May 6, 2009

MEN'S LAX FALLS IN OPENING ROUND OF NCAA TOURNEY

In the opening round of the NCAA tournament, the Mount Ida College men's lacrosse team fell to hosting Pilgrim League champion Springfield College 21-4 on Thursday evening on Staggs Field. The Mustangs, who captured their sixth consecutive North Atlantic Conference (NAC) championship to advance to the tournament, end the 2009 season at 13-7 and loss in the opening round of the NCAA's for the third year in a row. The Pride will travel to 2008 NCAA tournament runner-up Cortland State this coming Saturday for second round action.

Springfield dominated the action for the first two quarters scoring 14 unanswered goals leading 14-0. The Mustangs let up seven scores a piece in each quarter switching goaltenders early from freshman Justin Famiglietti (Peabody, MA/Peabody) to junior Matt Vernik (Bethany, CT/Amity Regional). The Pride's defense was devastating giving the Mustangs no chance to possess the ball in the offensive end.

Mount Ida finally tallied their first score of the game on a goal by sophomore Derek Broughton (Peabody, MA/Peabody) from junior Kevin Mulvey (Peabody, MA/Peabody) trailing 14-1 ending the first half. The Mustangs struggled to hold on to the ball turning it over 17 times in the opening half. They could not get the ball out of the defensive zone failing to clear the ball going 4-9.

Mount Ida changed goaltenders again in the beginning of the second half inserting James McAllister (Smithfield, RI/LaSalle Academy) who transferred from Springfield to Mount Ida earlier in the year.

The Pride notched the first four goals of the third quarter taking the 18-1 overwhelming lead with 5:46 to go before the final frame. The Mustangs answered with a sophomore Paul Battapaglia (Clinton, CT/Morgan) score from senior Brett Conley (Fairfield, CT/Fairfield Warde) down 18-2 with 4:41 left in the third.

After another Springfield goal making it 19-2, Mount Ida answered again on another Battapaglia score from senior Leo Shidler (Peabody, MA/Peabody) trailing 19-3 at the 1:32 mark. Two more goals from the hosts towards the middle of the fourth quarter gave the Pride a 21-3 advantage with 9:52 left in the game.

The Mustangs tallied the final goal of the game from the stick of sophomore Matthew Savage (Peabody, MA/Peabody) from Shidler with 2:41 to go. Unfortunately for the Mustangs the game ended there dropping the 21-4 loss.

Mount Ida goaltenders Vernik and Famiglietti combined for nine saves in the opening half. McAllister, who took over the duties between the pipes in the second half, was unconscious with 15 saves only letting seven goals up in 30 minutes.

"I think we came out too nervous in the first quarter", said Mount Ida Head Coach Andrew Fink. "I kept on telling the guys to relax, but easier said than done. It was a case of trying to catch the big guy sleeping, but it just didn't happen tonight. We tried everything, ever option we had in the book. We used three goalies, but we couldn't get anything going. We've been to the NCAA's three years in a row, but now we have to figure out a way to get back here and do better. I was pleased with the effort. Springfield is a good program. I would not be surprised if they give Cortland a good battle."



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