Hartford Tops Brown for First Time in Series
from press release
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Behind a
stellar performance in the cage by sophomore goalie Frank Piechota,
the University of Hartford men’s lacrosse team held off
Brown, 8-6, earning the program’s first-ever win over the
Bears in a series that dates back to 2002.
In a game that opened with nearly 25 minutes of scoreless lacrosse
followed by six ties and four lead changes, Hartford managed to
take the lead and hold on to it for good with 9:40 remaining on the
scoreboard to snap a seven-game losing skid against the Bears and
improve to 2-2 on the season. Brown falls to 1-2 overall.
Piechota turned away 17 Bears’ shots, a career-high, to earn
the second win of his collegiate career. Leading the Hawks’
offense was junior Martin Bowes and sophomores Rory Nunamacher and
Jared Franze who each scored twice. Rounding out the Hawks’
scorers were seniors Tim Fallon and Conor Flynn who contributed one
goal apiece. Andrew Feinberg contributed on five of the
Bears’ six goals, finishing with four goals and one
assist.
Both Hartford and Brown’s sticks were kept silent through
the first 24:49 minutes of the game until Andrew Feinberg broke
open the stalemate with 5:11 remaining in the opening half. Franze
answered with his seventh goal of the season, knotting the game at
1-1 before Flynn put the Hawks ahead at the halftime break when he
broke loose on a clear attempt and delivered a hard ball past Brown
keeper Matt Chriss with six seconds on the scoreboard.
Brown outscored Hartford, 4-3, in the third quarter, sending the
game into the final 15 tied for the fifth time. Bowes connected
with Nunamacher on the man-up to put the Hawks ahead at 6-5 with
12:23 left to play however Brown responded just 17 seconds later
with Parker Brown’s unassisted score. Nunamacher delivered
the eventual game winner with 9:40 remaining and Bowes put the game
out of reach for the visitors at 8-6 with 3:26 left to play.
Hartford’s defense held Parker Brown, the nation’s
fifth best scorer, to just one goal while forcing the Bears into 17
turnovers. Fallon lost just five duels in the contest, finishing
13-of-18 at the face-off X. The senior, who was 5-of-5 in the first
half, also recorded a game-best eight ground balls.
The Hawks play host to the Bellarmine Knights on Sunday, March 13
at 1:00 p.m. Last year’s match-up with the Knights was
decided by a single tally as Sean Doyle scored the final two goals
of the contest to lift Bellarmine to an 8-7 victory on Al-Marzook
Field.
