TOWSON, Md. – Towson's Andrew Milani scored the game-winning goal with 2:36 to play in overtime to hand the Saint Joseph's men's lacrosse squad a heartbreaking 8-7 overtime loss in cold and rainy weather conditions at Johnny Unitas Field on Saturday afternoon. The Hawks open the season 0-1 while the Tigers improve to 1-1.
"I thought our guys played hard today," said head coach Taylor Wray. "The elements didn't help, but both teams played in the same elements. We battled. I'm pleased with the way our defense played, in particular out close defensive group and defensive middies; they executed what we asked them to do. Defensively, we're in a good spot right now."
Veteran fifth-year Josh Bosher (3gb) alongside junior Matt Popeck (1g, 2gb) and sophomore Patrick Clemens (2gb), both of whom made their first collegiate starts, held down the close defense with a combined seven ground balls and just eight goals allowed in 61:24 while the defensive midfield group of transfer addition Adam Ritter (1g, 1a, 3gb) and juniors Cole Peters (1gb) and Andrew Chilson (1gb) also made an impact.
In his SJU debut, graduate student goalkeeper Jack Zullo made 12 saves in the full-game performance.
"Jack did an excellent job as well in his first start as a Hawk," added Wray.
Saint Joseph's face-off specialist Zach Cole went 13-of-18 from the X (72.2 percent) to go with a game-high 11 ground balls, which brings the junior to 281 face-off wins and 185 career ground balls in just 20 career games. With the 13 face-off wins on Saturday, Cole now ranks second on SJU's list for career face-off wins since and including 2004. With the 11 ground balls on Saturday, Cole jumps from ninth to sixth on SJU's all-time list for career ground balls in the history of the program.
How It Happened
First Half: Towson jumped out to a 2-0 lead (12:25, 11:46) by the end of the first quarter before Saint Joseph's junior midfielders Austin Strazzulla (8:11) and Ritter (7:09, assisted by sophomore attackman Matt Bohmer) hit for back-to-back goals to even the score, 2-2, at the 7:09 mark of the second quarter. Towson tacked on two more (6:19, 1:07) to take a 4-2 advantage into the halftime break.
Second Half: Towson added two more quick scores (13:05, 12:26) to extend their lead by four, 6-2, to start the third quarter, but the Hawks roared back to score five of the game's next six goals for an inspired comeback to force overtime; junior midfielder Ryan Doran (9:31), senior midfielder Shane Fable (8:56), and Popeck (8:40, assisted by Ritter) combined to score three goals in a 51-second span to close to within one, 6-5, midway through the third. Towson's Milani scored his first of the game to close the third (3:40), but Saint Joseph's sophomore attackman Mac McLaughlin responded at the 9:34 mark of the fourth to again pull the Hawks within one... and with 92 seconds remaining in regulation, Strazzulla came from behind the right side of the cage and buried the equalizer (1:32) to force overtime.
Overtime: Cole won his 13th face-off possession of the day to set up the Hawks in their offensive end to begin the overtime period, but an unforced turnover saw Towson take possession and score moments later.
Behind the Box Score
• Junior Ryan Doran made his first career midfield start after starting all 14 games on the attack as a freshman in 2019.
• Transfer additions Tucker Brown (M) and Jack Zullo (GK) made their first SJU starts while SSDM Ritter also made his SJU debut off the bench.
• Junior Matt Popeck and sophomore Patrick Clemens made their first career starts, both on close defense.
• Freshman attackman William King and freshman defenseman Patrick Bronander made their collegiate debuts.
• The Hawks move to 1-3 all-time against the Tigers (1-2 under Wray's direction).
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February 14, 2021 at 04:12AM
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Men's Lacrosse Drops 8-7 Overtime Heartbreaker at Towson in Season Opener - Saint Joseph's University - Official Athletic Site
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