University of Massachusets Athletics
Saturday, March 30
Amherst, Mass.
1:00 PM
University of Massachusetts
7-3, 1-0CAA
10
vs
9
Drexel
4-5, 0-1CAA
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2
3
4
F
Drexel
3
3
1
2
9
Massachusetts
2
0
4
4
10
Photo by: THOM KENDALL FOR UMASS ATHLETICS
Men’s Lacrosse Rallies Back For 10-9 Win Over Drexel
March 30, 2019 | Men's Lacrosse
Defense limits Dragons on both ends in second half; O’Brien, Trainor spark offense in comeback
AMHERST, Mass. – The No. 16 nationally-ranked University of Massachusetts men's lacrosse program rallied back for a 10-9 victory over Drexel on Garber Field after the Minutemen trailed by as many as four goals in the game. Sophomore midfielder Charlie O'Brien proved a catalyst on offense with two goals in the third quarter before junior position-mate Jeff Trainor notched the eventual game-winner with 5:58 to go in the fourth.
Massachusetts won its sixth straight and improved to 7-3 overall with the win while Drexel fell to 4-5. It was the first CAA game for both sides.
Sophomore attack Chris Connolly led the UMass offense with four points on as many goals while sophomore midfielder Kevin Tobin added three assists. In addition to O'Brien's first two goals of the year, Massachusetts added multi-point outings from Trainor (two goals) and redshirt-junior two-way midfielder Billy Philpott (one goal, one assist).
Senior midfielder Ben Spencer and junior attack Devin Spencer each dished out one assist while freshman attack Gabriel Procyk tallied a goal.
Sconone posted 12 saves, grabbed six groundballs and caused three turnovers at the forefront of the defense. Sophomore Sam Eisenstadt led all close defensemen with three caused turnovers while he grabbed a pair of groundballs.
Senior Tom Meyers won 15-of-23 faceoffs, scooped up nine groundballs and caused one turnover. After an even battle with Drexel's Jimmeh Koita in the first half, Meyers sustained success throughout the decisive third and fourth quarters and won 10 of a possible 13 draws.
Matthew Varian led Drexel with four points on two goals and as many assists. Reid Bowering notched the hat trick on three goals. Ross Blumenthal took the loss in net despite 12 saves.
Trailing by two following Varian and Drexel's final tally of the game, Massachusetts poured in three goals in the last eight minutes, 20 seconds of the game for the 10-9 victory. After he was held scoreless into the fourth, Trainor potted two tallies while Connolly added the additional score. Tobin assisted on two of the three goals.
Trainor's first of the day came via a left-handed, sidearm attempt from 15 yards away with 8:20 to go. Only 76 seconds later, Connolly evened it with a highlight-reel tally in which Connolly fielded a Tobin pass at the crease with his back to the cage and flicked a no-look, over-the-head shot inside the top-right corner for the 9-all tie game.
Trainor put in the eventual winner into the back of the cage with 5:58 to play. Trainor dodged left around Drexel's Matt Klinges, shifted right toward the middle of the Drexel defense, switch hands and dropped a righty shot by Blumenthal for the 10-9 lead.
Connolly scored twice sandwiched around a Bowering goal early on in the first, but the Dragons notched the next five goals of the game for a 6-2 advantage at halftime. Following Connolly's second of the day with seven minutes, 54 seconds to go in the first, Massachusetts did not score again until 85 seconds into the third quarter.
Connolly netted the hat trick with 13:25 to go in the third when he fielded a pass from Ben Spencer during a man-up situation. Spencer absorbed a check from Drexel's defense and slipped a pass to Connolly as the crease while falling to the turf for his first assist of the year.
O'Brien's first goal of the year followed nearly five minutes later as the Minutemen snipped the Drexel lead to 6-4 with 8:38 to go in the frame. O'Brien grabbed a pass from Connolly, shifted to his right and fired in a hands-free shot into the left side of the cage.
After Bowering tallied found the back of the net with 5:58 to go, O'Brien followed with his second of the game and year on a similar play. O'Brien ran to his right, found space five yards from the cage and scored into the left side again that kept it a two-goal deficit for the Minutemen.
Massachusetts led in shots, 42-31 and on-target attempts, 22-21. The Maroon and White earned a 33-21 advantage in groundballs and had fewer turnovers with 13 to Drexel's 16. The Dragons finished 14-of-14 on clears while Massachusetts was 15-for-16. UMass went 2-of-6 on man-up tries and limited Drexel to 0-for-3.
UMass takes to the road with a Sat., April 6 game at Hofstra (3-7, 0-1 CAA). The first faceoff is set for 1 p.m.
