Le Moyne Athletics : MLAX: #1 LE MOYNE OUTLASTS #4 MERRIMACK, 5-4, IN NE-10 BATTLE OF UNBEATENS

April 11, 2009

MLAX: NO. 1 LE MOYNE OUTLASTS NO. 4 MERRIMACK, 5-4, IN NE-10 BATTLE OF UNBEATENS

North Andover, Mass. – The No. 1 Le Moyne College men’s lacrosse team grinded out a 5-4 Northeast-10 Conference win over No. 4 Merrimack College at Warrior Field. Saturday afternoon’s game saw the final pair of unbeaten teams in Division II men’s lacrosse meet. Senior midfielder Brian Welch (Ithaca, N.Y./Ithaca) led Le Moyne’s offensive attack with two goals, including the game-winner.

Welch’s second marker was the only goal scored in the fourth quarter. He took a pass from classmate Brooks Robinson (Preble, N.Y./Tully) and broke a 4-4 tie with a man-up goal midway through the fourth quarter. Le Moyne’s defense kept Merrimack scoreless in the fourth quarter and senior goalkeeper Doug McIver (Altamont, N.Y./Albany Academy) made three crucial stops over the game’s final three minutes. McIver finished with 11 saves on the afternoon, including one on Merrimack’s final possession as time expired.

The Dolphins netted four of the game’s first five goals but the Warriors strung together a three-goal streak between the second and third quarters to pull even. Le Moyne opened the scoring two minutes into the game behind a goal from sophomore Jikado Hanna (Hopkinton, Mass./Bridgton Academy). It was the defensive midfielder’s first tally of the season. Sophomore Nick DiSarro (Niskayuna, N.Y./Niskayuna) gave the Dolphins a two-goal edge with just under four minutes to play in the first quarter, when he took a pass from classmate Jack Harmatuk (Syracuse, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy/Syracuse U.) and turned it into his eleventh goal of the season.

Merrimack cracked Le Moyne’s defense for the first time at the 12:28 mark of the second quarter, when Michael Balbuena sent in a score. Harmatuk, Le Moyne’s leading goal scorer this season with 22, joined the scoring action less than a minute later on a feed from DiSarro. Welch followed with his first goal of the afternoon to give the Dolphins a three-goal edge, 4-1, with 9:25 to play in the half. But the Warriors struck for a pair of unassisted goals from Greg Rogowski and Jo Pisano over the final seven minutes of the half to pull within one at halftime.

Each team managed just a lone goal after halftime and both sides combined for 27 second-half turnovers thanks to a steady rain. Merrimack scored the only goal of the third quarter, 12 minutes in, when David Robinson took a pass from Balbuena to knot the score at 4-4. It was the only second-half goal allowed by Le Moyne’s defense, which ranks first nationally in scoring defense at 4.0 goals allowed per game. The team’s defensive line held Rogowski to one point. Merrimack’s senior attackman entered the week averaging a Division II-best seven points per game and over four goals per contest.

With the win, Le Moyne avoided back-to-back losses in North Andover. The Warriors (8-1, NE-10 3-1) edged the Dolphins, 7-6, during the regular season of Le Moyne’s 2007 national championship run.

No. 1 Le Moyne (10-0, NE-10 6-0) is back in action Tuesday when it hosts Northeast-10 Conference foe American International. The game is slated for 4 p.m. at the Thomas J. Niland Athletic Complex.

-agate-

No. 1 Le Moyne 5, No. 4 Merrimack 4
No. 1 Le Moyne (10-0, NE-10 6-0) 2 2 0 1 - 5
No. 4 Merrimack (8-1, NE-10 3-1) 0 3 1 0 - 4

No. 1 Le Moyne (10-0, NE-10 6-0) SCORING: Brian Welch 2-0; Jack Harmatuk 1-1; Nick DiSarro 1-1; Jikado Hanna 1-0; Brooks Robinson 0-1. GOALKEEPING: Doug McIver (W, 60:00, 4 GA, 11 saves).

No. 4 Merrimack (8-1, NE-10 3-1) SCORING: Michael Balbuena 1-1; Jo Pisano 1-1; Greg Rogowski 1-0; David Robinson 1-0. GOALKEEPING: Cory Spinale (L, 60:00, 5 GA, 12 saves).



