MLAX Pushes Norwich To The Limit In 13-10 Setback

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) men's lacrosse team fought to the very end against the Cadets of Norwich University (NOR), but ultimately fell, 13-10, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) home contest, held on the USJ Lacrosse Field on a sunny, Saturday afternoon.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: Norwich 13, Saint Joseph 10
Records: NOR 8-1 (3-0 GNAC), USJ 4-6 (1-3 GNAC)
Location: USJ Lacrosse Field | West Hartford, Conn.

The intensity was at full throttle in this one, as the Blue Jays gave the Cadets all they could handle from start to finish. Norwich, which has made the GNAC Championship game in each of the last three seasons (won it in 2019), scored four goals in the final frame to seal a back-and-forth win. Saint Joseph was without junior midfielder Noah Mocksfield (Colchester, Conn.), who entered the day as the conference's goals leader, but the hosts kept fighting, spreading the wealth while taking advantage of a plethora of Norwich penalties. Freshman attackman Evan Zimnoch (Southington, Conn.) was the high-man with two goals, as was junior middie Benjamin Green (Chelmsford, Mass.), who had two goals and an assist. Sophomore attackman Ryan Paltauf (Southbury, Conn.) did what he does best; dishing out the rock. He had a goal and four assists totaling five points in the setback. Paltauf remains the GNAC leader with 31 assists. Six other Blue Jays added a goal each. Eight of 10 USJ goals were assisted on.

For Norwich, graduate student attack Jack Anzalone (Ridgewood, N.J.) and senior attackman Payden Masaracchia (Enola, Pa.) led the way with a game-high three goals each. Anzalone added two assists as well for five points on the day.

Saint Joseph spooked the Cadets early, scoring the first two goals of the game. Norwich settled in and scored the next two to tie it up. Both teams scored again to make it 3-3 after one. The Cadets scored three of the final four goals in the second stanza to take the lead despite sending several team members to the sideline with penalties (Norwich had seven penalties in the second period alone and had 12 in total).

Saint Joseph never quit and played Norwich even in the third period, three goals each. Every time though USJ got within a goal, Norwich had a response, getting timely scores to bump the lead to two goals. This was just enough separation, as the Cadets, despite numerous penalties and a struggle at the X, found a way to get it done on the road in a squeaker, but nothing came easy for them.

COACH QUOTE [Andrew Fink] "I am super proud of the guys. With where we are at, the first full season in program history, health has hurt us a bit and sustainability. But today we had to go out there and make a statement. We played so hard against those guys, we didn't want to back down. It just came down to a few plays at the end. Everyone left it all out there. No one got away from the gameplan. This is another step forward for the program. We hope these will soon turn into wins, but for us to be in that game the way we struggled in each of the last three games versus Norwich (outscored 45-10 in three losses), I think that is a win in of itself."

GOALIE BREAKDOWN

NOR – Sophomore stopper Tommy Hopkins (Chelmsford, Mass.) remained undefeated on the year (4-0). He allowed 10 goals and made eight saves in a full 60 minutes of action. 

USJ – Junior goalkeeper and captain Tre McCann (Simsbury, Conn.) took the loss (3-5), allowing 13 goals on 20 shots while also going the distance.

BATTLE AT THE 'X'

Faceoffs were all Blue Jays, 20-6, as freshman faceoff Luke von Borstel (Massena, N.Y.) was the high-man for Saint Joseph with 16 of 18 successful faceoffs.

UP NEXT
Men's Lacrosse is away for its next two Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) matchups, first against in-state foe Albertus Magnus College. That match will be held in New Haven on Wednesday, April 6 at 7:00 p.m.

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