No. 17 Marquette 11, Richmond 10 (OT)
RICHMOND, Va. - In a battle of two young strong lacrosse programs, the Richmond Spiders were outlasted in overtime at home versus No. 17 Marquette 11-10 at Robins Stadium. Richmond was receiving votes in both major polls this week, their first votes in a poll in the young history of the program. The Spiders are in the early stages of their second season of NCAA men’s lacrosse, while the Golden Eagles are one season ahead of them in their varsity lacrosse era.
The loss was Richmond’s first of the season, while the Golden Eagles stay unbeaten at 3-0, all three wins coming by one-goal margins.
Both teams were led by their star power. Richmond sophomore Mitch Goldberg tied his own school record set last week with five more goals, including a tying goal with 7.1 seconds in regulation that sent the game into the extra period.
Marquette had a six-goal performance from graduate student Jordan Greenfield, which included the game-winner just 65 seconds into the overtime period.
The lead changed hands three times in the opening period. After Marquette scored 66 seconds into the contest, Goldberg scored twice in a three-minute window to put UR up 2-1. The Golden Eagles scored the last two goals of the period, including Greenfield’s first to end the period and lead 3-2 after one.
The Spiders scored three of the four goals in the second quarter to take a 5-4 halftime edge. Richmond outscored Marquette 6-1 in the second and third quarters to build a commanding 8-4 lead. Five different Spiders found the back of the net in the run, and UR was a perfect 11-for-11 in clears in the middle two periods.
Marquette made its run in the fourth quarter, scoring the first four goals of the period to level the game at eight. Greenfield scored the first two goals of the quarter to steal the momentum back to the visitors. Both teams led the period after that point. MU’s Conor Gately scored with 16.7 seconds remaining to appear to win the game, but after a timeout, Richmond won the faceoff on a foul and Goldberg found the back of the net on a strong shot for the game-tying goal.
Marquette won the overtime faceoff and worked for the good shot from Greenfield, who ended the game from the right side of the net up high and in.
Richmond goalie Benny Pugh made 16 saves in the game, one shy of his school record from last season. He tied for the game-high total with six ground balls.
Marquette goalie Jimmy Danaher made 11 saves in the game and improved his record to 3-0.
The Spiders will return to action this Saturday, February 28, when they host UMBC at Robins Stadium. The opening faceoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
No. 1 Denver 10, Furman 5
USAFA, Colo. – Behind four goals from Wesley Berg, top-ranked Denver down Furman, 10-5, in the final game of the Frontier Airlines Face-Off Classic. The second and final day of the four-team tournament was moved to the indoor facility on the campus of Air Force due to excessive snow in Denver. The win moves No. 1 Denver to 3-0 on the season, while the loss drops the Paladins to 1-3.
Furman was led by All-Tournament performer Robbie Betchley III with two goals, while Jonah Moore, Kenny Meinsen and Chase Hancock each added one. Nick Fonte and goalie Reilly McDermott picked up a team-high four goals each, while McDermott recorded his third-straight game with double-digit saves (13).
Berg scored four goals for the Pioneers, while Tyler Pace and Erik Adamson each added two goals. Denver face-off specialist Trevor Baptiste was 11-18 from the face-off X and picked up a team-high-tying four ground balls. Goalie Ryan Laplante turned in a game-high 19 saves and picked up his third win of the year.
Furman and Denver each played strong defense in the first half, with neither team scoring a goal until Berg netted his first of the day for Denver with 12:32 remaining in the second period. After a goal by Adamson put the Pioneers up 2-0, the Furman defense kept Denver off the board for the next five and a half minutes of play. However, with 3:43 remaining in the half, the Pioneers were able to score two goals in just eight seconds of play to give Denver the 4-0 lead heading into halftime.
Furman came out on the attack in the second half, using goals by Jo. Moore and Meinsen to cut the Denver lead in half at 4-2. The Pioneers pushed their lead back to four with 1:47 remaining in the third period, until Hancock and Betchley again cut the Denver lead to two at 6-4 with under a minute to go in the third.
Pace pushed the Denver lead to three at 7-4 with 12:00 remaining in the game, before Betchley netted his second goal of the day to once again cut the lead to two with ten minutes to go. However, Denver was able to keep Furman off the board the rest of the day, while also adding three goals to its total to defeat Furman 10-5.
The Paladins return to Paladin Stadium on Saturday, hosting Air Force at 12:00 p.m.