Super Cooper Leads Loyola over Navy in OT
from staff reports
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Loyola attackman Cooper MacDonnell gets a step on Navy defenseman Ian Crumley. MacDonnell scored six goals, including the game-winner in overtime, Saturday to lead the 14th-ranked Greyhounds to an 8-7 win. © John Strohsacker/LaxPhotos.com |
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Attackman Cooper MacDonnell scored his sixth goal with nine seconds remaining in overtime to lift No. 14-ranked Loyola to an 8-7 victory over No. 12-ranked Navy at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
MacDonnell, who added an assist, factored in seven of the
Greyhounds eight goals. His six goals eclipsed his previous best of
five set last season against Syracuse and Georgetown. He also had
an assist to finish with a career-high seven points.
“This was a big win for our team and for our program,”
Loyola head coach Charley Toomey said. “I am extremely proud
of our guys for playing hard against a physical, though Navy team.
I am very proud of the way that we battled for 60 minutes plus
today.”
Navy (1-1) won the first faceoff in overtime, but an errant pass
led to a turnover, and Steve Layne picked up the ground ball for
Loyola.
Taylor Ebsary appeared to get free in front of the crease on the
ensuing possession, but he was checked as he shot, and the attempt
went high of the goal. A turnover ended Loyola’s possession,
leading to a transition opportunity.
Ryan O’Leary came open on the left side of the goal for the
Midshipmen, but Greyhounds goalkeeper Jake Hagelin made a
point-blank save on O’Leary’s shot, prolonging the
game.
Hagelin picked up the ground ball, and Loyola cleared the ball
successfully to its offensive end.
MacDonnell drew a long-pole defender and curled around the right
side of the crease, drilling the game-winning goal past
Navy’s R.J. Wickham.
Loyola’s win snapped a five-game losing streak in
season-openers.
Neither team led by more than three goals. Loyola took a 6-3 lead on Davis Butts' marker with 7:54 remaining in the third quarter, but Navy fought back with three unanswered goals bridging the third and fourth quarters.
After MacDonnell finished a feed from Collin Finnerty with 9:14 left in the fourth quarter, the score remained 7-6 Loyola for nearly six minutes.
Navy's Patrick Moran netted his third goal of the game with 3:03 remaining to tie it at 7 and send it into overtime. That's when MacDonnell beat Wickham, who finished with 19 saves in the loss.
Loyola goalie Jake Hagelin was relatively untested, making three saves and allowing seven goals, but came up with the big point-blank stop in OT. The Greyhounds outshot the Midshipmen 44-21.
