Gophers Topple Mariners, Start Out 1-0 in Landmark
KINGS POINT, N.Y. - Austin Main (Berlin, MD/Stephen Decatur) made saves on 16 of the 34 shots he faced today in leading Goucher to a 7-5 victory over Merchant Marine in the first Landmark Conference game for both teams.
Gophers Topple Mariners, Start Out 1-0 in Landmark
Main Faces 34 Shots, Makes 16 Saves in 7-5 TriumphMarch 22, 2008
KINGS POINT, N.Y. - Austin Main (Berlin, MD/Stephen Decatur) made saves on 16 of the 34 shots he faced today in leading Goucher to a 7-5 victory over Merchant Marine in the first Landmark Conference game for both teams.
An unassisted goal by Alex Boucher (North Wales, PA/Germantown Academy) put Goucher ahead 3-2 with 2:58 remaining in the second period, but that was enough time for the Gophers (5-2, 1-0 Landmark) to put two more goals on the scoreboard before the end of the first half. An unassisted goal by Jake Fratella (Wilmington, DE/Brandywine) with 2:38 left to play bumped Goucher's lead up to 4-2 and then Fratella picked up an assist on a goal by Sam Fitzpatrick (Littleton, CO/Arapahoe) with just :21 showing on the clock.
An extra-man goal by Robert Atkinson and an even-strength goal by Brennan Dougherty allowed the Mariners (3-4, 0-1 Landmark) to close to within 5-4 after three periods, but Brian Hoge (Crofton, MD/Arundel) restored Goucher's lead back to three goals when he tallied a pair of unassisted goals just :21 apart midway through the fourth quarter.
With his performance in goal for the Gophers today, Main's save percentage for the season rose to .701.
The Mariners, who were picked to win the inaugural Landmark Conference title in a preseason poll of head coaches and sports information directors, finished with a 34-25 edge in shots.
This was only the fourth all-time meeting between Goucher and Merchant Marine in the sport of men's lacrosse and the first since 1996. The Gophers lead the all-time series, 3-1.