No. 9 Shoremen Catch, Pass Gophers in Second Half

CHESTERTOWN, Md. — Goucher's one-goal lead at halftime over nationally ranked Washington (Md.) became a 9-5 deficit when the Shoremen went on a 5-0 run to open the third quarter. The Gophers were limited to only two goals the entire second half as they dropped their season-opening contest, 16-7, this afternoon.

Owen Demmerly (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) put head coach Brian Kelly's squad ahead with both of the goals he cashed in during the opening period, which ended with Goucher ahead 3-2. Demmerly also assisted a goal by Sam Morgan (Wilmot, N.H./Kearsarge Regional) 5:30 into the second quarter that made the score 4-3 in favor of the Gophers (0-1).

The Shoremen, who were listed at No. 9 in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association's Division III preseason poll, pulled into a 4-4 tie with a goal by Jim Cusick midway through the second period, but just 10 seconds later, Goucher regained the lead on an even-strength goal by Dylan Zook (Purcellville, Va./Loudoun Valley).

Trailing 5-4 at the start of the second half, the Shoremen needed only 34 seconds to catch the Gophers, doing it with an extra-man goal by Cusick. The home team went ahead for the first time just over two minutes later on a goal by Hunter Nowicki.

Nowicki also scored Washington's next two goals as the Shoremen (1-0) opened up an 8-5 advantage on his man-up goal with 6:41 remaining in the period. Following another extra-man tally, this one by Stephen Luck, that put Goucher in a 9-5 hole, the Gophers ended their opponent's 5-0 run when Demmerly stuck his third goal of the contest with 1:37 remaining in the third quarter.

Washington piled it on in the fourth period, adding seven more goals to its total while limiting Goucher to a single goal by Zook.

In beating the Gophers for the fourth time in the six meetings between the two in-state rivals, the Shoremen finished with an edge in shots, 41-23, and ground balls, 40-27, plus they won 17 of the 25 faceoffs.

Karl Wiszumerski (Pottstown, Pa./The Hill School), who appeared in 11 games the past two seasons but was making his first start in goal for the Gophers today, played all 60 minutes was was credited with 12 saves.

Goucher's second game of the season will also be against an opponent from the Centennial Conference. The Gophers will host No. 20 Gettysburg on Wednesday, Feb. 26, with the opening faceoff scheduled for 3:30 p.m.