New England College Ends WNEC's Dream
from press release
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Senior attacker Matt Vozzolo
(Somers, CT) scored the game-winner with .03 seconds left and
senior goalie Nick Fischer (South Burlington, VT) compiled 20 saves
as the sixth-seeded New England College men's lacrosse team shocked
second-seeded Western New England College 11-10 in a semifinal
round contest of The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) Wednesday
afternoon (May 5).
The Pilgrims (10-8) will visit top-seeded Endicott (a 10-6 winner
over fourth-seeded Roger Williams) in the conference championship
final on Saturday (May 8).
Junior attacker Damian Carey (Medford, NY) had four goals and an
assist for the Pilgrims who outscored the Golden Bears 5-2 in the
final period.
There were six ties in the game, including four in the opening half
as WNEC held a 6-5 edge at the break. The Golden Bears tallied
twice to start the third quarter, taking their biggest lead at 8-5
following a goal by junior midfielder Colin Houlihan (Yorktown
Heights, NY) at the
6:26 mark.
The visitors cut the margin to cut two after three periods when
Damian Carey scored with 5:36 left in the period with an assist
from junior attacker Matt Carey (Medford, NY). Damian scored again
with an assist from Matt just 31 seconds into the fourth stanza and
the Pilgrims tied the game on a shot from junior midfielder Ryan
Von Uffel (Cold Spring Harbor, NY) with 10:38 remaining.
New England College took its first lead of the game at 9-8 when
Matt Carey scored with an assist from Damian 3:06 later.
Western New England College came back and knotted the contest when
senior attacker Tim Santye (Skillman, NJ) fired in a shot with 5:37
left. The Pilgrims answered with another goal by Damian Carey with
4:38 remaining before sophomore midfielder Patrick White (Milton,
MA) tied the game for the final time with 2:13 left. White had a
shot attempt that hit the top of the crossbar with 1:18
remaining.
The Golden Bears lost possession when sophomore defender Charlie
Leonard (Pasadena, MD) forced a turnover with less than a minute to
go.
Vozzolo took a shot that missed just wide right and out-of-bounds
with 3.4 seconds left. When play resumed, junior midfielder John
Gabriel (West Nyack, NY) whipped the ball to Vozzolo who netted the
winning shot as time expired. However, after a brief discussion,
the officials put .03 seconds on the board, and although the Golden
Bears won the face-off, the game ended despite a desperation shot
that went into the net after the final buzzer.
Fischer was outstanding making six saves in both the first and
second quarters to keep the visitors in the game.
Matt Carey finished with a goal and five assists while Von Uffel
tallied twice. Vozzolo and junior midfielder John Gabriel (West
Nyack, NY) each added a goal and assist.
For Western New England College, White and freshman midfielder
Corey Johnson (Maybrook, NY) each scored three goals. Houlihan,
sophomore midfielder Chris D'Angelo (Suffield, CT), and sophomore
attacker Andrew Mariani (East Brunswick, NJ) both contributed a
goal and assist. Sophomore goalie Brewster Knowlton (Somers, CT)
stopped six shots. He and Vozzolo were teammates at Somers High
School in Connecticut.
The Golden Bears finish their season with a 12-6 record, but could
wind up receiving an invitational to the ECAC New England Division
III Tournament.
