OT Goal Derails Gophers' Bid for 3-0 Start

OT Goal Derails Gophers' Bid for 3-0 Start

GK Main Makes Two Saves in OT to Finish with 15

March 4, 2009

TOWSON, Md. – Goucher was denied a 3-0 start to the season today when Greensboro's Neal McKinney tallied an unassisted goal 2:41 into overtime that immediately provided the Pride with a 12-11 victory over the Gophers.

Thanks to an 11-1 advantage in shots in the opening 15:00, the Gophers broke out on top, 3-1. Sam Fitzpatrick (Littleton, Colo./Arapahoe) opened the scoring 5:18 into the contest with an extra-man goal 5:18 and Goucher's other two goals in the first quarter were scored by Adam Pietrocarlo (Hamburg, N.Y./Frontier Central) and Matt Lynch (Ivyland, Pa./LaSalle College).

Pietrocarlo's second goal of the game put the Gophers (2-1) ahead 4-3 with 5:41 remaining before halftime, but Greensboro responded with a goal by Jose Rodriguez that had the two teams locked in a 4-4 tie after two periods.

Brian Hoge (Crofton, Md./Arundel) stuck a pair of goals and also picked up an assist on Fitzpatrick's second man-up goal of the game in the third quarter, which ended with the two teams still knotted up, now at 7-7.

Goucher jumped back in front in the fourth quarter on goals by Rory Averett (Ivyland, Pa./Council Rock North) and Lynch in the first 4:11 of the period, but by midway through the stanza, the two teams were once again on even terms as Rodriguez and Nick Patrone tallied goals for Greensboro just :13 apart.

The Pride (3-1) took its first and only lead during regulation on an even-strength goal by John Anglin with 4:29 left to play, but with 2:37 showing on the clock, the Gophers concluded a 4-for-4 day on extra-man opportunities with Fitpatrick setting up Lynch's third goal of the game.

From the second period on, Greensboro outshot Goucher, 36-24, including a 4-0 advantage in the overtime period. Senior goalkeeper Austin Main (Berlin, Md./Stephen Decatur) of the Gophers turned away two of the three shots that preceded the one by McKinney that turned into the game-winning goal and finished with a total of 15 saves.