Late Flurry Pushes Falcons Past Gophers

TOWSON, Md. - The Goucher College men's lacrosse team bounced back from an early 6-1 deficit to take a 7-6 third quarter lead, but a late flurry of goals by visiting Messiah University lifted it to a 12-8 non-conference victory Wednesday evening at Beldon Field.

• Goucher (1-7) took a 1-0 lead when Jared Heath (Windham, N.H./New Hampton) scored a man-up goal six minutes in.
• Messiah (3-3) tied the game on an Aaron Shaw tally 1:34 later.
• The Falcons scored three goals in a span of 2:25 to take a 4-1 lead with 2:26 remaining in the frame.

• The guests extended their lead to 5-1 with a man-up goal 19 seconds into the second.
• Back-to-back man-up goals by Alec Poblenz (Atlanta, Ga./Roswell) at 10:19 and 5:53 cut Messiah's lead to 5-3.
• Goucher made it a one-goal game with Heath's second goal of the game with 2:57 before halftime. Ben Smith (Baltimore, Md./Archbishop Curley) assisted on the goal.
• The Falcons responded with a goal 15 seconds later after winning the ensuing faceoff.
• Heath and Smith hooked up again, with Heath's third goal of the game making it 6-5 24 seconds before the break.

• Goucher tied the game just past the midway point of the third as Jared Halverson (Durham, N.C./Charles E. Jordan) scored an unassisted tally.
• The Gophers took the lead with 2:06 left as Heath recorded his fourth goal of the game.
• Messiah responded by scored two goals 26 seconds apart to retake the lead with 1:95 on the clock.

• The Falcons reeled off four goals in the first 5:43 of the final period to go up 12-7 on an Owen Joyce goal.
• Goucher closed the gap to four, 12-8, with 2:14 to go on a Milan Temple (Joppatowne, Md./Concordia Prep) goal that closed out the game's scoring.

• Messiah outshot Goucher 26-11 in the second half and 45-29 for the game.
• The Gophers finished the night 3-5 in man-up situations, while the Falcons went 1-4.
• Heath recorded four goals and an assist.
• Poblenz notched a pair of man-up goals for the second straight contest.
• Eddie Jancuk (Phoenix, Md./Dulaney) led the Gophers with four ground balls.
• Justin Lugo (Davie, Fla./Saint Andrew's School) made 15 saves in goal for Goucher.
• The Falcons won 17 of the game's 23 faceoffs.

• Goucher continues its home stand Saturday, hosting Mary Washington in a 1 pm contest at Beldon Field.