MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME MEN'S LACROSSE
2009 ECAC Division III New England Quarterfinals
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Panther Field, Plymouth, N.H.
FINAL: MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME 10, PLYMOUTH STATE 9
1 2 3 4 Total
Massachusetts Maritime (9-6) 0 2 4 4 - 10
Plymouth State (7-9) 4 1 4 0 - 9
SCORING SUMMARY
MMA GOALS: Brian Burke (3), Connor Burke (2), Ryan Linn (2), Jake Bickley,
Craig Nichols, Will Doucette
MMA ASSISTS: Brian Burke, Connor Burke
PSU GOALS: Brian Giroux (3), Tim Hadley (3), Dave Mokos (2), Dan Maiorana
PSU ASSISTS: Andrew Eriksen (2), Jordan Buzzell, Conor McCullough
GOALIE SAVES
MMA: James Hitchings-15
PSU: Kevin Hayes-10
PLYMOUTH, N.H. -- Sophomore Ryan Linn's (Bourne, Mass.) man-up goal with eight seconds remaining capped a four-goal fourth quarter comeback that lifted fifth-seeded Massachusetts Maritime to a 10-9 victory over fourth-seeded Plymouth State in quarterfinal round action of the 2009 ECAC Division III New England Men's Lacrosse Championships Wednesday evening at Panther Field.
The visiting Buccaneers, now 9-6 overall on the season after posting their fifth straight triumph, advance to ECAC Division III New England Semi-Finals on Saturday afternoon to take on top-seeded and 17th-ranked Endicott (15-4) in Beverly, Mass. beginning at 3:00 p.m.
Massachusetts Maritime trailed 9-6 heading into the final 15 minutes of action, but sophomore Jake Bickley's (Wilbraham, Mass.) goal 1:16 into the fourth quarter sliced that deficit to two. Junior Connor Burke (Del Mar, Calif.) evened matters for the Buccaneers by tallying twice in just over a minute midway through the stanza, and Linn converted a feed from junior Brian Burke (Del Mar, Calif.) for the game-winner in the closing seconds for the visitors on the man-advantage.
The host Panthers, who end their season at 7-9 overall, raced out to a 4-0 first quarter advantage on the strength of markers from four different individuals, and after second quarter goals off the sticks of Linn and freshman Will Doucette (Manchester, Mass.) enabled Massachusetts Maritime to creep to within a pair, junior Tim Hadley's (New London, N.H.) second score of the evening with 4:25 to play before intermission gave Plymouth State a 5-2 edge at the break. Brian Burke netted a pair of goals in the first 5:41 of second half action to lift the Buccaneers back to within one, but the Panthers scored four of the final six goals of the third stanza, including two by junior Brian Giroux (Wolfeboro Falls, N.H.), to take that 9-6 lead heading into the fourth frame, setting up Linn's late heroics.
Brian Burke finished with a hat trick (his seventh of the season) and an assist for four points in the win for Massachusetts Maritime, while Connor Burke added an assist to his two-goal effort for a three-point performance. Linn finished with two markers as well for the Buccaneers, who also received a tally off the stick of sophomore Craig Nichols (Marshfield, Mass.).
Hadley and Giroux each netted hat tricks in the setback for Plymouth State, which also received two goals from senior Dave Mokos (Nottingham, N.H.) and a single tally from fellow senior Dan Maiorana (Walpole, Mass.). Sophomore Andrew Eriksen (Beverly, Mass.) notched two assists for the Panthers, who also received single helpers off the sticks of seniors Jordan Buzzell (Bath, Maine) and Conor McCullough (Dover, N.H.).
Junior James Hitchings (Dover, Mass.) picked up his seventh win of the season in goal for Massachusetts Maritime with a 15-save effort, while sophomore Kevin Hayes (Beverly, Mass.) made 10 stops in net for Plymouth State as the Panthers outshot the Buccaneers by a 51-38 margin.
Saturday's other ECAC Division III New England Semi-Final match will pit second-seeded Wheaton (8-7) taking on third-seeded New England College (9-7) in a contest that will follow the Massachusetts Maritime-Endicott match beginning at 6:00 p.m. in Beverly, Mass., and the two semi-final winners will meet for the 2009 ECAC Division III New England Championship on Sunday afternoon at Endicott's Turf Stadium beginning at 3:00 p.m.