Navy Shuts Down Ohio State 8-6
from press release
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Thomas Zimmerman and the Navy defense held OSU scoreless
in the fourth. |
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Senior attackman Bruce
Nechanicky (Montgomery Village, Md.) scored Navy's final two goals
of the game to anchor the Mids' 8-6 lacrosse victory over
19th-ranked Ohio State Saturday afternoon at Navy-Marine Corps
Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. While the Midshipmen improved to 2-0
overall the season, they also pushed their series advantage to 5-1,
including wins in each of the last three meetings against the
Buckeyes.
"Ohio State is a very talented team and to get a win like this in
February is great," said Navy head coach Richie Meade, who is just
one win shy of his 150th collegiate win.
The game had its fair share of dramatic moments and none would be
more telling than when Jeff Ryan's game-opening goal for the
Buckeyes was wiped away after his stick was found to be illegal.
Not only did the goal not count, Ryan was sent to the penalty box
for a three-minute non-releaseable penalty. The Buckeyes nearly
weathered the storm as Navy threw away the ball early, but the Mids
regrouped and with just three seconds left in the penalty, Navy
junior Tim Paul (Parkton, Md.) found middie Patrick Moran
(Annapolis, Md.) for the extra-man goal at 6:03 in the opening
quarter.
"I thought that play was huge," said Meade, in regards to Ohio
State's goal being waved off. "When it happens early in the game,
it does have an effect."
Nearly a minute-and-a-half later, Paul gave Navy a 2-0 lead when
he found a seam and sailed the ball past OSU keeper Brandon
Freeman. The Mids padded their lead to three goals on a 10-yard
shot by junior attackman Brendan Connors (Bellmore, N.Y.), who sent
his shut straight up the alley over Freeman's shoulder.
The Buckeyes regrouped in the second quarter and relied upon their
two senior attackmen, Ryan and Joel Dalgarno who rattled off three
straight goals to knot the game. Dalgarno pumped in back-to-back
goals, including the equalizer at 7:20 off an assist by junior
midfielder James Green.
Navy answered with back-to-back unassisted goals in less than a
span of a minute, including a goal by Connors who literally lifted
the ball out of the stick of the keeper and stuffed it back into
the net with five minutes to go in the game.
The Mids looked to take a 5-3 lead into the locker room, however,
Ohio State had something very different in mind. Instead, Dalgarno
and junior attack Mario Ventiquattro hooked up on a nifty play
where Ventiquattro snuck behind the goal and slipped his defender,
catching the pass as he came around the corner and hugged the
crease. He pumped it over the shoulder of Navy keeper Matt Coughlin
(Brightwaters, N.Y.) with just three seconds remaining in the half
to cut the Mids' lead to one heading into the half.
Much like last week's game, the Mids began the second half
particularly strong on offense. Navy scored goals two minutes apart
to push its lead to three, 7-4, early in the third quarter. Warner,
who dealt out a career-high three assists, found Paul sitting on
the doorstep for his second goal of the game. It was then
Nechanicky who fired off a shot and though Freeman stopped it, the
ball had too much momentum behind it and dribbled its way into the
back of the goal.
Again, Ohio State put up a fight. Dalgarno recorded his third goal
of the game on an unassisted shot with 1:36 remaining in the third
quarter. With time winding down, Navy's unforced error in a clear
attempt came back to bite the Mids as Ventiquattro scored off a
Ryan assist with one second before the end of the quarter.
"There aren't too many teams that can make a play like that at the
end of the half," said Meade. "That was impressive."
Navy's defense was stout in the fourth quarter, giving up just two
shots, while Navy struggled to put its shots on goal. The Mids got
eight looks at the goal, putting three on goal, including
Nechanicky's second goal of the game with under three minutes to
play. Nechanicky's goal was one for the highlight reel, as he took
the Warner pass and flipped it over his shoulder, never giving
Freeman a chance to see the ball.
Paul, Connors and Nechanicky each turned in a pair of goals to
lead the way for the Midshipmen, while Warner handed out a trio of
assists. Meanwhile, Ohio State's starting attack accounted for all
six of its goals, including All-American Dalgarno who pitched in
three goals and an assist.
Navy's defense did an admirable job on the Buckeyes, stifling
their extra-man unit after a week ago scoring on 4-of-6
opportunities. The Mids held Ohio State to a combined five shots in
the first and fourth quarters en route to shutting the Buckeyes out
in both periods. Coughlin turned in six saves for the Mids,
including four stops in the opening half.
The Midshipmen will play the first of three consecutive road games
next Friday when they travel to Chapel Hill, N.C. to face long-time
rival North Carolina. Last spring, Navy eliminated the Tar Heels
from the NCAA?Tournament by turning back ninth-ranked and
fourth-seeded Carolina, 8-7, in the opening round played at Fetzer
Field in Chapel Hill. Friday's contest is slated to begin at 7:30
pm.
