Morgan Scores Four Times, Gophers Make Late Push at Neumann

ASTON, Pa. - Jacob Morgan (Bowie, Md./Bowie) scored four times and the Goucher College men's lacrosse team made a late push, but host Neumann University escaped with a 6-5 non-conference men's lacrosse victory Wednesday night at Turf Field.

• Neumann (3-4) had the only goal of the first quarter as Emmett Wexler scored 6:48 into the game.
• Goucher (1-4) goalie Justin Lugo (Davie, Fla./Saint Andrew's School) and Knight goalie Jake Marchisfava each made five saves in the opening frame.

• Morgan notched his first goal of the night 1:10 into the second period.
• The Knights scored 1:11 later on Wexler's second of the game, then extended the lead to 3-1 at the 8:11 mark.
• With 6:40 remaining in the half, Morgan scored to pull the Gophers within a goal, 3-2.
• Ben Smith (Baltimore, Md./Archbishop Curley) assisted on the goal.

• After Goucher turned it over after winning the opening faceoff, Neumann scored 27 seconds into the second half to take a 4-2 lead.
• The Knights upped their lead to 5-2 with 2:02 to play in the period.

• Neumann cashed in on a man-up opportunity a minute into the final frame to stake itself to a four-goal lead.
• Jack McDermott (Wilmington, Del./The White Mountain School) snapped a 26-minute scoreless drought for Goucher with his goal with 10:48 left.  Smith picked up his second assist of the evening.
• With 7:10 to go, Morgan completed the hat trick to pull the guests within 6-4.
• Goucher had a two-minute man-advantage situation with 4:39 to go but was unable to convert.
• With 1:57 left, Morgan's fourth goal of the contest made it a one-goal game.
• Neumann won the ensuing faceoff but turned it over, with Eric Conaway, Jr. (Baltimore, Md./Cristo Rey Jesuit) picking up the ground ball.
• Goucher had one final shot with seven seconds left but the attempt went wide.

• Shots were virtually even as Neumann held a 32-31 advantage.  The Knights won 9-of-14 faceoffs.
• Lugo made 14 saves for the Gophers, while Marchiafava recorded 10 stops.
• Morgan has scored in all four games in which he has appeared this season.
• Sean Nolan (Las Vegas, Nev./Faith Lutheran) recorded four caused turnovers and eight ground balls.
• Nolan leads the Landmark Conference in caused turnovers per game, recording 17 in five games.  He also ranks eighth in the league in ground balls per contest with five per game.
• Kyle Ramos (Bethesda, Md./Bethesda Chevy Chase) had three caused turnovers and four ground balls.
• Milan Temple (Joppatown, Md./Concordia Prep) picked up five ground balls.
• The Gophers held Neumann to its second-lowest scoring output of the season.

• Goucher remains on the road Saturday, traveling to Immaculata for a 1 pm non-conference contest.
• The Gophers return home next Saturday, March 18, welcoming Nichols for a 1 pm tilt at Beldon Field.