Rufo, Scranton Pulls Stunner on Ithaca
from press release
SCRANTON, Pa. - The University of Scranton made sure that
Tim Marshall's debut as head coach was a memorable one Tuesday
afternoon at Fitzpatrick Field.
The Royals broke open a close game by scoring the final seven goals
to stun 12th-ranked Ithaca, 12-5.
Scranton, which posted its first win ever over the Bombers in five
tries, received five goals from sophomore midfielder Mike Rufo
(Broomall, Pa./Haverford School), three from junior attacker Robert
Pantages (Roseland, N.J./West Essex), and one apiece from freshman
attackers Taylor Nelson (Chester Springs, Pa./Downingtown East) and
Oliver Nugent (Short Hills, N.J./Morristown Beard), junior attacker
Sean Coleman (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) and senior
midfielder Doug Homan (Manasquan, N.J./Manasquan).
Ithaca, now 0-1, was led by senior attacker Nic Heckman (Sparta,
N.J./Sparta) with two goals and sophomore attackers Tom Mongelli
(Kinnelon, N.J./Kinnelon), Andrew Bruce (Lafayette, Calif./De La
Salle) and Devin Weinshank (Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach) added one
apiece.
Rufo took over after Nugent broke a 5-5 tie with a man-up goal with
1:43 remaining the third period to give Scranton the lead for good,
6-5, entering the final period of play. He scored three goals
during a seven-minute span as the Royals broke the game wide
open. Scranton held a 36-25 advantage in shot attempts,
including a 15-5 margin in the fourth period.
The unsung hero for Scranton turned out to be junior captain
Patrick Cefalu (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip), who won 15 of 18
face-offs to keep the Bombers on defense throughout much of the
game. He also finished with a game-high 10 ground balls.
The Bombers took an early 2-0 lead in the first period behind goals
by Heckman and Mongelli before Rufo scored a man-down goal,
unassisted, and Coleman followed with an unassisted goal to tie the
game at 2-2. Pantages then scored twice in the second period
and Rufo added another as Scranton took a 5-4 lead by
intermission.
The Bombers tied it up at 5-5 on an unassisted by Bruce before
Nugent's man-up goal gave Scranton the lead for good on a play set
up by junior attacker J.P. Barton (North Brunswick, N.J./St. Joseph
Metuchen).
Defensively, Scranton held Ithaca to only one goal in the second
half and did not allow any in the final 18 minutes of play.
Junior goalie Jeremy Dowiak (Hackettstown, N.J./West Morris)
finished with seven saves and Ithaca's Brendan Green (Pittsford,
N.Y./Pittsford Mendon) had 10.
Marshall is serving on an interim basis as head coach this season
after former coach Kevin Dugan resigned in January to accept the
newly-created position of director of men's lacrosse operations at
his alma mater, the University of Notre Dame. Marshall served
as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Royals the
past two seasons.
Scranton will host Utica this Saturday, March 6, beginning at 1:00
p.m. at Fitzpatrick Field.
News & Notes: For the game, Scranton
held a 16-for-20 advantage in face-offs...the Royals also received
an assist apiece from junior attacker Thomas Alati (Glen Ridge,
N.J./Montclair Kimberly), sophomore defender Tim McMenamin (Spring
Lake, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy), and sophomore midfielder
Colin McPoyle (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks South)...sophomore
defender Owen Eastwood (Rumson, N.J./Rumson) had three of
Scranton's nine caused turnovers...Ithaca was 1-for-5 in extra-man
opportunities and Scranton was 1-for-6.
