MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME MEN’S LACROSSE

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Grellier Field, Newton, Mass.

FINAL:                   MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME 8, LASELL 7 (OVERTIME)

                                                                          1              2              3              4              OT                           Total

Massachusetts Maritime (3-12, 1-6 Pilgrim)      2              1              3              1              1              -                  8

Lasell (5-11, 3-4 Pilgrim)                                   5              0              1              1              0              -                  7

SCORING SUMMARY

MMA GOALS:       Chris Davis (3), Connor Burke (2), Ryan Linn, Will Doucette, Parker Simon         

MMA ASSISTS:    Craig Nichols (3)

LAS GOALS:         Jon Elia (2), Sean Speciale (2), Andy Puopolo, Adam Foss, Brian Yepez

LAS ASSISTS:      Puopolo (2), Elia, Foss, Chris Bulkley

GOALIE SAVES

MMA:      James Hitchings—12

LAS:       Eric Walsh—10

NEWTON, Mass. --  Senior Connor Burke (Del Mar, Calif.) scored the game-winner 2:01 into overtime as Massachusetts Maritime overcame a pair of early three goal deficits to post an 8-7 Pilgrim Lacrosse League victory over Lasell in the season finale for both schools Saturday afternoon at Grellier Field.

Burke’s extra session heroics came after the visiting Buccaneers (3-12, 1-6 Pilgrim) literally forced overtime at the last second, as junior Chris Davis (Cohasset, Mass.) converted a feed from fellow junior Craig Nichols (Marshfield, Mass.) for a man-up tally with one second remaining in regulation after the host Lasers (5-11, 3-4 Pilgrim) were whistled for a too many players penalty with 18 seconds to play.  Lasell jumped out to a 5-2 advantage after 15 minutes of action on the strength of a pair of goals off the stick of sophomore Jon Elia (East Lyme, Conn.), but Massachusetts Maritime closed back to within 5-3 at the break and grabbed a 6-5 lead with 1:27 remaining in the third stanza after sophomore Will Doucette (Manchester, Mass.) capped a stretch of four unanswered markers.  The Lasers evened matters at 6-6 after three on junior Sean Speciale’s (Hillsborough, N.J.) goal with 41 seconds to play in the quarter and grabbed a 7-6 edge on senior Brian Yepez’s (Hillsborough, N.J.) man-up marker with 6:55 remaining in regulation, setting up Davis’s last second equalizer and Burke’s overtime heroics.

Davis finished with a hat trick in the victory for the Buccaneers, who also received a pair of markers from Burke, three assists from Nichols as well as single tallies off the sticks of junior Ryan Linn (Bourne, Mass.) and freshman Parker Simon (Kennett Square, Pa.).  Elia added an assist to go with his two goals to finish with three points in the setback for Lasell, which also received two tallies from Speciale as well as a marker and a pair of helpers off the stick of freshman Andy Puopolo (Duxbury, Mass.).  Sophomore Adam Foss (Billerica, Mass.) chipped in with a goal and an assist on the day for the Lasers, who also received an assist from junior Chris Bulkley (Groton, Conn.).

Senior James Hitchings (Dover, Mass.) picked up the victory in his last collegiate appearance in goal for Massachusetts Maritime with a 12-save effort, while junior Eric Walsh (Weymouth, Mass.) made 10 stops in net for Lasell as each team had 33 shots for the match, with the Buccaneers holding a 9-8 edge in face offs won while notching three man-up markers.