WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The Albertus Magnus College men's lacrosse team dropped its first-ever meeting to the University of Saint Joseph (CT) by a 13-4 final score in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play on Tuesday, March 30. Junior goalie Dane Walsh (Bethany, Conn.) tallied a career-best 24 saves to help keep the Falcons close against a tough Blue Jays squad.
THE BASICS
FINAL: Albertus Magnus 13 | University of Saint Joseph (CT) 4
RECORDS: Albertus Magnus (1-3, 0-3 GNAC) | University of Saint Joseph (CT) (3-2, 2-1 GNAC)
BOX SCORE
HOW IT HAPPENED
This afternoon's contest began with both team's trading goals over the first five minutes. Nicholas Grant kicked off the scoring at the 10:32 mark to give the Blue Jays an early 1-0 advantage. Zaheim Wilkins (Mastic Beach, N.Y.) knotted the score at 1-all 30 seconds later on Jon Olson's assist (Bellmore, N.Y.).
Unfortunately for the Falcons, they would not score again until the third quarter, with USJ taking advantage by going on an 8-0 scoring surge. With seven of the eight goals in the run coming in the second quarter, the Blue Jays took an 8-1 lead into the halftime break.
Albertus finally ended its scoreless drought with 8:06 left in the third quarter to cut its deficit to seven, 9-2. Freshman Kader Price (Walden, N.Y.) recorded his fourth goal of the season on an unassisted strike from the zone's right side.
The Falcons netted two goals in a row, with Cody Walczak (Higganun, Conn.) opening the fourth-quarter's scoring. The freshman attacker slashed across the zone and buried a Charles Stewart (Stratford, Conn.) pass by the opposing keeper low with 10:49 left in the contest.
USJ put the game away over the next 10 minutes, adding four more goals to its tally to take a 13-3 advantage. Price cut the deficit to single digits to bring an end to the game, as he quick-sticked a shot into the cage's top-left corner with 22 seconds left to set the final score at 13-4.
In between the pipes for Albertus, Walsh withstood unrelenting pressure all day, making a career-best 24 saves on 37 shots on goal. The junior keeper has recorded at least 14 stops in every game this season, sitting with 74 saves through four games.
BETWEEN THE PIPES
Albertus - Dane Walsh (L, 1-3): Shots on Goal 37 | Goals-Against 13 | Saves 24
University of Saint Joseph (CT) - Trey McCann (W, 3-2): Shots on Goal 13 | Goals-Against 3 | Saves 10 (55:00)
Joseph Varagnolo: Shots on Goal 1 | Goals-Against 1 | Saves 0 (5:00)
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
• The Blue Jays owned a 37-14 advantage in shots on goal.
• The University of Saint Joseph also topped AMC in ground balls by a 52-41 margin.
• Albertus led USJ in saves, 24-10, and faceoff wins, 13-8.
• Neither team scored a man-up goal.
Albertus:
Kader Price: 2 goals, 4 shots, 3 shots on goal
Zaheim Wilkins: 1 goal, 5 shots, 3 shots on goal, 2 ground balls
Cody Walczak: 1 goal, 5 ground balls, 3 shots, 3 shots on goal
University of Saint Joseph (CT):
Matt Guerin: 2 goals, 1 assist, 8 shots, 5 shots on goal, 2 ground balls
Evan Baden: 1 goal, 2 assists, 6 shots, 2 shots on goal
Noah Mocksfield: 2 goals, 1 assist, 7 shots, 4 shots on goal, 5 ground balls
NOTEWORTHY
• Today's game is the first all-time meeting between these two conference foes.
• Walsh's 24 saves are a new career-high for the junior.
• Wilkins paces the Falcons with eight goals this season.
• Walczak has netted one goal in every game this year.
• Price tied his season-high scoring total with two goals.
