Mules Hand Garnet Lax Fourth Consecutive Close Loss
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Senior Tyler Bradshaw, sophomore Max Hubbard, and sophomore Zach Belden each scored a pair of goals to lead the Swarthmore College men’s lacrosse team (1-6, 0-4), but a Muhlenberg goal with three seconds left in the third period proved to be the difference as the Mules (4-3, 3-1) defeated Swarthmore 9-8 on Saturday evening from Scotty Wood Stadium.
Senior Kevin Friedenberg finished the game with 13 saves for the Garnet who battled back from an early 3-0 deficit to tie the game at five before Brent Siebold scored his sixth goal of the season for the Mules at the end of the third quarter.
Belden scored two goals in the close loss for the Garnet.
Senior Gavin Musynske and freshman Wes Marcik each added even strength goals.
Hubbard’s tenth goal of the season brought the Garnet to within one goal at 8-7 with :35 remaining in regulation before the Mules responded just 10 seconds later as Jack Reilly’s second goal of the game and of the season iced the game.
Swarthmore picked up their eighth goal of the game with just .2 seconds remaining the clock from the stick of Tyler Bradshaw.
The Garnet has lost its four Centennial Conference games by a combined five goals.
The Mules jumped on the Garnet midway through the first period of play as they scored three consecutive goals in a span of 2:26. Clint Watkins made the score 1-0 with 9:28 remaining in quarter one before AJ Diaz doubled the lead with his first goal of the season just 34 seconds later.
After Bradshaw and Watkins exchanged goals to make the score 4-1 Muhlenberg, the Garnet scored twice in a row to pull within one as Belden beat Muhlenberg goaltender Mike Horowitz with 6:30 remaining in the first half and then again with 13:50 left in quarter three.
Trailing 5-3 with under two minutes remaining in the third quarter, Musynske and Hubbard beat Horowitz just 51 seconds apart to bring the Garnet even at 5-5. But with three seconds showing for the third quarter, Siebold would give the Mules the lead for good as he scored past Friedenberg.
Just one game after losing 16 of 19 face-offs against Franklin &Marshall, the Garnet won 10-19 face-offs against Muhlenberg. Swarthmore finished with a 44-33 shots advantage, through the Mules had 22 shots on goal compared to 21 for Swarthmore.
The Garnet returns to action this Wednesday as they host the US Merchant Marine Academy. Action is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM from Clothier Field Stadium.