Comeback Marks Huge Win for Warriors
Second Half Surge Erases Large Deficits
Box Score

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. --- Lycoming men’s lacrosse erased a pair of large first half deficits in defeating Elizabethtown College 13-12 on Thursday afternoon.  The victory, which improves the Warriors’ record to 4-5 overall and 4-2 in Middle Atlantic Conference play, reshaped much of the postseason formula for both squads.

Lycoming now sits alone in fourth place in the MAC standings a half game ahead of fifth place FDU-Florham (4-3) and 1.5 games ahead of Drew University (3-3) occupying the sixth and final qualifying spot.  With a 2-4 mark in league play, Etown will need plenty of help from squads ranked ahead of them and a nearly flawless remaining schedule to get into the playoff picture.

If one had only stayed for the first quarter of Thursday’s contest, you might think the fortunes would be reverse.  The Blue Jays stormed out to 6-2 advantage after one period of play thanks to a five-goal unanswered spurt throughout of much of the frame.  Sophomore Matt Lando (Corning, N.Y./Corning Painted Post) and junior Tom Nairn (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) tallied the Warriors first quarter goals.

The second stanza played a little more in Lycoming’s favor with four goals for the blue and gold against three for Etown.  After Justin Dixon (Baltimore, Md./North County) cut the Blue Jay’s edge in half to 6-3, Etown rattled off to more scores to give the Jay’s their first five-goal lead at 8-3.  Lando and Tom Welch traded tallies to maintain the margin at 9-4, but Lycoming closed the period with Nairn’s second score and a last second goal from Dixon.

The third quarter was a resounding success for the Warriors as they held Etown scoreless while making up three more goals against their deficit.  Sophomore Jim Cusick (Aston, Pa./Sun Valley) and freshman Ryan Godec (Malvern, Pa./Great Valley) got into the act with a goal each midway through the frame.  Dixon chipped in his third score of the contest with 23 seconds left on the clock to tie the score going into the fourth period.

Unless you were at the game, a box score doesn’t give the Warriors’ defense enough justice for its effort in the third period.  Freshman goalkeeper Kyle Gilfoy (Media, Pa./Penncrest) highlighted the effort by stopping 11-of-13 Etown shots.  That stat, along with any turnovers created by the Warriors, becomes even more telling when you figure in that the Blue Jays won all four face-offs throughout the frame.

The fourth quarter started with Cusick giving Lycoming its first lead just 35 seconds into the play, but Etown quickly caught stride and regained a one-goal advantage at 13:03 mark with a pair of scores separated from each other by just 12 seconds.

Nairn leveled the score again just a few minutes later, taking advantage of a man-up situation for his third goal of the game.  Godec followed with his second score to give Lycoming a 12-11 edge with 8:36 play.

It’d be a lead that the Warriors would not relinquish, but Nairn added a much need insurance goal with 5:37 showing on the clock.  Etown made the final minute interesting by pulling to within one after a score with 1:03 left to play, but the Warriors closed things out to pick up the victory.

Lycoming is next in action on Tuesday, April 18, as the Warriors host Messiah College.  Game time is set for 4:00 p.m. at the Shangraw Athletic Complex.