It didn’t look like a normal spring lacrosse game for the Gophers this past Saturday. The turf was still surrounded with snow from the massive snow storm that we received over spring break. The fans that bore the cold weather were able to witness an intense and exciting game, with no clear winner until the 4th quarter.
It was clear from the beginning that this game was one for the books. Each time scored a goal pretty early on in the quarter, with Goucher taking a 2-1 lead later in the quarter. But soon after, Goucher and the Scranton Royals were tied 2-2.
The game remained intense throughout the second quarter. If Goucher scored a goal, Scranton almost immediately answered with a goal. Goucher scored three of the last goals of the second quarter leading them into a halftime score of 7-5.
It was clear that whatever Head Coach Brian Kelly said to the team during the halftime talk was enough to keep the momentum. Goucher continued to push Scranton’s defense in the third quarter, where Goucher outscored Scranton 4-1. Junior Zephan Harnish scored the 11th point, giving the Gophers their biggest lead all game, 11-6. This was one of 35 shots the Gophers put up that day.
The fourth quarter seemed to be back-and-forth when it came to goal scoring. Goucher scored their 12th point, but soon after, Scranton answered, making the score 12-7. But, Scranton didn’t give up. Their offense responded quickly with three goals, leaving the Gophers stunned with a score of 12-10.
“We played with good energy and to our strengths letting us dictate the tempo,” said sophomore Matt Woodson, who led Goucher with 3 assists against Scranton.
Also leading Goucher was junior Mason Gorman who scored three goals against Scranton. He also scored two assists. Gorman has now scored nine goals and contributed seven assists for the Gophers.
Juniors Zephan Harnish and Grant LaSorda each scored two goals, with sophomore Andrew Sade and senior Derek Bitzer joining them. Senior Pierce Bailey also helped the Gophers with his one goal. Sade also had two assists.
The defense also played a significant role for Goucher’s win against Scranton. Seniors Jack Benziger and Corey Hill both contributed three turnovers apiece, with the overall defense racking up 17 turnovers.
In goal for Goucher was senior Matt Messerle, who made 16 saves against Scranton. Messerle now has double-digit saves in five matches so far this year. He was also named Goucher College Athlete of the week and was named Landmark Conference Defensive Athlete of the Week in February.
The Gophers’ historic win over Scranton earned them a top spot in the Landmark Conference. This was the first time Goucher beat Scranton since April 30th, 2014. The team also improved their overall season record to 6-4.
When asked about the team’s response after the big win, sophomore Nick Patterson simply stated, “Ecstatic. The energy in the locker room was more than it ever was last year. We feel very prepared for our game against Elizabethtown.”
The men’s lacrosse team returns home on April 18th with a conference game against Catholic at 4:00 PM.
Featured image: From Goucher Athletics
