DOLBER LIFTS MEN’S LACROSSE PAST BECKER, 9-8

LEICESTER, Mass – Sophomore attackman Evan Dolber (Malden, Mass.) scored the game-winning goal with :01 second left in regulation to propel the Emmanuel College team past Becker College, 9-8, Saturday afternoon in Great Northeast Athletic Conference men's lacrosse action. With the victory, the Saints improve to 5-8 overall and 3-4 in GNAC play while the loss drops the Hawks to 4-10 and 3-5.

Emmanuel led by as many as four goals early on in the game but following back-to-back scores by sophomore attack David Deschenes (Gales Ferry, Conn.), the Hawks led for the first time all afternoon at 8-7 with 7:24 remaining in the action.

EC freshman middie Justin Kelly (Collegeville, Pa.) evened the score at 8-8 with his second goal of the afternoon coming with just 1:17 left in the fourth quarter to set up the late game heroics from Dolber. Kelly would also register the assist on the game-winner to help the Saints grab their third conference victory of the year.

The Saints came out of the gates on fire, taking a 4-0 lead behind goals from freshman middie C.J. Galdorisi (Northport, N.Y.) at the 6:38 marker, sophomore Ryan Sabuda (Indianapolis, Ind.) on a man-up situation at the 5:31 marker, freshman attacker Max Mercier (Lincolnville, Maine) with 4:14 left in the first followed by a man-down goal from freshman middie Michael Rogers (New Haven, Conn.) with 3:11 to play in the opening quarter. Becker would get on the board with 2:32 left in the action on a Deschenes goal to make it 4-1 heading into the second quarter of play.

It was all Hawks in the second quarter as the hosts were able to outscore the Saints, 3-0, in the frame to even the score going into halftime. Senior middie Joe Ignagni (Kingston, Mass.) got the offensive show started with a man-up goal with just under five minutes remaining in the half. Junior midde John DeAngelis (Swampscott, Mass.) made it 4-3 with 3:25 remaining before Deschenes tied the score at 4-all with just 59 seconds left in the half.

Emmanuel opened the second half strong, scoring a pair of goals within 47 seconds of each other as sophomore attack Jake Jaskolski (St. Claire Shores, Mich.) gave EC a 5-4 lead at the 11:50 mark of the third before Kelly found the back of the net at the 11:03 marker to make it 6-4.

The Hawks responded late in the quarter, scoring two goals over the final 1:17. Senior attackman Jeff Peterson (Syracuse, N.Y.) cut the lead to 6-5 before Deschenes gave the hosts some momentum heading into the final quarter, tying the score with a man-up tally with just six seconds to play in the third quarter to even the score at 6-6.

Early in the fourth quarter, freshman middie Chris Curtis (Ashland, Mass.) got Emmanuel back on top, 7-6, with his first goal of the game setting the stage for the late game heroics by both squads.

Deschenes finished the day with a game-high five goals for the Hawks while Kelly led the way for Emmanuel with three points on two goals and one assist.

EC sophomore goalie Austin Lauzier (Bedford, N.H.) earned the win in goal making 11 saves for the Saints while senior Michael Munoz (Avon, Conn.) made 12 stops in net for the Hawks.

The Saints will return to action on Tuesday when they host Lasell College at 7:00 PM at Roberto Clemente Field while the Hawks head to Anna Maria for a GNAC tilt the same night at 7:00 PM.