Bitzer's Late Goal Buries Green Terror; Men's Lacrosse Outlasts McDaniel, 5-4

Box Score

WESTMINSTER, Md. - The Goucher College Men's Lacrosse team (2-2 overall) defeated McDaniel (1-2 overall), 5-4. Wednesday evening.

Coming into tonight's match, a single goal was the difference in five of the previous six meetings between Goucher and McDaniel, and from the start, it was a close affair.

Entering the final period, Goucher and McDaniel were deadlocked in a 2-2 tie. Sophomore attackman Matt Woodson (Timonium, Md.) scored the first two goals for the Gophers in the first half, while senior midfielder Derek Bitzer (Doylestown, Pa.) put Goucher in the lead late in the third quarter.

The Green Terror, however,  scored the equalizer with less than two minutes remaining in the frame. To open the fourth quarter, McDaniel grabbed the lead back with 9:39 left on a goal.

But, the McDaniel lead only lasted for less than two minutes, as junior attackman Zephan Harnish (Woodsboro, Md.) tied up the game after receiving an assist from senior attackman Tucker Corrigan (Avon, Conn.) with 7:56 left. 

With less than two minutes left in regulation, Bitzer found twine again, this time off an assist from Woodson, to put the Gophers up by a goal with 1:43 remaining. On the proceeding faceoff, Goucher grabbed a critical win and went on to kill the remaining time in regulation to seal the one-goal victory.

Defensively for the Gophers, senior LSM Logan Winn (Pleasanton, Ca.) caused two turnovers and nabbed two ground balls, junior midfielder Eric Bowden (Baltimore, Md.) caused four turnovers and picked up two ground balls, and senior goaltender Matt Messerle (Limerick, Pa.) once again had a strong game in between the pipes, posting eight saves. Goucher's man-down defense held the Green Terror to zero goals out of six man-up's.

Goucher hits the field again Saturday afternoon at 1 pm on Beldon Field, against Centre College.

--GOPHERS--