Gophers Suffer 7-5 Setback to Former CAC Rivals

Gophers Suffer 7-5 Setback to Former CAC Rivals

March 18, 2008

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. - Goucher led 4-3 after three periods and went ahead 5-3 on an unassisted goal by Sam Fitzpatrick (Littleton, CO/Arapahoe) 1:24 into the fourth period only to surrender four unanswered goals to Mary Washington and suffer a 7-5 loss to the Eagles this afternoon.

The Eagles' game-winning rally began with unassisted goals by Charlie White and Sean Brown. Daniel Coats had a hand in Mary Washington's final two goals, picking up an assist on a goal by Brian Meaney with 8:55 remaining that put the Eagles (4-3) ahead 6-5 and then scoring a goal of his own with 3:58 showing on the clock.

Even though they were outscored, 4-1, in the fourth quarter, the Gophers (4-2) enjoyed an 11-7 edge in shots during the final 15:00.

The Eagles enjoyed a 1-0 advantage for nearly 11 minutes in the first quarter until Goucher's Casey Hughes (Woodstock, MD/Mt. Hebron) scored with :20 remaining in the period to create a 1-1 tie. Mary Washington regained the lead midway through the second quarter, but Hughes came through again for the Gophers, tallying an unassisted goal with :10 showing on the clock that left the two teams knotted up at 2-2 at the end of the first half.

The 2-2 deadlock held up for more than eight minutes of the third quarter until Goucher went ahead for the first time on an unassisted extra-man goal by Fitzpatrick, his team-leading 12th goal of the season. Hughes' third goal of the game put the Gophers up 4-2 with 4:46 left to play in the period.

This was the Gophers' only scheduled game against a member of the Capital Athletic Conference. Goucher was affiliated with the CAC for the past 16 years before leaving to join the Landmark Conference in 2007-08.