Last-Second Blue Jays Tally Takes Down Saints in GNAC Quarterfinals, 10-9

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The South Division top-seeded University of Saint Joseph (USJ) men's lacrosse team kept its season alive in thrilling fashion with a comeback victory at home over North Division fourth-seeded Emmanuel College, 10-9, Saturday afternoon during the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Quarterfinals at the USJ Lacrosse Field in West Hartford, Conn. The Blue Jays, who trailed 9-6 entering the fourth quarter, scored four unanswered, including one from freshman attack Brendan Tedeschi (Orange, Vt.), who netted the game-winner with nine seconds left to play in regulation. With the result, the Blue Jays improved to 14-3 overall on the year and advanced to the GNAC Semifinals for the second consecutive season, while the Saints concluded their season at 5-12 overall.

KEY MOMENTS 

• The Saints grabbed an early 2-0 lead on goals by senior Rob Favuzza (Saugus, Mass.) and first-year Cooper Mehlhorn (South Portland, Maine), but the Blue Jays answered back in kind, as junior attack Evan Zimnoch (Southington, Conn.) and junior midfielder Christian Decker (Bristol, Conn.) netted back-to-back goals, leveling the game at 2-2 at the 9:54 mark of the first quarter.
• Emmanuel quickly regained the lead less than a minute later, but sophomore midfielder Nick Pestrichello (Newington, Conn.) swung the lead back in USJ's favor, scoring two unanswered goals to establish a 4-3 USJ lead with 2:52 left on the first quarter clock.
• The visitors tied the game at 4-4 moments later, sending the game into the second quarter deadlocked.
• Emmanuel carried its late momentum into the second period, opening the quarter with goals by sophomore Ethan Madura (Clinton, Conn.) and senior Thomas Quigley (Marblehead, Mass.) to jump out to a 6-4 edge at the 6:20 mark before halftime.
• Pestrichello continued his strong day, rounding out his hat trick with 5:03 left in the half, but the Saints found the back of the net again in the closing moments to go into the halftime break with a 7-5 edge.
• Decker would score his second goal of the game in the third quarter, but his strike was sandwiched in-between a pair of Emmanuel strikes, as the Saints held a 9-6 lead entering the final quarter.
• The Blue Jays came alive in crunch time though, starting with a goal from Pestrichello with 11:49 to go to close the gap to 9-7.
• Junior midfielder Luke von Borstel (Massenna, N.Y.) quickly followed, winning the ensuing faceoff before rushing down the field and firing a shot into the net, pulling the Blue Jays within one, 9-8, with 11:36 left to play.
• USJ continued to roll late in the fourth, as Decker tied the game at 9-9 with a goal at the 3:15 mark.
• In the closing seconds, Tedeschi scooped up a ground ball in front of the Saints net after a save and rifled a shot into the goal with nine seconds left to play to give the Blue Jays their first lead of the game since late in the first quarter.
• The Blue Jays would win the final faceoff and finished off the comeback victory, 10-9.

NOTES 

• Pestrichello paced the team with six points off four goals and two assists.
• Decker netted three goals on the day.
• Senior Trey McCann (Simsbury, Conn.) corralled a team-high six ground balls.
• Senior midfielder Sam Barbetti (Guilford, Conn.) caused a team-best four turnovers.
• McCann got the win in the cage for USJ, recording 12 saves.
• Favuzza and Mehlhorn each scored a pair for the visitors.
• Senior Eric Anderson (Sparta, N.J.) made 17 saves in the loss.

UP NEXT

The top-seeded Blue Jays continue the GNAC Postseason Tournament on Wednesday, May 1 with a semifinal matchup against either North Division No. 2 seed Norwich University, or South Divsion No. 3 seed Lasell University. Opening faceoff at the USJ Lacrosse Field in West Hartford, Conn., is slated for 4:00 p.m.