Defending Champs Never Trail in 13-10 Victory

TOWSON, Md. — Goucher played its first Landmark Conference game of the season this afternoon against the defending champion. The Gophers never held a lead at any point during the contest and wound up losing to Catholic, 13-10.

• An unassisted goal by Pierce Bailey (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep) nearly four minutes into the game tied the score at 1-1, but the Cardinals (7-2, 1-0 Landmark) responded with four consecutive goals and owned a 5-2 lead at the end of the first quarter.
  
  
• The Gophers (6-2, 0-1 Landmark) tallied the first two goals of the second period to close to within 5-4, but they needed an even-strength goal by Michael Morgan (Austin, Texas/Westwood) with :16 showing on the clock to make the score 7-5 in favor of the visiting team at halftime.
  
  
• Catholic's lead grew to 13-7 when Victor Licata produced his team-high fifth goal of the contest with 2:28 remaining in the third quarter.
  
  
• Owen Demmerly (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) had a hand in the game's final three goals. The senior attackman scored with 23 seconds left to play in the third period, trimming Catholic's lead to 13-8. Just 1:01 into the fourth quarter, he picked up an assist on a goal by Morgan; he scored Goucher's third extra-man goal of the contest with 11:57 left to play.
  
  
• The Gophers limited Catholic to four shots in the fourth quarter, but the Cardinals still finished with a 36-33 advantage in shots. They also won the battle for ground balls, 56-30.
  
  
• Goucher's three starting defenseman forced 11 turnovers by the opponent. Andrew Foster (Ashland, Ohio/Western Reserve Academy) and Blake Russell (Lake Shore, Md./Northeast) were credited with four caused turnovers apiece, and Nathan Cain (Wilmette, Ill./Western Reserve Academy) with three. Foster also collected four ground balls.
  
  
• The loss snapped a six-game winning streak for the Gophers and dropped their record in games played on Beldon Field this season to 5-1.

Up next for Goucher is a non-conference game against Washington & Jefferson. The Gophers will welcome the Presidents to Beldon Field on Tuesday at 7 p.m.