April 22, 2009

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA--The Saint Joseph's men's lacrosse team went on a 9-0 run over two periods to dispatch Wagner, 14-6, on Wednesday evening at Finnesey Field. Scott Cullinan led the Hawks with four markers and an assist, while Sean Evans scored a hat trick in the team's final home game of the season.

With the game knotted at two apiece and 13:46 remaining in the second period, Saint Joseph's (6-8, 4-4 MAAC) laid a barrage of goals, eight in fact, on the unsuspecting Seahawks to end the half.

Tallies by Evans and Cullinan broke the deadlock at 12:36 and 9:20 left to go to double Wagner (1-13, 0-7 MAAC) at 4-2. Goals by Brendan Burke and Charlie Gorman ran it up to 6-2 with 7:43 to go.

Four more goals over the next 2:17 by R.J. Bopf, Cullinan (twice) and Drew Mandela ended the initial 8-0 at 5:04 in the second quarter with the score in SJU's favor at 10-2. Gorman assisted on the Bopf and one of the Cullinan tallies.

Evans opened the scoring in the second half with an unassisted tally 6:34 into the third period for an 11-2 lead, capping the 9-0 run. Two straight Wagner goals just 31 seconds apart with five minutes remaining cut the lead to seven. A man-up goal by Chris O'Neill (assisted by Joey D'Avanzo) pushed the lead back to eight to end the third.

Defender Tom Wengenosky scored his second of the year on a coast-to-coast play, intercepting a Wagner pass and taking it to the rack with 13:49 to go. Cullinan notched the last goal of the game to give SJU the largest lead of the season at 14-4 on an Evans assist with 12:00 to play. Wagner concluded the game with two goals for the final score line.

The Hawks scored the first two goals of the game thanks to Gorman and Evans on back-to-back helpers by Alex Lopes to give SJU a 2-0 lead entering the second half. Wagner scored the first two goals of the second to tie things at two.

Saint Joseph's had advantages in every statistical category but saves (13-7) as the Hawks out-shot Wagner, 47-23 and picked up five more ground balls, 30-25. SJU won 13 face-offs to Wagner's 10, were 15-for-17 on the clear as opposed to the Seahawks' 14-for-20, were 2-for-7 in man-up situations (Wagner 1-for-6) and committed 11 fewer turnovers than the Seahawks (23-12).

Erik Hotaling, who allowed just five goals, had six saves for Saint Joseph's in his final appearance at Finnesey Field. Griffin Ferrigan (one save), Chase Stewart, and Weston Beard closed out the game in net for the Hawks.

On the defensive side, Wengenosky led the way as he had four caused turnovers and five ground balls. Ryan Tessler was 8-for-14 on face-offs with four ground balls. Chris Jenkins was 5-for-9 on face-offs with four ground balls as well.

The Hawks stay alive for the MAAC hunt, but need some help to advance in the proceedings as their league schedule is concluded. SJU is alone in sixth place and needs several other conference games to fall its way to qualify. Saint Joseph's will travel to University Park, Pa. to take on Penn State in the regular season finale this Saturday at 7:30 on Jeffery Field.