HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. (March 31, 2015) – Six goals from freshman attacker
Harry Rice and 12 saves from sophomore goalkeeper
Teddy Sweeney aided the Drew University men's lacrosse team in a 10-6 defeat of Centenary (N.J.) College on the road on a snowy Tuesday evening.
An early spring snowfall didn't blind the shooting scope of Rice, who scored the Rangers' (2-6) final five goals to ice the non-conference victory. Senior midfielder
Robert Hart started a second half rally with two goals to start the third quarter and erase a 4-3 halftime deficit. Rice was unstoppable in the fourth quarter as his four fourth-quarter goals capped a 7-2 Rangers second half.
"Our guys played really well and they really wanted it," said head coach
Thomas Leanos. "It was the kind of complete team effort we need going forward and to turn this win into a streak. Rob Hart really gave us the spark we needed,
Joe Palmieri was incredible on the faceoff, and
Harry Rice continued to lead our offense."
Rice upped his team-leading goal total to 21, which is now tied for third in the Landmark Conference.
Sweeney and the Drew defense took care of their end of business. The Rangers allowed 29 shots to the Cyclones (1-8), and Sweeney stopped 12 of them while allowing a season-low six goals on Tuesday. Sweeney also picked up three ground balls, while senior defender
Steven Damelio scooped a team-high five, and Hart, Rice and sophomore attacker
Tom Cotroneo all had four.
Freshman faceoff specialist
Joe Palmieri won 11-of-14 at the X, and senior
Hutch Fisher and junior
Steven Cola each added a goal in the triumph.
The Rangers were forced to play from behind as Centenary took a 2-0 lead with 6:31 remaining in the first quarter. The Rangers got on the board shortly after when sophomore
Frank Kingston picked up a ground ball and fed a pass to Fisher, who fired his goal of the season into the net. Then with just 0.7 seconds showing on the clock, Cola tied the game at 2-2 off a pass from Cotroneo, who notched his first of three assists.
The second quarter began the same as the first, with the Cyclones scoring two to take a two-goal lead. That's when the
Harry Rice show took over, but not without a spectacular play by freshman defender
Marc Pauwels. The Drew defender blocked a shot in the defensive zone, took it up the turf for the clear and dished to Rice, who made it 4-3 in favor of Centenary.
The third quarter has been the strongest period for the Rangers in 2015. Drew has outscored opponents 23-17 in the third quarter this season, and that held true against Centenary. Hart scored his two goals late in the period and Rice added another, while Sweeney made four saves to post a zero for the defense in the quarter.
The Rangers opened the fourth quarter taking advantage of a man-up opportunity. The Cotroneo-to-Rice connection was heating up as the two combined to make it 7-4 with 8:38 to play.
Centenary launched a comeback with two straight goals to pull within a goal, 7-6, but Rice again took over for two quick goals, including a man-up tally, within one minute of each other. Rice slotted home the insurance goal, an empty netter, to make it 10-6.
The Rangers return to Landmark Conference action on Saturday, April 4 at 1:00 p.m. when The University of Scranton visits Ranger Stadium.