Delaware Men Snap Three-Game Losing Streak
from press release
NEWARK, Del. -- The University of Delaware
broke out of a slump in a big way Saturday afternoon as seven
different Blue Hen players scored a goal and Noah Fossner (at
right) was brilliant in the nets with 13 saves in a 14-6 UD men's
lacrosse victory over Vermont at Delaware Stadium.
Delaware (5-4), which snapped a three-game losing streak and won
for the first time since March 6, jumped out to a 4-0 first quarter
lead and never trailed as the Hens got three goals from Martin
Cahill and two each from Curtis Dickson, Grant Kaleikau, Justin
Martinelli (bottom left), and Mark Steverson.
Fossner, who allowed his fewest goals since the season opener, did
not allow a goal for the first 17 minutes of the game and finished
with 13 saves - his second highest total this season - to lead the
Blue Hen defensive effort. Delaware has now defeated the Catamounts
11 times in 12 all-time meetings and downed its former America East
conference rival for the fifth straight time.
Vermont (1-7), which lost its third straight game and was coming
off an overtime setback to St. John’s last Saturday, got
three goals from Derek Lichtfuss, two from Liam Thomas, and three
assists from Geoff Worley but never got closer than three goals
after the Hens’ first quarter lead.
Lichtfuss, a junior attackman from Lutherville, Md., began his
college career at Delaware as a football player but never played
lacrosse for the Hens.
Cahill, who has scored a goal in nine straight games and has upped
his career point-total to 96, tallied two of his goals in the first
quarter to stake the Hens to the 4-0 lead and finished with his
seventh hat trick of the season.
Dickson, the national leader in goals scored with 36 and points per
game, netted both of his goals in the first quarter and extended
his streaks of 18 straight games with a goal and a school-record 49
straight with a point dating back to the 2007 season.
Kaleikau also dished out an assist, Dom Sebastiani scored his first
goal of the season and dished out two assists, and D.J. Widlake and
Chris Hichborn also scored to lead the balanced effort as the Blue
Hens posted their highest goal total since the 16-9 win over Albany
back on March 6 and their highest win-margin since a season-opening
15-5 triumph over Saint Joseph’s.
After a scoreless first six minutes, the Hens got on board with a
goal by Dickson with 8:39 left and Cahill and Dickson scored just
30 seconds apart three minutes later. A goal by Cahill with 3:04
remaining sent the Hens into the second stanza up 4-0.
Vermont finally got on board with a goal from Thomas 2:22 into the
second quarter but Cahill tallied for the Hens just 87 seconds
later. After a man-up goal by Vermont’s Lichtfuss at the 6:40
mark, the Hens took a 6-2 advantage into the break as Martinelli
scored off a feed from Sebastiani with 3:06 left.
Vermont pulled to within three goals when Thomas scored the first
goal of the second half just two minutes in to cut the margin to
6-3, but Delaware answered with goals from Kaleikau and Steverson
to push the lead to 8-3 and the Hens got tallies from Sebastiani
and Hichborn over the final three minutes of the third stanza to
extend the margin to 10-4 heading into the final period.
Steverson, Kaleikau, Sebastiani, and Martinelli all scored in the
final quarter to keep the Hens in front by a comfortable
margin.
Delaware will return to action next Saturday, Apr. 3, when the Hens
head to rival Towson University to take on the Tigers in their
Colonial Athletic Association opener at 3 p.m. at Johnny Unitas
Stadium.
AGATE:
Vermont................0.......2.......2.......2.......6
Delaware..............4.......2.......4.......4.......14
Scoring Summary:
Delaware - Martin Cahill, 3 goals-1 assist; Grant Kaleikau, 2-1;
Curtis Dickson, 2-1; Mark Steverson, 2-0; Justin Martinelli, 2-0;
Dom Sebastiani, 1-2; D.J. Widlake, 1-0; John Austin, 0-1; Dan
Mills, 0-1.
Vermont - Derek Lichtfuss, 3-0; Liam Thomas, 2-0; Augie Remien,
1-0; Geoff Worley, 0-3; Drew Philie, 0-1; Garrett Virtue, 0-1.
Shots: Vermont - 31, Delaware - 34; Groundballs: V - 36, D - 45;
Faceoffs: V - 11, D - 13; Clears: V - 18 of 23, D - 22 of 24; Extra
Man Goals: V - 1 for 6, D - 0 for 1; Penalties: V - 1 for :30, D -
6 for 4:30; Saves: V - 4 (David Barton, 58:34 min., 14 goals, 4
saves; Alex Plavner, 1:26, 0, 0); D - 13 (Noah Fossner); Turnovers:
V - 22, D - 24; Attendance: 503.
