Gophers Knock Crown Off Monarch's Head, Now 3-1

TOWSON, Md. — Goucher opened a six-game homestand successfully today, coming out on top in a 15-6 battle with King's (Pa.).

The Gophers got on the scoreboard first, but just eight seconds after Michael Morgan (Austin, Texas/Westwood)  put head coach Brian Kelly's squad up 1-0, Marshall Hardy answered for the Monarchs (1-2) in the form of man-down goal. The only other goal in the first quarter was an unassisted tally by Shawn Dickey at 6:22 that provided the visitors with a 2-1 lead after 15 minutes.

Goucher outscored King's, 10-0 in the middle two periods. A goal by Conner Annunziato (West Chester, Pa./Bayerd Rustin) that was assisted by Blake Russell (Lake Shore, Md./Northeast) at 6:23 created a 2-2 tie and Morgan put the Gophers (3-1) ahead to stay when he stuck a man-up goal 35 seconds later.

An unassisted goal by Leo Sementilli (Ellicott City, Md./Howard) with 1:59 remaining before halftime bumped Goucher's advantage to 4-2.

A seven-goal assault by the Gophers in the third quarter included two goals by Morgan, the team leader with 10 through four games, a pair by Annunziato and one apiece by Jake Ziegler (Buffalo, N.Y./Nichols School), Zephan Harnish (Woodsboro, Md./Walkersville) and Mason Gorman (Boise, Idaho/Eagle).

Nate Wilinski (Decatur, Ga./Decatur), Jake Prutting (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny), Michael Bulnes (Miami, Fla./Christopher Columbus) and Eric Bowden (Baltimore, Md./Calvert Hall College) got into the scoring act for Goucher in the fourth period. Pierce Bailey (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep) set up the goal Wilinski scored at 12:09 to earn his fifth assist of the contest.

Matt Messerle (Limerick, Pa./Spring-Ford) stood in goal for the Gophers through the first three periods, making seven saves while allowing only two goals. His goals-against average for the season dropped to 5.14.

The six-game homestand, which would match the longest in the history of Goucher's men's lacrosse program, continues on Thursday when the Gophers take on Beloit at 4 p.m. on Beldon Field.