Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 4/22/17
From Press Release
No. 11 Cabrini University broke a 4-4 halftime deadlock with two goals in the opening minute of the third quarter and never looked back as it rolled to a 15-9 victory over No. 14 Stevenson University Friday night at Edith Robb Dixon Field.
Cabrini’s sixth consecutive victory improved the club to 11-3 overall, while the loss dropped the Mustangs to 10-4 and snapped their seven game win streak.
Freshman Tyler Kostack (Marple Newtown) paced the Blue and White attack, pairing three goals and three assists, while sophomore Timmy Brooks (Haverford School) posted four goals. Junior Zack Gregory (Conestoga) and sophomore Jordan Krug (Cherokee-NJ) paired two goals and two helpers each, with Gregory going 6-8 at the faceoff spot.
Senior Evan Downey found the back of the net twice and claimed game high honors with seven ground balls.
The Cabrini defense stymied the high-powered Stevenson attack, holding it nearly six goals below its season average and to its second lowest output of the season. The Mustangs also recorded just 39 shots, nearly 20 less than their season average, and completed just five of its 12 clearing attempts.
Senior Steve Halko (Springfield-Delco) caused a pair of turnovers for the Cavaliers, while freshman goaltender Matt Nestler posted eight saves in the win.
Cabrini jumped to an early lead, as Brooks and Krug alternated goals and assisted in the game’s opening minutes. Stevenson did not fret, as it battled back to even the score at the 11:17 mark of the second quarter.
Freshman Jake Klein’s unassisted goal put the Cavaliers ahead, but a three minute, unreleasable equipment penalty gave Stevenson an opportunity to regain control of the game. The Mustangs fired two shots early in the penalty, but a Nestler save gave the Blue and White control of the ball and allowed it to kill the entire penalty.
Kostack hit Brooks late in the period to give Cabrini another two goal cushion, but the Mustangs closed the half strong, netting two goals in the final 2:28 to even the score at 4-4 at the half.
Head coach Steve Colfer made a change at the faceoff spot to open the second half, inserting Gregory, and the move paid immediate dividends.
The junior won the opening faceoff of the third quarter and hit Krug for a goal just six seconds after the whistle. Gregory won the ensuing draw and marked the scoring column 48 seconds later, re-establishing the team’s two goal lead.
Stevenson pulled within 6-5, but the Cavaliers responded with four unanswered goals in a span of 2:30 to build a more comfortable 10-6 lead with 6:26 left in the third.
The Mustangs regained some of its momentum with three goals in the final 4:08 of the frame to pull within 10-8 with 15 minutes to play.
Determined not to let the game slip away, the Cavaliers controlled the fourth quarter, outscoring Stevenson 5-1, with five different player marking the scoring column. Included in the mix was freshman Kyle Myers, a longstick middie who scored on his first career shot.
Senior Kyle D’Onofrio led the Mustangs with three goals and an assist, while classmate Wade Korvin paired two goals and a helper. Freshman Justin Burnette went 14-25 at the faceoff spot and was one of three Mustangs to secure three ground balls.
Junior Domenic DeFazio added three ground balls and three caused turnovers. Senior goaltender Ross Dinan recorded just three saves before being replaced by freshman TJ Ellis in the third quarter.
The Cavaliers have little time to enjoy tonight’s victory, as they will travel to Immaculata University (3-9, 2-3 CSAC) on Saturday. Cabrini will face the Mighty Macs at 1pm.