April 2, 2011
Final Stats
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist men's lacrosse team defeated Virginia Military Institute 13-7 Saturday afternoon, recording its first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) victory of the season. Sophomore attack Jack Doherty (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) tied a season-high with six goals to lead the Red Foxes.
In first half action, VMI opened the scoring with a goal just over one minute into the game. Senior attack Corey Zindel (Randolph, N.J.) tied the score at one just 58 seconds later, before VMI punched in its second goal at the 10:14 mark to take a 2-1 lead.
The Red Foxes went on a 7-0 run, beginning with senior midfielder Chris Sharkey's (Fair Haven, N.J.) first goal of the season with 6:56 remaining the first quarter. Just 16 seconds later, senior midfielder Lou Loria (Bethpage, N.Y.) scored his first goal of the season to give Marist its first lead of the game. Doherty scored the next three Marist goals, extending the lead to 6-2. Sophomores Connor Rice (Penfield, N.Y.) and Jim Marks (Camillus, N.Y.) finished off the run with back-to-back second quarter goals, giving the Red Foxes an 8-2 advantage with 8:43 remaining.
VMI responded with two goals in the final six minutes of the second quarter, cutting the Marist lead to four entering the locker rooms at the half.
The second half began with VMI and Marist scoring two goals apiece, including two more goals by Doherty to maintain the four goal advantage and keep the Red Foxes ahead 10-6 entering the fourth quarter.
Keith Long tallied his fourth goal of the game for VMI, drawing the Keydets within three of the Red Foxes with 12:02 left in regulation. Marist went on a 3-0 run over the final nine-plus minutes the game, including Doherty's sixth goal on the afternoon. This was his second set of three consecutive goals in the game. Sophomore Nick Piotti (Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J.) and freshman Tucker Nelson (Penfield, N.Y.) tallied the final two goals of the game to finish off the Red Foxes' 13-7 win.
Defensively, Marist was led by senior Nick Armstrong (Kings Park, N.Y.), who caused five turnovers and collected eight ground balls. He also shut down VMI's leading goal-scorer Drew Leonard, who failed to register a point in the contest. Goalie Brendan Price (Bay Shore, N.Y.) held the Keydets in check, as well, as he made 11 saves and allowed only seven goals. This is his third straight game, in which he has held an opponent to seven goals.
As a team, Marist outshot VMI, 32-31, collected more ground balls at 36-32 and caused more turnovers at 14 to 7.
Marist improved to 2-6 overall and 1-2 in MAAC play; VMI dropped to 2-8 on the season and 0-3 in the MAAC.
The Red Foxes will return to action on Tuesday, April 5 when they travel to Easton, Pa. to take on Lafayette. Opening face-off is set for 7 p.m.
