Burkes Combine For Seven Points, Hitchings Records 17 Saves In Net As Men's Lacrosse Drops 13-7 Non-League Decision To Plymouth State

MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME MEN’S LACROSSE

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Clean Harbors Stadium, Buzzards Bay, Mass.

FINAL:                    PLYMOUTH STATE 13, MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME 7

                                                                                                1              2              3              4                              Total

Plymouth State (2-2)                                                              5              4              0              4              -                 13

Massachusetts Maritime (0-3)                                              2              2              2              1              -                  7

SCORING SUMMARY

PSU GOALS:          Brian Giroux (7), Andrew Eriksen (2), Steve Engel (2), Shawn McEvoy (2)

PSU ASSISTS:        Ty Long (4), Giroux (2), Engel, Eriksen, Mike Ventura

MMA GOALS:         Connor Burke (3), Brian Burke (2), Ryan Linn (2)

MMA ASSISTS:       Brian Burke, Connor Burke, Kyle Lersch

GOALIE SAVES

PSU:        Kevin Hayes—12

MMA:       James Hitchings—17

BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. --  Senior Brian Giroux (Wolfeboro Falls, N.H.) netted seven goals and a pair of assists for nine points to lead Plymouth State to a 13-7 non-league college men’s lacrosse victory over Massachusetts Maritime Tuesday afternoon at Clean Harbors Stadium.

The visiting Panthers (2-2) jumped out to a 5-0 advantage in less than 10 minutes of action on the strength of a hat trick by Giroux, but the host Buccaneers (0-3) closed back to within two at 5-3 just 1:29 into the second stanza on a tally by junior Ryan Linn (Bourne, Mass.).  Giroux then scored two of Plymouth State’s four tallies over the final 7:17 of the half as the visitors extended their lead to 9-4 at the break, and after Massachusetts Maritime climbed back to within three at 9-6 on third quarter goals by seniors Connor and Brian Burke (Del Mar, Calif.), the Panthers took control of the match with four markers in less than 10 minutes in the fourth quarter, including back-to-back markers by Giroux in a 1:18 span, to ice the triumph.

Senior Steve Engel (South Windsor, Conn.) and junior Andrew Eriksen (Beverly, Mass.) added a pair of goals and an assist each in the victory for Plymouth State, which also received a pair of tallies off the stick of freshman Shawn McEvoy (Spring, Tex.).  Freshman Ty Long (Dover, N.H.) registered four assists on the day for the Panthers, who also received a helper off the stick of freshman Mike Ventura (Columbia, N.J.).

Connor Burke recorded a hat trick and an assist to finish with four points in the setback for Massachusetts Maritime, while brother Brian added a pair of tallies and an assist for three points for the Buccaneers, who also received two markers off the stick of Linn and an assist from sophomore Kyle Lersch (Suffolk, Va.).

Junior Kevin Hayes (Beverly, Mass.) picked up the win in goal for Plymouth State with a 12-save effort, while senior James Hitchings (Dover, Mass.) made 17 stops in net for Massachusetts Maritime as the Panthers outshot the Buccaneers by a 38-28 margin and held a 17-6 edge in face-off wins for the match.

Massachusetts Maritime wraps-up a season-opening four-match homestand on Thursday evening by hosting UMass Dartmouth in a non-league outing at Clean Harbors Stadium that begins at 7:00 p.m., while Plymouth State heads to Babson Park, Mass. on Thursday afternoon to take on Babson in a non-league match that begins at 4:00 p.m.