then countered with five unanswered goals in the second, including three goals in less than three minutes, to storm back and take the lead. Musynske scored his first goal of the afternoon with just over eleven minutes remaining in the second quarter, and then put home a pass from junior midfielder Will Predun (Cold Spring Harbor, NY / Cold Spring Harbor) less than a minute later. Junior midfielder Todd Friedman (Miami, FL / Miami – Palmetto) scored his second goal of the season less than a minute after that, tying the game at 4-4.
Sophomore midfielder Anthony Phalen (Needham, MA / Needham) converted a pass from Musynske to give the Garnet a 5-4 lead with 7:58 remaining in the half. Musynske capped off the Swarthmore scoring run just over two minutes later with his third goal of the afternoon. St. Mary’s added a goal before the half to bring the Seahawks within one going into halftime.
The scoring quieted in the second half as both team’s defenses settled in. Phalen scored his second goal of the afternoon off a feed from sophomore attack Tyler Bradshaw (Marietta, GA / Marietta) to put the Garnet up 7-5 with 13:50 remaining in the third. St. Mary’s scored their final goal of the contest with 5:50 to go in the third, pulling the Seahawks to within one going into the fourth quarter.
The game remained close in the fourth, as neither team was able to score for the first 13 minutes. Musynske gave Swarthmore a cushion with an unassisted goal, his eighth of the young season, with just over two minutes remaining. He then dribbled a pass to a streaking Ivano Vetresca (Emmaus, PA / Emmaus) who picked up the ball in front of the net and put it home with 1:01 remaining in the game, securing a 9-6 win for Swarthmore.
Musynkse picked up four ground balls to go along with his career day, as did senior defender Drew Bonessa (Pittsburgh, PA / Shady Side Academy).
Swarthmore returns to action on Saturday afternoon, wrapping up their spring break trip with a 1:00 game against New England College.