RIT Fends Off Ithaca, Snags E8 Auto Bid
from press release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The RIT men's lacrosse team defeated
Ithaca College 9-6 in the Empire 8 Men's Lacrosse Championship
game. With the win the Tigers earn the automatic berth to the NCAA
Division III Tournament.
It's the twelfth trip to the tournament for RIT and first since
2006. The Tigers win their second Empire 8 title since the
tournament began in 2004.
Senior Dan MacRae (Oakville, Ontario/Holy Trinity) earned Most
Valuable Player honors for RIT. He had seven caused turnovers this
weekend, including five in the title game versus Ithaca. He scored
a goal versus the Bombers and grabbed five ground balls. MacRae
helped RIT's defense hold Nazareth to seven goals and Ithaca to
six.
After a low scoring first quarter, the Tigers scored the only three
goals in the second quarter to lead 4-1 at the half. Junior
midfielder Chris Cherami (Olwick, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) had two of
the Tigers three goals and Jordan MacIntosh (Oakville, ON/Holy
Trinity) scored the third.
The Tigers extended their lead with two goals to open the third
quarter. MacIntosh gave RIT a 5-1 lead with his second tally of the
game. Senior David Burke (Fairport, NY/Fairport) made it 6-1 Tigers
on a sweeping drive from the top of the restraining box.
RIT's defense was dominant, holding the Bombers scoreless for
33-plus minutes from the end of the first quarter, through the
second quarter and into the third. Ithaca finally broke the drought
with 1:38 to play in the third quarter on a goal by Tom Mongelli
which cut RIT's lead to 6-2.
Junior Kelso Davis (Freeport, ME/Deerfield Academy) scored on an
assist from Alex Crepinsek (Mississuaga, Ontario/St. Thomas
Aquinas) with three seconds to play in the third quarter to give
the Tigers a 7-2 lead.
Ithaca got a chance to get back in the game at the start of the
fourth quarter when RIT was flagged for a three-minute
non-releasable penalty for an illegal stick.
Mongelli, who finished with three goals for the Bombers, scored
twice in the three minute span on assists from Nic Heckman to cut
RIT's lead to 7-4 early in the fourth quarter.
The Tigers answered right back with goals from Davis and MacRae
giving RIT a five-goal cushion with 10 minutes to play in the
fourth.
Ithaca's Ryan Lowe and Mike Lohan added goals late for the Bombers
to get within three goals, but RIT was able to run the clock out
for the win and the title.
RIT was led by the trio of Davis, Cherami and MacIntosh who each
scored two goals. MacRae, Burke and Sean Gillies (Oakville,
Ontario/Albany Academy) each had a goal for the Tigers who improve
to 13-5 on the season.
Robert Tonnessen (Ridgefield, CT/Ridgefield) picked up his eleventh
win of the season allowing six goals and making 10 saves. He was
2-0 on the weekend with a 6.5 goals against average. MacRae was
dominant from his defensive spot causing five turnovers and picking
up five groundballs.
Tom Mangelli led Ithaca with three goals. Nic Heckman had five
assists and Devin Weinshank and Mike Lohan each had a goal. David
Gal took the loss for the Bombers making 12 saves.
RIT will await their opponent in the NCAA Division III Tournament.
The selection show will be broadcast on ESPNU at 10 pm tonight.
