Gophers Bounce Back, Open Conference Play With Win

Gophers Improve to 27-3 in Landmark Conference Play

WASHINGON, Pa. — The first Landmark Conference game of the season couldn't get here fast enough for Goucher.

The Gophers scheduled seven non-conference contests ahead of this afternoon's Landmark opener against Washington & Jefferson. With four of those games against teams that went to the NCAA Division III playoffs in 2012, it wasn't all that incredible that they came out of that stretch with only one victory.

But Goucher has certainly been tough to beat in Landmark Conference games. During the league's first five years of existence, the Gophers went 26-3 against Landmark Opponents during the regular season.

Today, the Gophers parlayed a 47-17 edge in shots into a 10-1 final scoreline.

The Gophers (2-6, 1-0 Landmark) broke through just 1:28 into the contest on a goal from Pierce Ingram (Austin, Texas/Westwood), assisted by Zachary Fratella (Wilmington, Del./Brandywine).

Goucher tacked on two additional goals in the first frame, courtesy of Max Roach (Austin, Texas/Austin) and Steve Patterson (Minneapolis, Minn./Blake School) sandwiched around a Washington & Jefferson (3-3, 0-1 Landmark) marker.

That lead would have been sufficent, as Connor Mishaw (Wilmington, Del./Brandywine) stopped eight shots in the victory, combining with Karl Wiszumerski (Pottstown, Pa./The Hill School) to hold the Presidents scoreless for the final 51:47 of the contest.

The Gophers extended the lead to 5-1 at the half on goals from Roach and Fratella, outshooting the Presidents 12-1 in the second quarter.

Goucher scored the only two goals in the third quarter, both assisted by Sam Morgan (Wilmot, N.H./Kearsarge Regional) on extra-man opportunities. Morgan set up Ingram to make the lead 6-1. Later on in the period, the sophomore assisted on Roach's third goal of the contest, giving the attackman his second consecutive hat trick.

Ingram, Michael Morgan (Austin, Texas/Westwood) and Conner Annunziato (West Chester, Pa./Bayerd Rustin) wrapped up the scoring for the Gophers in the fourth.

With the win, the Gophers move to 5-0 overall against Washington & Jefferson, including two straight wins since the Presidents joined the Landmark as an affiliate member in men's lacrosse.