FAIRFIELD, CONN. - Jack Doherty (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) scored three goals, as eight different Red Foxes found the back of the net, in a season-opening 12-10 victory at Sacred Heart Sunday afternoon. It was the first career-victory for first-year head coach Keegan Wilkinson.
Connor Rice (Penfield, N.Y.) and Colin Joka (Conshohocken, Pa.) also had multi-goal games, each scoring twice. The two goals were the first of Joka's career as he was playing in his first collegiate game. Rice also had two assists for four total points on the afternoon. Mike Begley (Brookeville, Md.) had a goal and an assist and freshmen Drew Nesmith (Montclair, N.J.) and Brett Bernardo (Clifton Park, N.Y.) played in their first collegiate games and scored their first goal. Craig Goodermote (Hottsville, N.Y.) got the start in goal and played the first half, making nine saves while only allowing three goals. Dave Scarcello (Buffalo, N.Y.) played the second half and made seven saves.
Marist (1-0) scored four unanswered goals, after Sacred Heart (0-2) scored the first goal of the game, to take a 4-1 lead with 6:51 left in the second quarter. Bernardo got the Red Foxes on the board first with an unassisted goal. Matt Dugan (Cortland, N.Y.) won the ensuing faceoff and ran down the field to score just six seconds later and give Marist a 2-1 lead. Joka then scored his first goal, on an assist from Kevin Dondero (Smithtown, N.Y.), on a man-up situation. Doherty completed the run with an unassisted goal of his own.
Following a pair of goals by the Pioneer's, the Red Foxes scored three times in the final 2:06 of the half to take a 7-3 lead at the midway point. Begley and Doherty scored on assists from Rice, with Doherty's goal again coming on a man-up situation, before Rice scored one of his own with just five seconds left on a helper from Jim Marks (Camillus, N.Y.).
Three scores in the third quarter and two at the beginning of the fourth was enough for Marist to hold off a late Sacred Heart charge. The Pioneers scored five straight goals to end the game, but the Red Foxes had already built up enough of a lead for the win.
The Red Foxes return to action on Saturday at 1 p.m. as they will travel to play Stony Brook. Marist will play their next three games on the road before their home-opener on March 17 against Jacksonville.
