Clutch Fourth Quarter Plays Help Men's Lacrosse to 9-8 Win at Rivier

THE BASICS 

Score: 
Emmanuel 9 – Rivier 8

Records: 
Emmanuel College Saints (4-3, 2-0 GNAC)
Rivier University Raiders (4-2, 0-1 GNAC)

Location: Nashua, N.H. – Joanne Merrill Field

Date: Tuesday, March 21, 2023

THE LEAD – Tied at 7-7 entering the final quarter, Saints goals by first-year Cole Cloney (Medfield, Mass.) and junior Thomas Quigley (Marblehead, Mass.), matched with key saves by senior Randy Castle (Boxford, Mass.) all helped the men's lacrosse team to a 9-8 win over the Rivier Raiders on Tuesday night in Great Northeast Athletic Conference play.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After multiple Saints attempts at goal to start the fourth quarter were turned aside by Rivier junior goalie Sawyer Gagnon (Gorham, Maine), Emmanuel was finally able to breakthrough with Cloney forcing his way through a check, switching to his right hand, and firing a shot into the top-left corner, giving EC an 8-7 lead with 12:49 remaining.
• The action flowed furiously from end-to-end throughout the fourth quarter but save after save by Gagnon and Castle kept the match at a one-goal edge for the Saints. Between Cloney's goal to start the fourth and Quigley's insurance goal 8:24 later, Sawyer and Castle combined for 11 saves over that span.
• The Saints added a crucial insurance tally with 4:25 to go with Quigley netting his second of the evening. The junior attack found the Raiders defense backing off, leading to a shooting lane developing for Quigley. Dropping to the side, Quigley fired a shot past Gagnon, low to the stick side, lifting EC to a two-goal, 9-7 lead.
• Rivier got back within one just 1:07 later thanks to junior Michael Ference (Salem, N.H.) beating Castle through the five-hole, cutting the deficit to 9-8.
• A late Saints penalty set up a man-advantage for the Raiders in the final minute. The game-deciding play possession came with the Raiders firing a shot wide of Castle's goal, and with no one to back up the attempt and miss, Castle ran to the end line, winning the race and possession for Emmanuel.
• After successfully clearing their defensive zone, the Saints managed to play keep away, running out the final 35 seconds of the game, claiming a 9-8 win in the process.
• Rivier led 7-5 after opening the second half with three goals in the first 3:30 of the third quarter, but seniors Colin Dickinson (Barre, Vt.) and Derek DelVecchio (Saugus, Mass.) answered back for the Saints later in the third, setting up the 7-7 start to the fourth.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Dickinson, Cloney, and Quigley all finished with a pair of goals on the night. Cloney added one assist while Dickinson scooped five ground balls.
• Sophomore Evan Decker (Milwaukee, Wisc.) ended the night with a game-high six ground balls to go along with one caused turnover.
• First-year Ty Carroll (Haverhill, Mass.) had his best night at the faceoff as a Saints, going 11-for-17 and gathering five ground balls.
• Castle made 13 saves on the night, improving his record to 4-1 (2-0 GNAC) this season.
• Ference scored a hat trick for the Raiders to go with one assist in the losing effort.
• Junior Connor Eck (Franklin, Mass.) scored a pair of goals and had one assist.
• Gagnon made 20 saves for the Raiders but drops to 4-2 (0-1 GNAC) this year. It's the third time this season Gagnon has made at least 20 saves in the Rivier goal.

UP NEXT

• After a seven-game road trip to start the season, the Saints make their home debut on Clemente Field on Saturday, March 25, welcoming Saint Joseph's College of Maine for a 3:00 p.m. faceoff.
• The Raiders finish off a three-game homestand with GNAC foe Albertus Magnus on March 25, set for 1:00 p.m.