Ososki's OT Goal Puts Mount in Control of Destiny
from press release
LEXINGTON, Va. -- Freshman Eric Ososki scored with 1:59 left in the first overtime to lift Mount St. Mary's to a dramatic 8-7 win over VMI in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action on Wednesday afternoon.
With the win, the Mount (4-8, 4-3 MAAC) continues to control its own destiny for a spot in the MAAC playoffs. A Mount St. Mary's win over Wagner on Saturday will clinch the Mount's first MAAC Tournament berth since 2006. The top four teams in the conference qualify for the MAAC playoffs.
In the overtime, the Mount forced a pair of VMI (2-11, 1-6) turnovers, the second one with just over two minutes left giving the Mount possession to set up Ososki's goal. Ososki drove to the cage and finished a shot to the upper right corner to propel the Mount to the win.
The game was close throughout with the Mount opening a 6-4 lead midway through the third quarter on consecutive goals from Geery Grant and Mark Stapor. VMI, however, answered with back-to-back goals from Brett Leonard and Drew Leonard to tie the score at 6-6 heading into the final quarter.
The Mount's Cody Lehrer scored an extra-man goal with 11:31 left to give the Mountaineers a tenuous one-goal advantage. The lead held up until Brett Leonard tallied an unassisted score with just 1:48 left in the game to force overtime.
Lehrer and Ososki each finished with a pair of goals to pace the Mount to the win while Stapor added a goal and two assists. Brendan Harrison also had a multiple-point game with a goal and an assist for the Mountaineers. Brendan Flanagan picked up a team-high six ground balls while goalkeeper T.C. DiBartolo made seven saves in the win.
Brett Leonard had a career game for the Keydets, figuring in the scoring for all seven of VMI's goals. Leonard finished with four goals and three assists while Tim Moran chipped in a pair of goals.
The game, which was played in a driving rainstorm throughout the second half, was a rough-and-tumble affair that featured 10 penalties . The Mount was outshot, 26-to-22, in the game, but held a 26-to-24 advantage in ground balls.
In the first half, VMI's Brett Leonard opened the scoring 1:10 into the game, however, the Mount rattled off the next four goals to take a 4-1 advantage.
Freshman Anthony Golden got the Mount on the scoreboard with 10:22 left in the first quarter win an unassisted goal. Ososki converted a Christian Kellett pass just 44 seconds later to give the Mount the lead.
Harrison had a hand in the Mount's next two goals to give the Mount a 4-1 advantage. Harrison scored with 5:22 left in the first quarter to make the score 3-1 and he assisted on Lehrer's goal 1:07 into the second quarter for a three-goal lead.
The Keydets, however, got right back into the game with three straight scores. Colin Bosse scored ahead of a pair of Moran goals, the second of which tied the score at 4-4 at the half.
Each team posted 11 shots in the first half with the Mount holding a 19-11 advantage in ground balls.
The Mount returns to action on Saturday, April 25, with a 1:00 p.m. game against Wagner at Waldron Family Stadium on campus. The Mount will honor its senior class prior to the game.
