Dickinson & Defensive Unit Propel Saints Past JWU, 12-4

THE BASICS 

Score:             
Johnson & Wales University, 4; Emmanuel College, 12
Records:         
Emmanuel College Saints (1-1, 1-0 GNAC)
Johnson & Wales University Wildcats (1-1, 1-1 GNAC)
Location:         
Boston, Mass. – Roberto Clemente Field
Date:               
Saturday, March 27, 2021

THE LEAD:  A strong defensive effort paired with a five goal outing by junior attack Colin Dickinson (Barre, Vt.) propelled Emmanuel College past Johnson & Wales University, 12-4, Saturday afternoon in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) men's lacrosse action at Roberto Clemente Field

HOW IT HAPPENED  

• It was all Saints in the first half as the hosts raced out to a 6-0 lead by the halftime break, scoring three goals apiece in the first and second quarters while holding JWU scoreless.
• Dickinson opened the game with back-to-back tallies including a man-down score to get things started before first year Robert Favuzza (Saugus, Mass.) potted his first collegiate goal to make it 3-0.
• Sophomores Drew Chant (Warwick, R.I.) and Ryan Castle (Boxford, Mass.) scored early in the second to increase the lead to 5-0 before senior Nicholas Bontempo (Water Mill, N.Y.) gave the Saints a huge momentum lift, finding the back of the net with just five seconds left in the half to account for the 6-0 score at the intermission.
• EC outshot the Wildcats 23-7 in the stanza and sophomore Ryan Castle (Boxford, Mass.) was perfect in net making five saves through two quarters.
• Johnson & Wales cut into the hosts lead in the third as Tyler Drago (Wakefield, Mass.) got them on the board at the 13:46 marker. Dickinson answered but the Wildcats responded with back-to-back scores by Joe McIntyre (Ballston Lake, N.Y.), the second coming on a man-up opportunity to pull the visitors to within 7-3.
• Emmanuel once again capitalized on a late quarter score, this time Micah Schlabach (South Royalton, Vt.) found the back of the net with just two tics left in the third to account for an 8-3 EC cushion heading into the final frame.
• Chris Calisto (Jericho, N.Y.) kept it interesting with a man-down marker to open the fourth to pull JWU to within four at 8-4 before Dickinson swung the momentum back to the hosts with back-to-back goals to bump the Saints lead to 10-4.
• First year Aidan Sullivan (Burlington, Conn.) and senior Joe Cuticelli (Madison, Conn.) rounded out the scoring for the Saints to secure the 12-4 GNAC win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• Ra. Castle finished the afternoon with 15 saves to earn his first collegiate victory in net.
• JWU keeper Chris April (Mansfield, Mass.) also made 15 saves in a losing effort to fall to 1-1 on the year in the pipes.
• The win moves EC to 6-3 all-time in their Clemente Field home-openers since the program's varsity debut in 2012.
• Emmanuel improves to 6-3 all-time against the Wildcats, snapping a three-game losing skid to their Rhode Island neighbors.

UP NEXT

• The Saints are back in action on Tuesday, March 30, hitting the road to take on Lasell University in GNAC action at 4:00 PM in Newton, Mass.
• Johnson & Wales returns to the field on Wednesday, March 31, traveling to Franklin, Mass. to face Dean College in GNAC play scheduled to begin at 4:00 PM.