RMU Edges Jacksonville in Another Shootout
from press release
MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- The Robert Morris
University Colonials were up by five with 6:02 left to play, but
the Dolphins surged a comeback by scoring four goals within two
minutes to make it a one goal game. Both teams scrambled for
possession in the last 2:25 of regulation, but the Colonials
prevailed and held on to their one goal lead to win 18-17.
Robert Morris led the game for all but 40 seconds of the contest
when the game was knotted 7-7 with 5:18 left to play in the second
quarter. However, the Dolphins never let Robert Morris far from
their sight with the Colonials biggest lead capping at five goals,
which occurred twice in the contest.
The win was a complete Colonial effort as 10 players scored goals
in the win, 12 captured at least one point, six recorded multi goal
games and nine earned multi point games. Junior Patrick Smith
(Westminster, Md. / Westminster) led the contest with four goals
and one assist for five points, while sophomore Kiel Matisz (Stoney
Creek, Ontario / Saltfleet) finished the contest with a team high
three assists and one goal for four points. Junior Taylor Caparosa
(Annapolis, Md. / Annapolis), junior Keith Lee (Hudson, Ohio /
Western Reserve Academy) and sophomore Kyle Buchanan (Nepean,
Ontario / John McCrae) each finished with a pair of goals and one
assist.
Mike Grosz (St. Louis, Mo. / Parkway West) finished the contest
with a team high seven ground balls, while Jordon Sealock (Airdrie,
Alberta / George MacDougal) and Buchanan each recorded a
season-high six ground balls. Sealock also added a team high three
caused turnovers.
RMU opened the contest with a two goal lead within the first five
minutes of play with scores by Matisz and Lee. John Linnan
responded for Jacksonville by scoring an unassisted goal at 5:02.
However, the Colonials continued to dominate the first quarter and
scored the next three goals to take a 5-1 lead. Before the end of
the first frame the Dolphins and the Colonials traded goals to set
the score at 6-2 in RMU's favor heading into the second
quarter.
Freshman Taylor Graves (Carlsbad, Calif. / Carlsbad) increased
RMU's lead to five goals by beating Dolphin goalie Brad Hester at
3:46. Throughout the next five minutes Jacksonville's offense
exploded and scored five goals to knot the score 7-7 with Jeremy
Tissenbaum and Ryan Serville leading the way with two apiece. That
would be the only time RMU did not lead the contest.
Within the last few minutes of regulation, the Colonials regained
their composure and found the net three times to take back the
lead, 10-7.
In the third quarter the Dolphins and the Colonials fired off
three goals apiece, which maintained RMU's three goal lead at
13-10.
The two squads traded goals to start the final quarter, but the
Dolphins triggered off two goals at the 2:27 and 3:49 marks to cut
RMU's lead to one. At 6:01 Rob Marasti (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Mt.
Lebanon) scored his first goal of the season for the Colonials,
which was followed by three more RMU goals to give them their
biggest lead of the second half at 18-13. The Dolphins made a run
for it to end the half with four goals, but the Colonials were able
to hold on to earn the 18-17 win.
Redshirt freshman Charles Ruppert (Long Island, N.Y. / Massapequa)
and sophomore Dillon Pope (Smithtown, N.Y. / Smithtown West) shared
time between the pipes and made six save apiece. Hester tallied 10
stops for the Dolphins.
Nick Scalzo led the Dolphins with five goals and added one assist
for six points and Ryan Serville led the team with seven points,
consisting of three goals and four assists.
The Colonials return to action next Saturday, April 3 when they
take the Air Force at 12:00 p.m. at Joe Walton Stadium.
