2/24/08

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.—Lycoming’s men’s lacrosse team (0-1) lost to nationally-ranked Ithaca on Sunday by a score of 21-10 at Robert L. Shangraw Athletic Complex. The Bombers are ranked #8 in the country by laxpower.com.

Senior attackman Dan Cannon (Orangeville, Ont.), sophomore midfielder Ed Williams (Florham Park, N.J.) and freshman midfielder Andrew Stoner (Orangeville, Ont.) all scored a pair of goals apiece for the Warriors. Ithaca was led by Matt Nelligan’s six goals.

Lycoming sophomore Mike Doherty (Berlin, Md.) won the opening face-off with control and ran straight to Ithaca’s goal for an unassisted strike in the net. Nelligan evened the score with an unassisted goal at 12:50, and then assisted Logen Bobzien to put the Bombers up 2-1 at 11:15 in the first period. Williams tied the game in the eigth minute, but Ithaca went up for good on consecutive goals.

Lyco junior Shea Conway (Glenelg, Md.) scored on an assist from sophomore Brad Schaeffer (Smithsburg, Md.), but the Bombers answered with two more consecutive strikes, the second coming from Nelligan 23 seconds into the second period.

Stoner scored off of a Nathan Walter (Harrisburg, Pa.) assist at 11:49 in the second, but Ithaca reeled off seven straight goals to go up 13-4 with 2:44 left in the half. Cannon saw a burst in the half’s final two minutes, scoring twice within 30 seconds. The first came off of freshman Steven Henz’ (Shoreham, N.Y.) assist and the second was unassisted. But Bomber Alec Seifert’s goal set the score at 14-6 with just 2 seconds left in the period.

The Warriors were unable to eclipse the deficit in the second half. Williams, Stoner and freshman Ricky DeNenno (Landenburg, Pa.) each scored Lycoming goals in the third period. DeNenno’s came off of a Cannon assist, while the others were unassisted. Lycoming senior Jim Cusick (Garnet Valley, Pa.) notched his first goal of the season, unassisted, at 10:23 in the final period to end the Warriors’ scoring for the day.

Cannon, Cusick and sophomore long stick midfielder J.P. Earp (Hilltop Lakes, Tex.) were all pre-season All-MAC selections for Lycoming. Ithaca boasts four pre-season All-Americans, including Nelligan.

The Warriors travel to Franklin & Marshall on Tuesday, Feb. 26, and then return to Shangraw Athletic Complex on Saturday, March 8 for a noon game against Wells.