University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Hobart
Offense Explodes In UMass' 17-12 Win At Hobart
April 14, 2007 | Men's Lacrosse
April 14, 2007
GENEVA, N.Y. - Eleven different Minutemen scored as UMass busted out for its biggest offensive output of the season with a 17-12 win at Hobart's McCooey Field on Saturday. Sophomore Jim Connolly tied his career high with five goals including an amazing over-the-head goal in the second quarter while sitting on the ground. Sophomore Tim Balise added two goals and senior Brett Garber tallied a pair as well. Senior Brian Jacovina and junior Rory Pedrick each handed out three assists and scored once for four points, apiece.
Despite allowing a season-high 12 goals, UMass' defense was solid in holding two of nation's leading scorers at bay most of the afternoon. Daryl Veltman, who came into the game fourth in the nation in goals per game, didn't score until the fourth quarter. Jamie Kirk, who was sixth in the nation in points coming into the game, had two goals and two assists.
UMass has now won three games in a row to even its overall record at 5-5. The Minutemen are 3-1 in the ECAC, setting the stage for huge clash with first-place Georgetown next Saturday Garber Field. Hobart fell to 4-6 overall, 1-4 in the ECAC. UMass has won six of the eight all-time meetings in the series including each of the last three years since Hobart joined the ECAC in 2005.
For the second week in a row, the third quarter was a decisive one for UMass. One week ago, UMass rallied from a 6-3 halftime deficit with six goals in a row in the third and beat St. John's, 11-7. Against Hobart, UMass ripped off all five goals of the third quarter to built a 9-7 halftime lead into a 14-7 lead at the end of the third.
Balise scored both of his goals in that quarter and added an assist on Pedrick's only goal of the game. Connolly opened the third with a quick goal just 16 seconds into play off a Bobby Hayes face-off win for a 10-7 lead.
Hobart made a late rally as they cut the lead to 14-9 before a pair of UMass players scored their first goals of the season. Senior Sam Moody made it 15-9 with 8:15. Then Fred Federico netted his first goal after missing on his first 10 shots of the season to make it 16-10 with 6:48 left in regulation.
Connolly wrapped up the scoring with a goal in the final three seconds off Hayes' second assist of the game.
The teams got the high scoring action underway in the first quarter as the teams stood tied at 4-4. It marked the highest scoring first quarter for UMass all season and the highest combined scoring first quarter in a UMass game this year.
The Minutemen continued their high scoring ways in the second quarter as they finished the first half with a 9-7 lead. The nine goals represented the most goals by UMass in any half this season as the Minutemen had scored more than nine in a game in just three of the first nine games.
Connolly had a hat trick in the first half alone, his fifth career three-goal performance. Connolly's first half performance was highlighted by an amazing over-the-head goal, while he was sitting on the ground, early in the second quarter, which gave UMass a 5-4 lead, which it would not relinquish in the first half.
After coming into the game shooting just 21 percent for the season, UMass scored 17 goals on 39 shots, a season-best 44 shooting percentage. UMass also had a season-high 40 groundballs with senior Dan Whipple tying his career high with eight GBs.
Goalie Doc Schneider made eight saves for UMass in picking up the win.
Again, UMass hosts No. 5 Georgetown next Saturday at Garber Field at 1 p.m.
