Four Goals From Bradshaw Not Enough as F&M Tops Swat Lax 9-7
SWARTHMORE, Pa. - Senior Tyler Bradshaw scored a season-high four goals while adding an assist to the lead the Swarthmore College men's lacrosse team (1-5, 0-3), but three Franklin & Marshall goals right before the end of the first half changed the momentum of the game and proved to be the difference, as the Diplomats (3-3, 1-1) edged the Garnet 9-7 on Wednesday afternoon from Clothier Field Stadium.
Friedenberg finished the game with 15 saves.
Senior Gavin Musynske added two goals - both on man-up opportunities - with an assist, but it wasn't enough to combat a hat trick from F&M's Kevin Kilpatrick and two goals apiece from Colin McKew and James Wenk.
Senior All-America candidate Kevin Friedenberg led the Garnet with another solid performance in net, making 15 saves. Friedenberg has now made 15 or more saves in three of Swat's six games this season.
For the snakebitten Garnet, the loss is the third consecutive by two goals of less.
The game started off promising enough for Swat, as the Garnet took advantage the of F&M penalties. Musynske and Bradshaw both scored man-up goals early in the first period, giving the Garnet a 2-1 lead with 7:41 remaining in the first period.
With score tied 2-2 entering the second period, Swarthmore took back the lead thanks to Bradshaw's second score. His unassisted goal gave the lead back to Swat at 3-2 with 9:37 remaining in the half.
But with under five mintues remaining in the half, the Diplomats fired off three unanswered goals, seizing the momentum of the game right out of the Garnet's hands. A goal from F&M's McKew's goal with :29 seconds remaining gave the Diplomats a 5-3 lead heading into the break.
In the second half, two more goals from Bradshaw - including one on a acrobatic flip from the front of the net - early in the third period tied the game once again at 5-5, but the Diplomats scored the game's next three goals, extending the lead to 8-5.
Swat would fight until the end - making it a two-goal game with under two minutes to play - but it wasn't enough to overcome the Diplomats, who hung on for the 9-7 win.
Franklin & Marshall finished the game with signifcant advantges in ground balls (33-17) and face-offs won (16-3).
Swarthmore returns to action this Saturday with a trip to Muhlenberg for a 7:00 p.m tilt.