Taylor Nelson	Ben Worthington
Will Mahle	Ryan Millard

Box Score
Photo Gallery (courtesy of Dan Ceccacci)

SCRANTON, Pa.—The University of Scranton men’s lacrosse team committed two costly errors late in the fourth period en route to a 7-6 loss in overtime to defending champion Goucher College in the battle for the top seed for the upcoming Landmark Conference postseason tournament.

Sophomore attacker Sam Morgan (Wilmot, NH/Kearsarge Regional) scored the game-winner on a play set up by senior midfielder Zachary Fratella (Wilmington, Del./Brandywise) with 1:37 left in the overtime period as the Gophers locked up the number one seed and improved to 7-7 overall and 5-0 in the conference.

Goucher, which trailed 5-3 after the third period and 6-5 late in the fourth, received two goals apiece from Fratella and Morgan and junior midfielder Steve Patterson (Minneapolis, Minn./Blake School), freshman attacker Owen Demmerly (Medford, NJ/Shawnee), and junior attacker Max Roach (Austin, Texas/Austin) contributed one apiece.

Scranton, which fell to 8-6 overall and 4-1 in the Landmark, was led by senior attacker Taylor Nelson (Chester Springs, Pa./Downingtown East) with two goals and an assist and sophomore attacker Will Mahle (Montgomery, NJ/Montgomery) chipped in two goals.  The Royals also received a goal apiece from senior midfielder Dillon McInerney (Hawthorne, NJ/Bergen Catholic) and junior midfielder John Gregitis (Wayne, Pa./St. Joseph’s Preparatory) and an assist from sophomore defender Ryan Millard (Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Central).

Hanging on to a one-goal lead in the final three minutes of regulation, the Royals came up with a ground ball and a successful clear after Goucher’s Mike Russo (Frederick, Md./St. John’s Catholic Preparatory) hit the post on a shot attempt that would have tied the game.  Scranton, however, turned it over less than 30 seconds later, then committed a violation that resulted in an extra-man opportunity for the Gophers with 1:27 remaining.

Patterson tied it up with 1 minute remaining on a play set up by junior attacker Dylan Zook (Purcellville, Va./Loudoun Valley), his second assist of the game.

The Royals won the face-off to open the extra stanza, but Goucher senior goalkeeper Connor Mishaw (Wilmington, Del./Brandywine) made a save on a shot attempt by Royal freshman midfielder Alec Mikrut (Belle Mead, NJ/Montgomery).  The Gophers cleared the ball successfully to set up Morgan’s game-winning goal.

Mikshaw finished with 10 saves for Goucher while Scranton senior goalkeeper Ben Worthington (Jenkintown, Pa./Archbishop Wood) was brilliant in defeat, finishing with a season-high 15 saves, including eight in the first half as the teams battled to a 2-2 tie by intermission.

Regardless of the outcome of next Saturday’s Landmark Conference regular-season finale at Catholic University, the Royals are now the number two seed and will host the number three seed in semifinal action on Wednesday, May 1, at Fitzpatrick Field.

--ROYALS--