Follow Massachusetts men's lacrosse on Twitter (@UMassMLacrosse), Instagram (@UMassMLAX) and Facebook (/UMassMensLacrosse).
Massachusetts won its sixth straight and improved to 7-3 overall with the win while Drexel fell to 4-5. It was the first CAA game for both sides.
Sophomore attack Chris Connolly led the UMass offense with four points on as many goals while sophomore midfielder Kevin Tobin added three assists. In addition to O'Brien's first two goals of the year, Massachusetts added multi-point outings from Trainor (two goals) and redshirt-junior two-way midfielder Billy Philpott (one goal, one assist).
Senior midfielder Ben Spencer and junior attack Devin Spencer each dished out one assist while freshman attack Gabriel Procyk tallied a goal.
Sconone posted 12 saves, grabbed six groundballs and caused three turnovers at the forefront of the defense. Sophomore Sam Eisenstadt led all close defensemen with three caused turnovers while he grabbed a pair of groundballs.
Senior Tom Meyers won 15-of-23 faceoffs, scooped up nine groundballs and caused one turnover. After an even battle with Drexel's Jimmeh Koita in the first half, Meyers sustained success throughout the decisive third and fourth quarters and won 10 of a possible 13 draws.
Matthew Varian led Drexel with four points on two goals and as many assists. Reid Bowering notched the hat trick on three goals. Ross Blumenthal took the loss in net despite 12 saves.
Trailing by two following Varian and Drexel's final tally of the game, Massachusetts poured in three goals in the last eight minutes, 20 seconds of the game for the 10-9 victory. After he was held scoreless into the fourth, Trainor potted two tallies while Connolly added the additional score. Tobin assisted on two of the three goals.
Trainor's first of the day came via a left-handed, sidearm attempt from 15 yards away with 8:20 to go. Only 76 seconds later, Connolly evened it with a highlight-reel tally in which Connolly fielded a Tobin pass at the crease with his back to the cage and flicked a no-look, over-the-head shot inside the top-right corner for the 9-all tie game.
Trainor put in the eventual winner into the back of the cage with 5:58 to play. Trainor dodged left around Drexel's Matt Klinges, shifted right toward the middle of the Drexel defense, switch hands and dropped a righty shot by Blumenthal for the 10-9 lead.
Connolly scored twice sandwiched around a Bowering goal early on in the first, but the Dragons notched the next five goals of the game for a 6-2 advantage at halftime. Following Connolly's second of the day with seven minutes, 54 seconds to go in the first, Massachusetts did not score again until 85 seconds into the third quarter.
Connolly netted the hat trick with 13:25 to go in the third when he fielded a pass from Ben Spencer during a man-up situation. Spencer absorbed a check from Drexel's defense and slipped a pass to Connolly as the crease while falling to the turf for his first assist of the year.
O'Brien's first goal of the year followed nearly five minutes later as the Minutemen snipped the Drexel lead to 6-4 with 8:38 to go in the frame. O'Brien grabbed a pass from Connolly, shifted to his right and fired in a hands-free shot into the left side of the cage.
After Bowering tallied found the back of the net with 5:58 to go, O'Brien followed with his second of the game and year on a similar play. O'Brien ran to his right, found space five yards from the cage and scored into the left side again that kept it a two-goal deficit for the Minutemen.
Massachusetts led in shots, 42-31 and on-target attempts, 22-21. The Maroon and White earned a 33-21 advantage in groundballs and had fewer turnovers with 13 to Drexel's 16. The Dragons finished 14-of-14 on clears while Massachusetts was 15-for-16. UMass went 2-of-6 on man-up tries and limited Drexel to 0-for-3.
UMass takes to the road with a Sat., April 6 game at Hofstra (3-7, 0-1 CAA). The first faceoff is set for 1 p.m.
Follow Massachusetts men's lacrosse on Twitter (@UMassMLacrosse), Instagram (@UMassMLAX) and Facebook (/UMassMensLacrosse).
Team Stats
DREXEL
UMASS
Shots
31
42
Turnovers
16
13
Caused Turnovers
6
11
Faceoffs Won
8
15
Extra-Man Opps
3
6
Ground Balls
21
33
Game Leaders
G
4
A
0
FO
-
Pen
2-60
GB
1
CT
0
G
2
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
3
CT
1
G
2
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
1
CT
0
G
1
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
0
Players Mentioned
A
/ Men's Lacrosse
D
/ Men's Lacrosse
FO
/ Men's LacrosseM
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's LacrosseA
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
A
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's LacrosseM
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