#2 Bullets Top Garnet
GETTYSBURG, Pa. -- Midfielder Tom O'Donnell notched a hat trick and attackman Zach Pucci registered two goals and an assist as second-ranked Gettysburg rolled to a 13-5 win over Swarthmore in Centennial Conference men's lacrosse action on Saturday afternoon.
The Garnet (7-6, 1-6 CC) were led by sophomore attack Tyler Bradshaw (Marietta, Ga. / Lassiter) who tallied two scores, and senior midfielder Ivano Ventresca (Macungie, Pa. / Emmaus), who had a goal and an assist. Senior goaltender Frank Mazzucco (Redding, Conn. / Joel Barlow) had eight saves and picked up a team-high four ground balls.
The Bullets (13-1, 7-0 CC) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead before Bradshaw put the Garnet on the board with 11:02 remaining in the second quarter. Gettysburg rattled off two goals before junior midfielder Dave DeSimone (Ronkonkoma, N.Y. / Connetquot) scored, bringing the Garnet within two, and they trailed at the half 4-2.
Gettysburg came out firing in the third, scoring four unanswered goals, including two from sophomore attack Joe Brody (Bethesda, Md. / Walter Johnson) to open up a 8-2 lead. The Garnet refused to quit however, as Ventresca scored with 4:28 remaining in the third and Bradshaw scored 35 seconds into the fourth to pull Swarthmore within four.
O’Donnell (Montgomeryville, Pa. / LaSalle) and senior attack Chris Harman (New Market, Md. / St. John’s Prospect Hall) traded scores in the next four minutes, before Gettysburg capped the game off with a four-goal run to put the game out of reach.
Bullet midfielder Tim Stanton (Phoenix, Md. / Loyola Blakefield) won 15-19 face-offs and picked up a game-high eight ground balls.
The Garnet will finish up the 2008 season with a pair of home contests. They will take on Drew on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m., and will close the season out against rival Haverford on Saturday at 1:00 p.m., with both contests being played on Clothier Field.