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April 11, 2009 MLAX: NO. 1 LE MOYNE OUTLASTS NO. 4 MERRIMACK, 5-4, IN NE-10 BATTLE OF UNBEATENS North Andover, Mass. – The No. 1 Le Moyne College men’s lacrosse team grinded out a 5-4 Northeast-10 Conference win over No. 4 Merrimack College at Warrior Field. Saturday afternoon’s game saw the final pair of unbeaten teams in Division II men’s lacrosse meet. Senior midfielder Brian Welch (Ithaca, N.Y./Ithaca) led Le Moyne’s offensive attack with two goals, including the game-winner. Welch’s second marker was the only goal scored in the fourth quarter. He took a pass from classmate Brooks Robinson (Preble, N.Y./Tully) and broke a 4-4 tie with a man-up goal midway through the fourth quarter. Le Moyne’s defense kept Merrimack scoreless in the fourth quarter and senior goalkeeper Doug McIver (Altamont, N.Y./Albany Academy) made three crucial stops over the game’s final three minutes. McIver finished with 11 saves on the afternoon, including one on Merrimack’s final possession as time expired. The Dolphins netted four of the game’s first five goals but the Warriors strung together a three-goal streak between the second and third quarters to pull even. Le Moyne opened the scoring two minutes into the game behind a goal from sophomore Jikado Hanna (Hopkinton, Mass./Bridgton Academy). It was the defensive midfielder’s first tally of the season. Sophomore Nick DiSarro (Niskayuna, N.Y./Niskayuna) gave the Dolphins a two-goal edge with just under four minutes to play in the first quarter, when he took a pass from classmate Jack Harmatuk (Syracuse, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy/Syracuse U.) and turned it into his eleventh goal of the season. Merrimack cracked Le Moyne’s defense for the first time at the 12:28 mark of the second quarter, when Michael Balbuena sent in a score. Harmatuk, Le Moyne’s leading goal scorer this season with 22, joined the scoring action less than a minute later on a feed from DiSarro. Welch followed with his first goal of the afternoon to give the Dolphins a three-goal edge, 4-1, with 9:25 to play in the half. But the Warriors struck for a pair of unassisted goals from Greg Rogowski and Jo Pisano over the final seven minutes of the half to pull within one at halftime. Each team managed just a lone goal after halftime and both sides combined for 27 second-half turnovers thanks to a steady rain. Merrimack scored the only goal of the third quarter, 12 minutes in, when David Robinson took a pass from Balbuena to knot the score at 4-4. It was the only second-half goal allowed by Le Moyne’s defense, which ranks first nationally in scoring defense at 4.0 goals allowed per game. The team’s defensive line held Rogowski to one point. Merrimack’s senior attackman entered the week averaging a Division II-best seven points per game and over four goals per contest. With the win, Le Moyne avoided back-to-back losses in North Andover. The Warriors (8-1, NE-10 3-1) edged the Dolphins, 7-6, during the regular season of Le Moyne’s 2007 national championship run. No. 1 Le Moyne (10-0, NE-10 6-0) is back in action Tuesday when it hosts Northeast-10 Conference foe American International. The game is slated for 4 p.m. at the Thomas J. Niland Athletic Complex. -agate- No. 1 Le Moyne 5, No. 4 Merrimack 4 No. 1 Le Moyne (10-0, NE-10 6-0) 2 2 0 1 - 5 No. 4 Merrimack (8-1, NE-10 3-1) 0 3 1 0 - 4 No. 1 Le Moyne (10-0, NE-10 6-0) SCORING: Brian Welch 2-0; Jack Harmatuk 1-1; Nick DiSarro 1-1; Jikado Hanna 1-0; Brooks Robinson 0-1. GOALKEEPING: Doug McIver (W, 60:00, 4 GA, 11 saves). No. 4 Merrimack (8-1, NE-10 3-1) SCORING: Michael Balbuena 1-1; Jo Pisano 1-1; Greg Rogowski 1-0; David Robinson 1-0. GOALKEEPING: Cory Spinale (L, 60:00, 5 GA, 12 saves).