Four Goals Turns Out to Be Enough Against Royals

Stricklin Stops Six Shots in Second Period, Finishes with 13 Saves

TOWSON, Md. — Goucher scored twice in the first quarter and two more times in the second period and that turned out to be just enough offense to come out on top of Scranton, 4-3, in a Landmark Conference game today in Gopher Stadium.

The two goals the Gophers (9-3, 3-0 Landmark) tallied in the opening quarter were just :11 apart. The first one by Jacob Fratella (Wilmington, Del./Brandywine) tied the score at 1-1 with 2:48 remaining in the period.

The second one started with Nick LaBricciosa (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) winning the ensuing face-off and ended with the senior midfielder sticking his third goal of the season.

Fratella provided Goucher with a 3-1 advantage when he tallied his ninth goal of the season 4:49 into the second quarter. The Royals (4-8, 1-3 Landmark) closed to within 3-2 midway through the period on a goal by Doug Homan, but Matt Lynch (Ivyland, Pa./LaSalle College) put the Gophers up 4-2 with an unasisted goal with 3:19 remaining before halftime.

Kyle Boncaro (Geneva, N.Y./Geneva) was awarded assists on both of Fratella's goals.

The only scoring in the second half was an unassisted goal by Scranton's Taylor Watson with 8:54 left to play in the third quarter.

Between them, the two starting goalkeepers made 23 saves. Goucher's Chris Stricklin (Germantown, Md./Seneca Valley) stopped six shots in the second quarter and finished with a total of 13 saves; Ben Worthington of the Royals had five saves through the first three periods, but made five more in the fourth quarter.

Before today, the Gophers were 0-34 all-time in games in which they scored four or fewer goals.