Gophers Start Strong but Fade Against Nation's No. 2 Team

Mishaw's 21 Saves Matches Carrer Best Set in 2011

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Goucher held a 3-2 lead after 15 minutes, but Stevenson, the USILA's second-ranked team rallied to put away the Gophers 17-7.

Max Roach (Austin, Texas/Austin) got the Gophers (1-5) on the scoreboard first, taking a pass from Owen Demmerly (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) on the left wing, sticking the goal.

Goucher doubled its lead when Sam Morgan (Wilmot, N.H./Kearsarge Regional) scored his sixth goal of the year.

Stevenson (5-0) finally got on the scoreboard with 3:52 left in the first with a man-down goal, but Pierce Ingram (Austin, Texas/Westwood) got it right back for the Gophers just as the man-up opportunity expired.

Stevenson scored the final goal of the first quarter, but finished the frame down 3-2.

Goucher received a superb effort to hold the lead from Connor Mishaw (Wilmington, Del./Brandywine), who made six saves in the first quarter, including two incredible one-on-one stops.

Stevenson netted the first two goals of the second quarter, taking its first lead of the game at 4-3, but it was short-lived.

On the ensuing faceoff, Bryce Carson (Wyomissing, Pa./Lancaster Country Day School), in his first game taking draws this season, won the restart cleanly and took the ball all the way for the goal.

The long-stick senior defender has now scored in back-to-back games, matching his total number of goals from his 59 previous games. He also scooped up seven ground balls. 

Stevenson scored the next three goals before Roach stopped the bleeding, pulling the Gophers back within two.

A goal with :12 left in the second sent the teams to intermission at 8-5.

Despite Stevenson's 6-2 edge in goals in the second, Mishaw made eight saves to keep the Gophers alive. He finished with 21 stops, matching a career high set in a triple overtime thriller against Drew in 2011.

The third period was completely dominated by the 2012 NCAA semifinalists, as Stevenson scored all five goals over the 15 minutes.

Former Mustang Zachary Fratella (Wilmington, Del./Brandywine) found the back of the net against his former team to open the fourth and Demmerly also scored to bring the Gophers' total to seven goals, but Stevenson scored the final three of the game to polish off the 17-7 victory.

Tyler Reid had five goals and Sam Wyatt earned 11 ground balls for the victorious side.