April 4, 2009

FREDERICKSBURG, VA – The York College men’s lacrosse team evened their record at 6-6 Saturday afternoon courtesy of an 11-9 victory over Mary Washington. The Capital Athletic Conference win ups the Spartans’ league mark to 4-3 while the Eagles fall to 7-6 overall and 1-5 in the conference.
    Sophomore attack Josh Gamble (Easton, Md./Easton) led the way for the Spartans offensively with a game-high six points. Gamble tallied a trio of goals, as he now stands at 22 for the season, while also dishing out three assists.
    Gamble was joined in the offensive end by fellow attack Ryan McNicholas (Fallston, Md./Fallston) who lit up the scoreboard with a hat trick of his own. The junior’s three goals increase his team-leading total to 25 on the season.
    After a 1-1 first period, both squads exploded in the second frame combining for eight goals. The Eagles’ notched the second’s first two scores to take a 3-1 lead. Brian Deal had a hand in both tallies as he assisted Charlie White on the first before taking on the goal-scoring responsibilities himself for Mary Washington’s third goal.
    McNicholas’ first of the day broke up the short Eagle spurt. Following a pass from senior midfielder Brian O’Neill (Lititz, Pa./Manheim Township) McNicholas filed away his 23rd of the season to cut the lead to 3-2 with 7:07 remaining in the quarter.
    The hosts responded with three more to take a 6-2 lead. This time Deal sandwiched his score in-between goals from Brent Fisk and James Fitzella. The 3-0 run occurred over a brief 2:50 period.
    Down by four, the Spartans closed out the frame by cutting deep into Eagle lead. Gamble combined with Mike LaRoque (Arnold, Md./DeMatha) for Gamble’s first of the day with 1:16 left in the half. With only two seconds left, freshman Nick Bach (Glen Burnie, Md./North County) brought the Spartans to within two at 6-4. Gamble notched the assist as the Green and White grabbed the momentum heading into the break.
    That momentum proved fruitful as the Spartans scored six unanswered in the third period. Gamble had a hand in each of York’s first four of quarter recorded two goals and two assists. The sophomore began the 6-0 run at the 12:10 mark of the third with his second goal of the day. LaRoque then knotted the score at six with 10:20 to go in the frame before McNicholas put the Spartans on top 7-6, 3:38 later. Gamble, B.J. Blaker (West Chester, Pa./Henderson), and Patrick Coppinger (Jessup, Md./Hammond) closed out the period with York’s final three scores of the frame.
    Now owning a 10-6 lead, the Spartans would add one more in the fourth, courtesy of McNicholas’ third. All told, the Spartans put together an impressive 9-0 run that spanned over three periods.
    Mary Washington rallied in the fourth with three consecutive goals to bring the score to 11-9. Despite the trio of scores the Spartans held on for the two-goal victory.
    Defensively for the Green and White, Dan Wood (Montauk, N.Y./East Hampton) picked up a game-high six ground balls while LaRoque, Steve Mersinger (Westminster, Md./Westminster), and Zach Scherr (Reisterstown, Md./Franklin) each collected four. Sophomore goalkeeper Chris Collins (Westminster, Md./Westminster) made ten saves over his 60 minutes.
    Deal posted four goals and one assist to lead the Eagles. Andrew Becken and Peter Lytle each collected five ground balls. Ryan Kleman posted 12 stops in 60 minutes between the pipes for Mary Washington.
    The Spartans now prepare for their final game before the CAC tournament, slated for Tuesday, April 7. York hosts Susquehanna at 4:00 pm.

GAME BOX

Josh Gamble photo courtesy of Steve Doemland