Surging Towson Upsets No. 7 Drexel
from press release
TOWSON, Md. - Led by a career-high five assists
from graduate student Christian Pastirik (St. Mary’s
H.S./Annapolis, Md.), Towson University (5-5, 3-0) overcame a
two-goal deficit in the third quarter to earn its fourth straight
win, an 8-7 Colonial Athletic Association victory over
seventh-ranked Drexel University (9-3, 2-1) at the Tigers’
Johnny Unitas Stadium on Saturday evening.
The Tigers’ leading scorer with 18 goals and 15 assists,
Pastirik recorded three of his assists during a pivotal four-goal
run by the Tigers, which gave them an 8-6 advantage with 13:19
remaining in the fourth quarter.
“We practiced and competed hard all week and that is why we
won this game,” Pastirik said. “After we fell behind,
we had to calm down and realized that we could score and get past
their guys, but it was going to take a second dodge.”
The Tigers took a quick 1-0 lead off the opening face-off as
sophomore attackman Matt Lamon (St. Mary’s H.S./Annapolis,
Md.) scored off a pass from freshman midfielder Ryan DeSmit
(Friends School/Towson, Md.) just five seconds into the game.
But, the Dragons answered just over a minute later when senior
attackman Colin Ambler (Abington H.S./Abington, Pa.) converted a
pass from junior attackman Scott Perri (Smithtown West
H.S./Smithtown, N.Y.) for his 19th goal of the season, tying the
game at 1-1.
The teams traded goals twice during the final 13 minutes of the
opening stanza for a 3-3 tie at the end of the period.
After the teams exchanged goals in the first 11 minutes of the
second quarter, the Dragons took a 5-4 lead into the intermission
when senior midfielder Adam Dennis (DeMatha H.S./Fairfax, Va.)
scored an unassisted goal past junior goalkeeper Travis Love
(Winters Mill H.S./Westminster, Md.) with just nine seconds
remaining in the period.
The Dragons upped their lead to 6-4 with 11:46 left in the third
quarter when sophomore midfielder Andrew Collins (Lakeland
H.S./Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) scored off a feed from sophomore
midfielder Chris Farquhar (West Potomac H.S./Alexandria, Va.).
However, the Tigers answered with a four-goal rally to turn the
two-goal deficit into a two-goal lead early in the fourth quarter.
With 7:03 remaining in the third period, sophomore midfielder Carl
Iacona (Massapequa H.S./Massapequa, N.Y.) scored an unassisted goal
to trim the margin to 6-5.
Then, sophomore midfielder Michael Brashears (Calvert Hall College
H.S./Timonium, Md.) tied the game at 6-6 with his second goal of
the contest, an extra-man marker off a pass from Pastirik with 27
seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Just 45 seconds into the fourth quarter, senior midfielder Brock
Armour (Western Reserve Academy/Victoria, B.C., Canada) gave the
Tigers a 7-6 advantage when he took a pass from Pastirik and scored
past sophomore goalkeeper Mark Manos (Salesianum H.S./West Chester,
Pa.) for his third goal of the season.
The Tigers upped the lead to 8-6 less than a minute later when
senior midfielder Will Harrington (Friends School/Baltimore, Md.)
scored off a feed from Pastirik.
But, the Dragons responded with 7:55 left when freshman attackman
Robert Church (Charles Best H.S./Coquitlam, B.C., Canada) tallied
his 27th goal of the season off a feed from freshman midfielder
Aaron Prosser (Lincoln H.S./Portland, Ore.).
After the Tigers held the ball for nearly five minutes late in
regulation, the Dragons had one last chance to tie the game after a
penalty was called with nine seconds remaining. Church had a shot
from 18 yards away, but Love stopped the point-blank attempt as
time expired to preserve the victory.
“I’ve never thought of winning a game on a save before,
but I knew I was going to save that shot,” Love said.
“I told myself that there was no way I was going to let that
goal in.”
While Pastirik led the Tigers with five assists, Harrington and
Brashears each scored two goals. Love, who was named as CAA
Co-Player of the Week on Monday, made five of his seven saves in
the second half.
“Our seniors are unbelievable,” said Towson Coach Tony
Seaman. “They are hanging in there and giving great efforts.
They refuse to lose right now and they hang in there and
battle.
“The players believe in themselves and they are having
fun,” Coach Seaman added. “We played so many good teams
early on and we lost some close games. But, we were ready to play
tonight.”
Manos made 14 saves in a losing effort for the Dragons, who were
outshot by a 29-22 margin. Ambler and Perri each had a goal with an
assist.
The Tigers, who have won four straight games for the first time
since 2006, will play their final home game of the regular season
next Saturday afternoon against Penn State at 12 noon. The game
will be televised on WMAR-TV in the Baltimore area and nationally
on ESPNU.
The Dragons, who had their three-game win streak snapped, will
travel to Delaware on Saturday afternoon for a 7 p.m. game against
the Blue Hens.
