University of Massachusets Athletics
Saturday, March 31
Philadelphia, Pa.
1 p.m.
University of Massachusetts
6-4, 1-0
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Drexel
4-5, 0-1
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UMASS
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Photo by: Thom Kendall - UMass Athletics
Massachusetts Rallies Back For 11-10 Win At Drexel
March 31, 2018 | Men's Lacrosse
Cannella reaches milestone with 200th win as head coach; Rak reset program’s career faceoff victories mark
PHILADELPHIA – University of Massachusetts men's lacrosse head coach Greg Cannella earned his 200th head coaching victory as the Minutemen rallied from down two goals in the fourth quarter for an 11-10 win at Drexel on Saturday afternoon.
All 200 of Cannella's victories were earned as the leader of the UMass program. He is the 10th active coach to reach 200 career victories and second of the 2018 season (North Carolina's Joe Breschi).
In addition to Cannella's milestone, Noah Rak (Norwich, Conn.) reset a program record during the win. Rak eclipsed the UMass men's lacrosse program record for career faceoff victories, finished the game 12-of-21 with four groundballs and ended the game with 429. Rak bested Dane Collins' (Ridley Park, Pa.) mark of 423 accrued from 2003-06.
Down, 10-8, with eight minutes, 59 seconds to go, Massachusetts (6-4, 1-0 CAA) prevailed after the Maroon and White the final three goals of the game.
Shane Rinkus (Pembroke, Mass.) started the comeback when he connected with Buddy Carr (Exeter, N.H.) following a faceoff victory and Carr slipped a shot between the legs of Drexel goalie Chre Teitelbaum as the Minutemen climbed back within one only 12 seconds after Drexel's 10th tally.
It took the Minutemen only 67 seconds more to even the game at 10-all, the sixth tie score of the back-and-forth battle at Vidas Field. Jeff Trainor (Billerica, Mass.) slotted a pass to Devin Spencer (Danville, Calif.) at the left post and Spencer converted an underhand shot for the 10th UMass tally of the day.
Ben Spencer (Danville, Calif.) followed Devin, his younger brother, and put Massachusetts back in front for good. Ben Spencer rushed at his defender 20 yards away from the cage, lowered a shoulder to clear space and fired a bounce shot inside the crossbar for the 11-10 advantage with 4:33 left.
The defense made Ben Spencer's late goal hold up and fought off the hard-charging Dragons in the final 30 seconds. UMass goalie Hampton Brannon (Atlanta, Ga.) sealed the victory with a save on Matt Varian's attempt with less than three seconds remaining.
Devin Spencer scored on all three of his shots for his third collegiate hat trick. Carr led the offense with four points via a goal and three assists. Trainor was the lone additional Minuteman with multiple points as Trainor put in one goal and assisted another.
Eight more from UMass put in one point each with goals by Chris Connolly (Glastonbury, Conn.), Jesse Leung (Brookline, Mass.), Jake Lisauskas (Derry, N.H.), Charlie O'Brien, Isaac Paparo (Westport, Conn.) and Ben Spencer. Billy Philpott (Sandwich, Mass.) and Rinkus dished an assist each.
Massachusetts and Drexel traded two-goal runs during a tightly contested first quarter. Four faceoff wins by Rak helped the Maroon and White hold possession, but Drexel answered with saves, caused turnovers and a 6-for-6 clear rate in the frame.
Trainor raced at the left post and scored into the top-left corner only 30 seconds in for the first tally of the afternoon. Philpott found Paparo in transition for a longpole strike only 17 seconds later as the Minutemen pushed in front, 2-0.
Drexel responded with goals by Nick Fox and Zach Manns; however, the Maroon and White potted the final goal of the frame for a 3-2 lead headed to the first break.
O'Brien followed Trainor's lead and raced unchecked at the left post before he put one by Drexel goalie Chre Teitelbaum with two minutes, 50 seconds to go in the first.
Connolly stretched the streak of different scorers to four with his transition tally in the opening minute of the second quarter as Massachusetts bumped the lead back to a pair.
After Trainor forced a Drexel turnover with a stick-check, Massachusetts cleared ahead unchallenged before Carr sent a cross-crease pass to Connolly 10 yards out from the left post.
After Connolly's conversion, Drexel rallied back with a three-goal spurt. Marshall King connected for the first two goals, including one during an extra-man opportunity, and Reid Bowering had the third as the Dragons fought back for the one-goal halftime margin.
The Drexel lead did not last, as the Minutemen pushed back in front with three of the opening four goals of the third quarter. Devin Spencer posted the first two of his three tallies during the stretch while Lisauskas added one.
However, following Lisauskas' diving goal in front of the cage with 4:10 to go in the third, the Dragons posted three consecutive tallies for a 10-8 margin midway through the fourth.
Massachusetts plays its second consecutive CAA road game at Delaware on Sat., April 7. First faceoff is set for 1 p.m.
