COLCHESTER, VT – The Saint Michael’s College men’s
lacrosse team posted a huge upset victory over previously undefeated Pace
University, 7-5, in Northeast-10 Conference action on Saturday afternoon at Doc
Jacobs field.
SMC, coming off a 15-1 loss to nationally ranked Le Moyne,
took their frustration out on the Setters today, coming back twice in the game
and improving its record to 2-2 overall and 2-1 in the NE-10. Pace, ranked No.
6 in the latest USILA/STX Division II poll, falls to 3-1 overall and in the
conference.
The Setters opened up the scoring in the first quarter
when they went up 1-0 on an unassisted goal by Matt Duchnowski (Selden,
N.Y.) at the 4:43 mark. Defense controlled the first 15 minutes of play on
both ends of the field, and it wasn’t until the 11:11 mark of the second
quarter when the home team finally got on the board. Junior Nathan Siegler
(Brownsville, Vt.) tied the game when he fired a shot home on a pass by
senior Greg Gosier (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.). Duchnowski scored his
second of the game at 9:33 in the second stanza for the 2-1 advantage.
The Purple Knights never trailed again as they went up
4-3 at halftime off tallies by Jason Vanderstreet (Woodstock, Vt.), Bryan
Barletto (Liverpool, N.Y.), and Siegler’s second of the game.
Setter midfielder John Hemsley (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) scored a
goal and a helper to keep the visitors close.
Saint Michael's
outscored Pace 2-1 in the third quarter as senior captain Tim Birmingham
(Brownsville, Vt.) found the back of the net at the 13:06 mark to widen the
scoring gap to two, 5-3. Sophomore James Watson (Seaford, N.Y.) cut the
lead to one, when he redirected a pass by Dan Moller (Manasquan, N.J.),
but SMC regained its cushion when Siegler capped off his hat trick effort with
one second remaining in the third.
Despite the blistering cold, things got heated on the
field as both teams fought for control of the ball in the final stanza. The
Setters again cut SMC’s lead to one as Hemsley added another goal, but that
is all the offense Pace would produce as Birmingham added an insurance goal for
SMC with under five minutes to go.
Senior Jim Crozier (Avon, Conn.) stopped 10 shots
for the home team, while Adam Skiadas (Binghamton, N.Y.) made eight
saves for Pace.
Saint Michael’s travels to non-conference rival Green
Mountain College on Tuesday, while Pace hosts AIC next Thursday.
Scoring Summary
Pace (3-1, 3-1 NE-10)
1
2
1
1
--5
Saint Michael’s (2-2, 2-1 NE-10)
0
4
2
1
--7
Pace Scoring (Goals-Assists):
Hemsley, 2-1; Duchnowski, 2-0; Watson 1-0; Michael Considine 0-1; Mark Phillips
0-1; Charlie Rizzuto 0-1.
Saint Michael’s Scoring (Goals-Assists):
Siegler 3-0; Birmingham 2-1; Barletto 1-0; Vanderstreet 1-0; Gosier 0-2.
Saves
Pace – Skiadas, 8 saves, 7 goals.
SMC – Crozier, 10 saves, 5 goals.
Shots
Pace – 24
SMC – 18
Extra-Man Opp. (Goals/Attempts)
Pace - 1/6
SMC – 0/8
