Links: Box Score
BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Merrimack College men's lacrosse team fought back to take a fourth quarter lead, but Vermont scored in the dying moments to claim a 9-8 win Saturday afternoon at Virtue Field.
The Warriors clawed back after they trailed by as many as three in the second half, but a pair of late goals from the Catamounts was the difference.
The Basics
Score: Vermont 9,
Merrimack 8
Records: Merrimack (1-4, 0-0 NEC) | Vermont (2-1, 0-0 America East)
Attendance: 223
Rapid Recap
- Merrimack had a quick start once again, as Christian Thomas and Sean Black both found the back of the net in the opening five minutes.
- Vermont got on the board six minutes in, but Jack Richards and Jake Holava scored in the closing minute and a half to give the Warriors a three-goal cushion after 15 minutes.
- The second quarter belonged to the Catamounts. They struck four times and held Merrimack off the board to take a 5-4 advantage into the break.
- The home side extended its run to six in the third quarter to take a 7-4 lead midway through the stanza.
- After they were held off the board for more than a quarter, the Warriors came alive late in the third quarter. Charlie Bertrand kept his historic streak of scoring a goal in every game in his career alive when he rocketed one home with 4:45 to play.
- Three minutes later, Christian Thomas cut inside for his second goal of the afternoon to make it a one-goal game entering the fourth quarter.
- After eight scoreless minutes in the closing frame, Dom Thomas snagged a bouncing ball in front and quickly deposited it home to deadlock the sides.
- Over a minute later, Merrimack regained the lead. With just a few seconds on the shot clock, Black snuck in front from behind the cage and rifled one high to give the Warriors an 8-7 lead.
- Just a minute after, the Catamounts responded to tie the score.
- With under a minute to play, it looked like Dom Thomas had given the Warriors a late lead, but a crease violation disallowed the goal. Then, on the ensuing Vermont possession, they scored on a broken play with six seconds to play to decide the game.
Notes and Numbers
- Peter Brown made 11 saves in net, which was one shy of a career-high.
- Christian Thomas and Holava both tallied three points to tie for the team-high.
- Brennan McInnis had a strong afternoon, as he collected five ground balls and caused two turnovers. Both of which led the Warriors.
- Allyn French took 13 face-offs and won six, while Davis Cronin won four of the seven he took.
- Shots: 36-28 Merrimack (22-20 Merrimack SOG)
- EMO: Merrimack: 0-6 // Vermont: 1-3
- Faceoffs: 10-10 // Ground Balls: 25-21 Vermont
- Turnovers (CT): 15-12 Merrimack (9-6 Vermont) // Clears: Merrimack: 17-21 // Vermont: 23-26
Up Next
The Warriors return to Duane Stadium in North Andover Mar. 7 to take on local rival UMass Lowell. Face-off is at 1 pm.
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