Follow the team on Twitter (@UMassMLacrosse) and Instagram (@UMassMLAX).
All 200 of Cannella's victories were earned as the leader of the UMass program. He is the 10th active coach to reach 200 career victories and second of the 2018 season (North Carolina's Joe Breschi).
In addition to Cannella's milestone, Noah Rak (Norwich, Conn.) reset a program record during the win. Rak eclipsed the UMass men's lacrosse program record for career faceoff victories, finished the game 12-of-21 with four groundballs and ended the game with 429. Rak bested Dane Collins' (Ridley Park, Pa.) mark of 423 accrued from 2003-06.
Down, 10-8, with eight minutes, 59 seconds to go, Massachusetts (6-4, 1-0 CAA) prevailed after the Maroon and White the final three goals of the game.
Shane Rinkus (Pembroke, Mass.) started the comeback when he connected with Buddy Carr (Exeter, N.H.) following a faceoff victory and Carr slipped a shot between the legs of Drexel goalie Chre Teitelbaum as the Minutemen climbed back within one only 12 seconds after Drexel's 10th tally.
It took the Minutemen only 67 seconds more to even the game at 10-all, the sixth tie score of the back-and-forth battle at Vidas Field. Jeff Trainor (Billerica, Mass.) slotted a pass to Devin Spencer (Danville, Calif.) at the left post and Spencer converted an underhand shot for the 10th UMass tally of the day.
Ben Spencer (Danville, Calif.) followed Devin, his younger brother, and put Massachusetts back in front for good. Ben Spencer rushed at his defender 20 yards away from the cage, lowered a shoulder to clear space and fired a bounce shot inside the crossbar for the 11-10 advantage with 4:33 left.
The defense made Ben Spencer's late goal hold up and fought off the hard-charging Dragons in the final 30 seconds. UMass goalie Hampton Brannon (Atlanta, Ga.) sealed the victory with a save on Matt Varian's attempt with less than three seconds remaining.
Devin Spencer scored on all three of his shots for his third collegiate hat trick. Carr led the offense with four points via a goal and three assists. Trainor was the lone additional Minuteman with multiple points as Trainor put in one goal and assisted another.
Eight more from UMass put in one point each with goals by Chris Connolly (Glastonbury, Conn.), Jesse Leung (Brookline, Mass.), Jake Lisauskas (Derry, N.H.), Charlie O'Brien, Isaac Paparo (Westport, Conn.) and Ben Spencer. Billy Philpott (Sandwich, Mass.) and Rinkus dished an assist each.
Massachusetts and Drexel traded two-goal runs during a tightly contested first quarter. Four faceoff wins by Rak helped the Maroon and White hold possession, but Drexel answered with saves, caused turnovers and a 6-for-6 clear rate in the frame.
Trainor raced at the left post and scored into the top-left corner only 30 seconds in for the first tally of the afternoon. Philpott found Paparo in transition for a longpole strike only 17 seconds later as the Minutemen pushed in front, 2-0.
Drexel responded with goals by Nick Fox and Zach Manns; however, the Maroon and White potted the final goal of the frame for a 3-2 lead headed to the first break.
O'Brien followed Trainor's lead and raced unchecked at the left post before he put one by Drexel goalie Chre Teitelbaum with two minutes, 50 seconds to go in the first.
Connolly stretched the streak of different scorers to four with his transition tally in the opening minute of the second quarter as Massachusetts bumped the lead back to a pair.
After Trainor forced a Drexel turnover with a stick-check, Massachusetts cleared ahead unchallenged before Carr sent a cross-crease pass to Connolly 10 yards out from the left post.
After Connolly's conversion, Drexel rallied back with a three-goal spurt. Marshall King connected for the first two goals, including one during an extra-man opportunity, and Reid Bowering had the third as the Dragons fought back for the one-goal halftime margin.
The Drexel lead did not last, as the Minutemen pushed back in front with three of the opening four goals of the third quarter. Devin Spencer posted the first two of his three tallies during the stretch while Lisauskas added one.
However, following Lisauskas' diving goal in front of the cage with 4:10 to go in the third, the Dragons posted three consecutive tallies for a 10-8 margin midway through the fourth.
Massachusetts plays its second consecutive CAA road game at Delaware on Sat., April 7. First faceoff is set for 1 p.m.
Follow the team on Twitter (@UMassMLacrosse) and Instagram (@UMassMLAX).
Team Stats
UMASS
DREXEL
Shots
27
35
Turnovers
17
16
Caused Turnovers
8
7
Faceoffs Won
13
12
Extra-Man Opps
3
2
Ground Balls
30
22
Game Leaders
G
3
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
1
CT
1
G
1
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
0
G
1
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
0
G
1
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
3
CT
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Lacrosse
A
/ Men's LacrosseA
/ Men's Lacrosse
A
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's LacrosseM
/ Men's Lacrosse
D
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
LSM
/ Men's LacrosseM
/ Men's LacrosseA
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
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