SCRANTON, PA. - The University of Scranton men's lacrosse team took down Immaculata University 20-8 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Wednesday afternoon at Weiss Field in Scranton.
The Basics:
- Final Score: Scranton – 20, Immaculata – 8
- Records: Scranton (12-8), Immaculata (14-6)
- The 20 goals scored by Scranton are the most in program history in an NCAA tournament game.
How it Happened:
- Immaculata started the scoring in the fifth minute of the first quarter to take a 1-0 lead. The Macs added when Scranton turned the ball over at midfield and Joseph Biuso scored to make it 2-0.
- The Royals responded at the 4:13 mark of the first period when sophomore Myles McCutcheon found junior Pat McCormack who scored to cut the deficit to 2-1.
- The Macs responded with two goals within a one-minute span to extend their lead to 4-1 with 2:33 left in the first.
- Junior Quinn Carson responded for Scranton 1:13 later with his first goal of the game to get Scranton within two.
- Carson found the back of the net with just eight seconds left in the quarter to bring the Royals within one goal at 4-3.
- Just 1:17 into the second quarter, it was Carson who scored again to tie the game at 4-4.
- Junior Kyle Holmes took a pass from McCutcheon and buried the shot with 12:38 to go in the second to put the Royals ahead and give Scranton its first lead if the game.
- The Royals scored their fifth straight goal and third of the period when McCormack found McCutcheon who scored right in front of the crease to make it 6-4.
- Just 31 seconds later, McCutcheon took a shot from the same spot that hit the crossbar and then deflected off an Immaculata defender and into the net for a Scranton goal.
- With 4:47 to go in the first half, Holmes made a cross-field pass to McCormack who hit the top left corner of the net to extend Scranton's biggest lead of the day to 8-4.
- Holmes took a pass from McCutcheon and scored Scranton's to make it 9-4 with 3:18 to go in the second period.
- Sophomore Brendan Donohue opened the scoring in the second half when he grabbed the rebound from a McCutcheon shot that was saved and scored to make it 10-4 Scranton.
- Immaculata broke Scranton's streak of nine unanswered goals when Ryan Gorman worked his way through the Royals defense and found the top corner of the net to cut Scranton's lead to five goals with 11:19 to go in the third quarter.
- The Royals responded at the 7:10 mark when Holmes found McCormack who scored his third goal of the game to push Scranton ahead 11-5.
- Freshman Cooper Roberts connected with McCormack in time for the junior to bury the shot for his fourth goal of the afternoon with 5:38 left in the third period.
- Following a turnover caused by sophomore Connor Cole on the defensive end of the field, Cole took it past midfield and fed junior Eric Reisenwitz who found the back of the net to make it 13-5 Scranton.
- With 12:56 left in the fourth quarter, the Macs got one back to cut Scranton's lead to 14-6, but Holmes answered immediately extend the advantage back to eight goals.
- Holmes scored again, his fourth of the day, at the 9:54 mark to extend Scranton's advantage to 15-6.
- Immaculata responded 1:25 later with its seventh goal of the game.
- Directly after sophomore goalie Carsen Kirchner made his sixth save of the game, the Royals cleared successfully and Holmes scored his fifth goal of the day, assisted by senior Jonathan Mayan with 7:37 left in the game.
- The Macs responded at the 6:47 mark, making it a 16-8 game in favor of the Royals.
- With 4:14 left in the game, freshman John Kearns scored his first goal of the afternoon to extend the lead to nine goals. Just 32 seconds later, sophomore Patrick D'Amaro scored his first of the day to extend Scranton's advantage to 18-8.
- At the 2:23 mark of the fourth quarter, McCormack recorded his third assist of the game as he connected with freshman Brian Kraemer who found the back of the net from right in front of the crease to give Scranton an 11-goal lead.
- Freshman Cooper Roberts scored the 20th goal of the game with 1:39 left to play in the fourth quarter.
Top Performers:
- Holmes recorded seven points on five goals and two assists.
- McCormack had seven points on four goals and three assists.
- McCutcheon tallied three assists while adding two goals.
- Kirchner made seven saves in the win.
Inside the Box Score:
- Scranton outshot Immaculata, 73-27.
- The Royals won 23 face offs, while the Macs won nine.
- Scranton tallied 12 caused turnovers and Immaculata recorded nine.
Up Next
- The Royals will travel to Lexington, Va to play No. 8 Washington and Lee University in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday at 12:00 PM.
