Near Miss: Stevenson Survives 'Noke in OT
from press release
OWINGS MILLS, Md. - Junior Richie Ford (Baltimore/Towson)
capped a three-goal rally in the game's final six minutes just over
two minutes into overtime as the No. 1 Stevenson men's lacrosse
team defeated No. 5 Roanoke, 15-14 Wednesday in the quarterfinals
of the NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship at Caves
Athletics Complex.
The win was the ninth-straight for the Mustangs (19-2) who advance
to the national semifinals for the second consecutive year and
continue to add to their school record for wins in a season which
was 17 set a year ago.
It was also Stevenson's second victory over Roanoke at home this
season after the two teams hadn't met since 2001 and was a lot
closer than their regular season meeting on March 27 in which the
Mustangs won 18-9.
The Mustangs are 21-3 at home the last two seasons.
After stopping 22 shots in the team's second round victory over No.
8 Cabrini, Stevenson senior Geoff Hebert (Lutherville/Dulaney) made
a career-high 27 on Wednesday, including 15 in the second half.
In five games in the NCAA championship, Hebert has posted a 4-1
record while posting a career-high in saves in three of those
games.
Trailing 14-12, junior Jimmy Dailey (Westminster/Winters Mill)
scored his second goal with 4:15 remaining in the fourth quarter
before junior Kyle Moffitt (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East)
tied the game just 1:06 later with his third of the contest off a
pass from senior Dave Cougler (Rochester, N.Y./G. Ray Bodley).
Wednesday's game featured seven ties and five lead changes and the
Mustangs rallied from three separate two-goal deficits, including a
3-0 margin to start the game after the Maroons scored the game's
first three goals in the first 4:44.
Despite being outshot 72-40, Stevenson had three shots in the final
3:09, two of which were saved by Roanoke's Jake Dorsey and a third
that hit the crossbar. The Maroons had two shots during that span,
one of which was blocked and the other that was saved by
Hebert.
After junior Ray Witte (Annapolis/St. Peter and Paul) won his 15th
face-off the game to start overtime, Stevenson called a timeout to
set up its offensive attack in the sudden victory period before
Ford netted his fifth goal of the game with his team-leading fifth
game-winning goal of the season.
Senior Steve Kazimer (Syracuse, N.Y./Henninger), who picked up the
assist on Ford's game-winner, finished with three on the day,
raising his season point total to 92 and tying him with Eric
Schmith for the school's single-season record.
Kazimer also has 47 assists this season, surpassing his 2008 total
of 46 into second place behind Schmith's record of 55.
Meanwhile, Ford, who ranked second on that list with 86 in 2008,
now has 88, including 54 goals, five shy of his single-season
record set two years ago.
With eight ground balls, Witte now has 152 this season, moving him
into first place on the school's single-season list past Matt
Krastel's mark of 146 set in 1998. Witte also continues to add to
his school record for face-off wins and now has 282. He also has
373 in his three-year career, just eight shy of current assistant
coach Greg Furshman's record of 381.
Stevenson awaits the winner of the Haverford-Salisbury game
Wednesday night. If Haverford wins, the Mustangs and Fords will
meet at Caves Athletics Complex on Sunday for the first time since
1999 when Stevenson won on the road, 13-8.
If Salisbury wins, the Mustangs and Sea Gulls will meet at Sea Gull
Stadium, marking the sixth meeting between the two in the last two
seasons with Stevenson owning a 3-2 record.
More information on Sunday's game will be available at
gomustangsports.com on Thursday.
