BIG FIRST QUARTER PROPELS MEN’S LACROSSE PAST RIVIER, 13-8
BOSTON, Mass. – The Emmanuel College men’s lacrosse team scored eight first quarter goals and cruised to a 13-8 victory over Rivier University Tuesday evening in Great Northeast Athletic Conference action at Roberto Clemente Field. The Saints improve to 6-8 overall and 3-3 in the GNAC while the loss drops the Raiders to 7-6 and 2-3 in conference.
BOSTON, Mass. – The Emmanuel College men's lacrosse team scored eight first quarter goals and cruised to a 13-8 victory over Rivier University Tuesday evening in Great Northeast Athletic Conference action at Roberto Clemente Field. The Saints improve to 6-8 overall and 3-3 in the GNAC while the loss drops the Raiders to 7-6 and 2-3 in conference.
EC jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead behind scores from seniors Tony Cibelli (Westboro, Mass.) and Sean Reilly (Deer Park, N.Y.). Rivier got one back on junior William Ryan's (Dorchester, Mass.) team-leading 31st goal of the season to make it 2-1 with 13:20 left in the opening quarter. Over the final 13 minutes of the period, the Saints outscored the Raiders 6-0 to build a commanding 8-1 lead heading into the second period. Six different players found the back of the net with goals from Andrew Griffin (Arlington, Mass.), Charlie Moran (Maitland, Fla.), Donnie Litzelman (Stratham, N.H.), Zach Andronaco (Hampton, N.H.), Andrew Blood (Wrentham, Mass.) and Sam Ward (Hampstead, N.H.). This also marked the first time in program history that eight different players scored a goal in the same quarter of play for Emmanuel.
The Saints made it a 9-1 game with Reilly's second goal of the action 2:35 into the second quarter before the Raiders responded with back-to-back scores to cut the lead to 9-3 on markers from Ryan and sophomore Colby Larsen (Windham, N.H.). The hosts didn't waste much time to answer as Moran and Cibelli each scored their second goal of the evening before the end of the half to account for the Saints 11-3 lead at intermission.
Rivier outscored the Saints in the third quarter by a 4-2 margin, getting goals from Larsen, Sean Brady (Tewksbury, Mass.), Joe Kelland (Watertown, Mass.) and Sevin Gulfield (Burlington, Vt.) while Cibelli scored both Emmanuel goals to make it a 13-7 game heading into the final quarter.
In the fourth, Ryan scored his third goal of the night and 33rd of the season with nine seconds left in regulation to cut the lead to 13-8 which would prove to be the final.
EC faceoff specialist Michael Sousa (Cranston, R.I.) continued his strong play in the midfield winning 14 faceoffs to go along with 13 groundballs.
Both goalies made 11 saves on the night as EC freshman Erik Jennings (South Berwick, Maine) earns the win to improve to 3-0 on the year while RIV sophomore Matt Cloutman (Peabody, Mass.) drop to 6-6 in net.
Emmanuel returns to action on Friday, April 21 when it heads to New Haven, Conn. for a 5:00 PM GNAC affair against Albertus Magnus College. Rivier returns to play the following day, heading to Northfield, Vt. to take on Norwich University at 4:00 PM.