May 5, 2008
NORTHEAST-10 MEN'S LACROSSE SEMIFINALS
LONG'S GOAL LIFTS BRYANT MEN TO 9-8 OVERTIME WIN AGAINST
MERRIMACK FRIDAY
Bulldogs Travel to NE-10 Championship Sunday at Le
Moyne
boxscore
|
| Junior Jim Long notched the game-winner vs. Merrimack, sending
the Bulldogs to the conference championship game for the second
year in a row. www.dspics.com
|
SMITHFIELD, RI - Jim Long (Durham, NH) scored
2:21 into overtime to lead the Bryant University men's lacrosse
team to a 9-8 win over Merrimack College in a Northeast-10
Conference semifinal game at a rain-soaked Bulldog Stadium Friday
afternoon. Bryant, the No. 2 seed, will advance to the
conference championship game for the second consecutive year where
they will face top-seed Le Moyne in Syracuse, NY starting at noon.
Bryant (13-3) took advantage of a Merrimack error in the final
minute to help force overtime. The Warriors (12-4), took an
8-7 lead on a goal by Christopher Elia with 6:53 left. The
lead would hold until the final minute. Bryant, looking for
the equalizer, came up short as Cory Spinale (23 saves) came with a
big stop on Bryant's Kevin Hoagland (Glastonbury,
CT) with 36 seconds remaining.
On the ensuing Merrimack possession and needing only to run out
the clock to preserve the win, but an errant pass gave the ball
back to the Bulldogs, setting up one more opportunity. With
time winding down, Matt McKeefrey (Melville, NY)
fed sniper Bryan Kaufman (Putnam Valley, NY) alone
in front for a one-timer past Spinale, tying the game at 8-8 with
18 seconds remaining.
In the overtime and momentum back on their side, the Bulldogs
gained advantage by another face-off win by Andrew
Hennessey (Wading River, NY) and after two missed shots on
the Warrior net, Long came through, taking a pass across the crease
to Long 20 yards out on the right and ripped the game-winner past
Spinale sending the Bulldogs on their way to the finals.
Kaufmann finished with three goals on the afternoon with Long
and Hoagland each netting a pair. Hennessey finished the game
winning 16 of 21 face-offs and adding a career-best 11 ground
balls.
@ Smithfield, RI
MERRIMACK (8) Goals -
Balbuena 2, Elia 2, Rogowski 1, Fennel 1, Pisano 1, Beaudoin 1;
Assists - Eichelberger 2, Rogowski 2, Fennel 1, Pisano 1.
BRYANT (9) Goals - Kaufmann 3, Long 2, Hoagland 2,
Crowley 1, Larson 1; Assists - Crowley 2, McKeefrey 2, Kaufmann 1,
Larson 1, Roberts 1.
Halftime - B 5-3. Regulation 8-8.
Saves - B - Kennedy, 10. M - Spinale, 23.
Records: B 13-3, M 12-4.
