Gophers Drop Another One-Goal Verdict, Finish at .500

SCRANTON, Pa. — Goucher's three-goal lead at the end of the first half of this afternoon's Landmark Conference game against Scranton vanished when the home team outscored head coach Brian Kelly's squad, 4-0, in the third quarter.

The score became 8-6 in favor of the Royals approximately five minutes into the fourth period when Anthony Lombardo tallied his second goal of the contest, but the Gophers responded with goals by Michael Morgan (Austin, Texas/Westwood) at 8:38 and Sam Morgan (Wilmot, N.H./Kearsarge Regional) at 7:27 to even the score at 8-8.

The score remained tied until Nicholas Smith's even-strength goal with 1:54 remaining put Scranton back in front and the Royals held on to win, 9-8.

This was the sixth game decided by a single goal that Goucher was involved in this season. The Gophers went 2-1 in the three non-conference games where the two teams were separated at the end by just one goal, but they dropped all three one-goal decisions against Landmark Conference opponents.

The Gophers finished the season at 7-7 overall, 2-5 in the Landmark Conference.

Owen Demmerly (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) had a hand in the first three goals today as Goucher bolted out to a 3-0 advantage in the first seven minutes. The junior attackman set up a goal by Will Brennan (Geneva, N.Y./Geneva) that opened the scoring and then stuck a pair of unassisted goals of his own.

An unassisted goal by Pierce Bailey (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep) with :51 remaining in the opening quarter provided the Gophers with a 4-1 cushion, but the Royals (9-6, 5-2 Landmark) answered with a goal by Swift with just :10 showing on the clock and trailed by just two heading into the second period.

Sam Morgan's extra-man goal with 1:44 remaining before halftime extended Goucher's lead to 6-3 at the break.

Scranton went ahead for the first time on a goal by Alec Mikrut with 8:21 remaining in the third quarter.