Heartbreak for Saints in NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship; Limestone Falls to NYIT 14-13 in OT
May 29, 2005

Courtesy Limestone College Sports Information Office

PHILADELPHIA, PA: The NCAA Division II Men’s Lacrosse National Championship game has only gone to overtime twice. Limestone fans can certainly name both. In back-to-back finals the Saints have played two of the greatest games in Division II history. Unfortunately, they have come up on the wrong end of two overtime classics as Limestone again fell in OT, this time to NYIT Sunday, 14-13.

Limestone controlled the game early on. Nolan Heavenor and David Wooster started the Saints off with a 2-0 lead. Limestone maintained the advantage until Tom Zummo scored consecutive goals to tie the game with 14:18 remaining in the half. New York Tech took the lead when Most Outstanding Player Joe Gabrysiak scored with 10:56 remaining to give the Bear’s a 5-4 lead.

Bobby Woody then rattled off consecutive goals to put the Saints back on top, and Limestone held a slim 7-6 margin at halftime. In the second half the Bears took an 8-6 lead. With 10:00 to play in the third period Roger Vyse scored his first of a pair of goals to put the Saints up 9-8.

With 8:14 to play in the game Vyse found the net again. That goal tied the game at 11 and broke the NCAA Division II single season goals record. NYIT’s Doug Fry scored 70 goals in 1971. In 2005 Vyse found the net 71 times.

Tech then scored a pair to lead 13-11 with just over 3:00 to play. Senior midfielder Pat Cardiff then took his team on his back. He scored with 2:41 to play and then again with 1:44 to play to send the game to overtime tied at 13.

In the overtime period, the Saints won the opening face-off and had two chances to score, but it was NYIT’s Joe Gabrysiak who scored the game-winner with 2:04 on the clock.

“The amazing thing is that we will all wake up in the morning,” said Head Coach Chris Hasbrouck. “I’m proud of my kids. They played their hearts out, and we just came up a little short today. We both had great athletes, and in the overtime emotions take over. Tech was able to force a couple of turnovers and they played a great game.”

David Wooster led the Saints with 6 points on 4 goals and 2 assists. Bobby Woody added 3 goals and an assist while Nolan Heavenor and Patrick Cardiff each added 3 points.

The Bears were led by Joe Gabrysiaks 8 points on 4 goals and 4 assists. Tom Zummo added 5 goals for NYIT.

For Limestone it was their 6th consecutive appearance in the final, which is a new Division II record. The offense set an all-time record with 339 goals and no player has ever had a better season than Roger Vyse who finished with 71 goals and 100 points.