Yellow Jackets Score Final Four Goals to Overcome Gophers

Junior Ingram Finds Back of the Net Three Times

ASHLAND, Va. — Goucher's losing streak extended to three games as the Gophers ceded the final four goals, allowing Randolph-Macon to sneak away with a victory, 9-8.

Overcoming struggles from the first three games of the season, Goucher (1-3) finally got off on the right foot. Despite giving up the first goal of the game, the Gophers rallied, ending the first quarter up by a score of 4-3.

In the team's previous games, the Gophers had been outscored 17-6 in the opening frame.

In that first period, Goucher received goals from Sam Woodruff (Glen Ridge, N.J./Kent School) and Max Roach (Austin, Texas/Austin), along with a pair from Pierce Ingram (Austin, Texas/Westwood).

On Ingram's second goal, the midfielder snapped his stick on an opposing player during the shot, but the ball still managed to have enough sizzle to get by the keeper. The junior had three goals on the day.

The teams each scored once in the second quarter, with Randolph-Macon (1-4) leveling the score off the quarter's opening faceoff and Roach's second tally of the game putting the Gophers on top heading into halftime.

The Yellow Jackets once again tied it up early in second half, but Zachary Fratella (Wilmington, Del./Brandywine) once again put the Gophers up, before Dylan Zook (Purcellville, Va./Loudoun Valley) doubled the lead with time running out in the third period.

The junior attackman batted in a rebound rolling at his feet to impressively make the advantage two.

The lead ballooned to three on Ingram's third goal of the day, but Goucher would be held scoreless for the final 11;22.

Momentum quickly shifted as the Jackets scored three straight times, twice on the extra-man, without Goucher touching the ball, nodding up the score at 8-8 with 5:37 to go.

The hosts scored three goals on five extra-man opportunities, while the Gophers failed to find the back of the net in the same number of attempts.

Jordan Devito made two of his 17 saves preventing Goucher from regaining the lead before Justin Butler scored his third goal of the game, putting Randolph-Macon ahead for good with 2:48 left.

Devito made two more stops down the stretch to close out the victory.

Goucher last lost three straight in 2011 with losses to the same three teams. That squad went on to have the best record in the Landmark Conference on its way to reaching the conference's championship game.