Sciulla, Cerar Clutch; C.W. Post Reigns
from press release
FOXBORO, Mass. -- Senior goalkeeper Daniel
Sciulla made seven saves in the fourth quarter and USILA Player of
the Year Greg Cerar scored four second half goals to lead #2 C.W.
Post to an 8-7 victory over #1 Le Moyne College in the 2009
Division II Men's Lacrosse National Championship game on Sunday
evening in front of 24,072 fans at Gillette Stadium.
Le Moyne opened the scoring in the contest just 12 seconds in.
Senior midfielder Brian Welch (Ithaca, N.Y./Ithaca) moved around
the back of the cage and hit sophomore attackman Jack Venditti
(Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) with a pass on the right crease.
Venditti took two
steps and beat Sciulla over the right shoulder.
The Pioneers answered back with three consecutive goals to go
ahead 3-1. Joe Meo dodged right from top of box and scored low to
the goalkeeper's stick-side with 12:45 to go. Matt Dimler then gave
the Pioneers the lead with 11:27 remaining by coming around the
goal, ducking inside his
defender and scoring low. Dave Loftus capped the three-goal run at
the 6:46 mark by taking a pass from Nick Coric and bouncing a shot
inside the near post from 12 yards out.
The two squads traded goals over the final 1:18 to end the first
quarter with C.W. Post leading 4-2. Sophomore attackman Jack
Harmatuk (Syracuse, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy/Syracuse U.)
pulled the Dolphins within one goal by dodging from the left side
and firing a shot from 15 yards
out that deflected off a C.W. Post defender into the goal. Loftus
closed out the quarter by picking up a ground ball just off the
crease and converting the open shot.
Sophomore defensive midfielder Jikado Hanna (Hopkinton,
Mass./Bridgton Academy) tallied the second quarter's only goal with
4:08 left by scoring in transition off a clearing pass from senior
defenseman Tim MacLean (Troy, Mich./Detroit Jesuit) following a
save by senior goalkeeper Doug McIver (Altamont, N.Y./Albany
Academy), who finished with 11 saves in the contest.
Senior midfielder Brooks Robinson (Preble, N.Y./Tully/Onondaga
C.C.) tied the score at four apiece 3:58 into the third quarter on
a blast from 8 yards out after picking up ground ball. C.W. Post
regained the lead with 9:53 remaining as Cerar rolled inside from
the right side and scored inside the near post. The Dolphins evened
the score for the final time 1:15 later as sophomore midfielder
Tyler Sennett (Syracuse, N.Y./Nottingham) dodged from the top of
box, weaved through three
defenders and beat Sciulla low.
Cerar notched consecutive goals over the final 2:46 of the third
quarter to give C.W. Post a 7-5 advantage. He registered the first
of the two goals after a Le Moyne defender went for a crossing pass
at the top of the box and placed a low shot between McIver's legs.
On the second goal,
Cerar beat his defender behind the cage, rolled back inside and
shot low with 2.1 second left in the stanza.
Harmatuk got the Dolphins to within 7-6 just 43 seconds into the
final quarter by using an inside roll and beating the goalkeeper
with a bounce shot from 10 yards out. Following almost 13 minutes
of scoreless action, Cerar scored into an open goal off a pass from
Loftus. The Dolphins won the ensuing face-off and ran the ball into
the offensive zone before calling a timeout. Right after play was
resumed, Harmatuk scored on the crease off a pass from sophomore
midfielder Matt Chadderdon (Auburn, N.Y./Auburn). After causing a
turnover following the face-off, the Dolphins called a timeout
after getting the ball into the box. Venditti put a shot wide with
14 seconds remaining before Harmatuk had a shot saved with only
four seconds remaining.
Le Moyne (16-1), which defeated C.W. Post, 6-5, on March 21 in the
Carrier Dome, was making its fourth consecutive appearance in the
National Championship game. The senior class closes its career with
a record of 64-5 and two national championships.
