March 14, 2006

Courtesy DSC Members' Sports Information Offices

Wingate, N.C.----The seventh-ranked Molloy College Lions used a big third quarter to defeat the Wingate University Bulldogs 14-8 Tuesday afternoon in NCAA Division II men’s lacrosse action at Irwin Belk Stadium and John R. Martin Field on the Wingate campus. With the win, the Lions improve to 3-0 overall on the season, while the Bulldogs fall to 4-2 overall.

The Lions got out to a hot start, scoring four goals from four different players while blanking the Bulldogs in the first quarter, taking a 4-0 lead into the second.

Wingate would then score four unanswered goals to tie the game. Molloy answered by regaining the lead on a goal from Tim Harrington (North Babylon, N.Y.) with 7:37 remaining in the half. The Bulldogs struck back with goals from Bryan Safarik (Vancouver, B.C.) and Mark Hodsdon (Hilton Head, S.C.) to take their first lead at 6-5.

Molloy came back in the second half, tying it up at the 9:33 mark of the third quarter on a goal from Justin Bono (Woodbridge, N.Y.). Wingate responded with an unassisted goal from Safarik.

The Lions would then score six unanswered goals in the rest of the quarter to take the lead for good. Freshman midfielder Keith Galante (N. Massapeequa, N.Y.) had two of the goals in the run and senior attacker Stephen Maier (Farmingdale, N.Y.) added four assists in the quarter. Maier totaled five assists and one goal on the afternoon.

The Lions would add two more goals in the fourth quarter, while Wingate added one for the final margin of 14-8. The Lions got goals from seven different players in all, including four from junior attacker Dominick Toscano (Plainedge, N.Y.) and two each from Pat Aiello (Massapequa, N.Y.), Harrington, Bono and Galante.

Hodsdon and Safarik had two goals each for the hosts. Five different Bulldogs had an assist.

Wingate will return to action Saturday, March 18 when they host St. Andrews Presbyterian College at 2 p.m. in a Deep South Conference contest.

First Quarter (*man up goal)

MC-Dominick Toscano (Tim Harrington), 8:54

MC-Pat Aiello (James Sampson), 6:50

MC-Justin Bono, 5:22

MC-Stephen Maier (Keith Galante), 4:50

Second Quarter

WIN-Mark Hodsdon (Zach Ritter), 14:38

WIN-Stephen Torkington (Ryan Otterblad), 12:25

WIN-Kyle Costello (Bryan Safarik), 8:53

WIN-Dan Leber, 8:13

MC-Harrington (Maier), 7:37

WIN-Safarik (Costello), 6:18

WIN-Hodsdon (Leber), 5:25

Third Quarter

MC-Bono (Maier), 9:33

WIN-Safarik, 8:30

MC-Galante, 7:09

MC-Toscano (Maier), 5:57

MC-Pat Aiello (Toscano), 5:04*

MC-Toscano (Maier), 4:50

MC-Harrington, 3:03

MC-Galante (Maier), 2:18

Fourth Quarter

MC-Mike Vetrano (Sampson), 13:56

WIN-Chris Manwaring, 11:23

MC-Toscano (Maier), 2:13*

BELMONT, NC - Belmont Abbey hosted St. Andrews Presbyterian College in a Deep South Conference game Tuesday afternoon but fell 15-7 in men's lacrosse. The Crusaders are now 2-4 on the year and 0-3 in the DSC while St. Andrews moves to 3-4, 3-0 in the conference.

The Knights asserted their authority early, sprinting out to a 4-0 lead in the first quarter. BAC started the second quarter with a goal from Aaron Flood but St. Andrews made it 6-1 with back-to-back goals from Drew Howell and Kyle Loda.

The Abbey went into the half with a bit of momentum, however, scoring twice in the final four minutes to trail 6-3. Flood tallied with 3:25 remaining and then struck again with only three seconds on the clock.

St. Andrews answered with four unanswered goals in the third period before the Crusaders made it 10-4 with just under four minutes left in the quarter. SAPC scored again in the third and put two more up early in the fourth for a 13-4 advantage. The two teams then traded two goals each in 1:37, followed by BAC getting one last tally from Flood at the 3:10 mark.

Nate Hull played well between the pipes for St. Andrews, making 10 saves and scooping up three ground balls. Pat Fitzgerald and Howell scored three goals each while Zach Mryncza dished out three assists. Flood finished with a game-high four goals and Korey Earles added a goal and an assist.

The Crusaders next play at Presbyterian College on Saturday, March 18, at 1:00 PM.