Men's Lacrosse Outlasts Curry, 9-8, In Double Overtime During Season Opener

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Sophomore Christian Decker (Bristol, Conn.) netted a hattrick in his debut game for the Blue Jays as the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) men's lacrosse team opened the 2023 season with a bang, taking down the Curry College (Curry) Colonels, 9-8, on Tuesday afternoon on the USJ Lacrosse Field in West Hartford, Conn. Decker netted the game-winner in double overtime to lift the Blue Jays to victory in their season opener. With the loss, the Colonels drop to 0-1 on the young season.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: Curry 8, USJ 9 (2OT)
Records: Curry 0-1, USJ 1-0
Location: USJ Lacrosse Field | West Hartford, Conn.

USJ wasted little time netting the first goal of 2023, as Decker found some space before rifling his shot past the Curry netminder, giving the hosts the lead at the 13:39 mark. Curry quickly equalized after Connor Bryant (Methuen, Mass.) received a pass from Stephen Stackhouse (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.), before finding the back of the net, leveling the game at 1-1 with 12:01 left in the first. Freshman Nick Pestrichello wasted little time to regain the lead, winning the immediate faceoff before sprinting down the middle of the field and launching a shot into the Curry net, swinging the lead back in USJ's favor, 2-1.

The Colonels would equalize a minute later though, taking advantage of a man-up opportunity as Brody Dalzell (Wrentham, Mass.) received a pass from Stackhouse before scoring past USJ netminder Trey McCann (Simsbury, Conn.) USJ continued to pile on the pressure offensively, rifling shot after shot on the Curry goal, before being rewarded for their efforts at the 3:55 mark. The Curry defense would fail to clear the ball, giving the ball up in the middle of their defense zone as Evan Zimnoch (Southington, Conn.) picked up the loose ball and fired into an open net, scoring from a man-up opportunity to give USJ a 3-2 lead. Evan Baden (Burlington, Conn.) would put his name on the score sheet in the closing minute of the first quarter, receiving a perfect pass from Decker before finding the back of the net, giving USJ a 4-2 edge. However, Curry would cut the gap to one, scoring with 19 seconds left as the Blue Jays entered the second quarter up, 4-3.

Fans did not have to wait long for the scoring to get started in the second quarter, as Cam Fonseca (Saunderstown, R.I.) generated space before launching a shot past the Curry goalie, increasing the lead back to two, 5-3 at the 14:32 mark. USJ played great defense, forcing two Curry turnovers to give the Blue Jays plenty of offensive opportunities. Baden would reward the defense at the 10:42 mark, scoring his second goal of the game after receiving a pass from Ryan Paltauf (Southbury, Conn.) to increase the gap to 6-3. However, Curry quickly got back within one, scoring twice in a span of a minute and 11 seconds, to cut the score to 6-5 with 9:00 left in the half. The middle stage of the second quarter would fall quiet as neither offense could generate a clear-cut scoring opportunity. USJ would continue to pile on the pressure offensively, drawing a penalty at the 3:33 mark. Ten seconds later, Decker and Baden would connect on another goal, this time with Baden dishing out the assist to reestablish a two-goal edge, 7-5, with 3:23 on the clock. Curry though would draw a penalty of their own late in the quarter, scoring on another man-up chance, cutting the gap to 7-6 entering the halftime break.

Curry denied USJ in the third quarter, holding the Blue Jays scoreless. USJ would play great defense in the opening portions, but Curry found a breakthrough at the 8:02 mark, as Robbie Tartaglia (Wrentham, Mass.) levelled the score at 7-7. Curry nearly found a breakthrough, playing two-men up after a double penalty by USJ, but McCann came up big for the Blue Jays, making a tremendous save to keep the score level at the 6:40 mark. Neither Curry or USJ would muster a chance in the remainder of the quarter, as the game entered the fourth deadlocked at 7-7.

With the game needing a tie breaking goal, both offenses put their foots on the gas, only to be denied by great defense by both sides. McCann came up big once again, making a pair of fine saves, including one off a Curry man-up chance at the 7:42 mark. It would be the Colonels that would break the deadlock, as Curry forced a turnover before generating a chance on the other end that saw Pat Modoono (Billerica, Mass.) give the visitors the lead with 5:11 left in the fourth. Pestrichello would continue his great collegiate debut, winning the ensuing faceoff before later finding space in front of the crease, rifling his shot into the net to tie the game at 8-8 with 4:00 left in regulation. McCann would make another key save at the 2:12, preserving the score line as the game entered overtime, even at 8-8.

Both teams would generate one great chance each in the first overtime period, btu were denied by great saves to send the game into a second overtime. USJ would win the opening faceoff, firing a pair of shots on the Curry net, but missed just wide. McCann came up clutch once again for USJ at the 1:55 mark, making a game-saving save to keep the Blue Jays in the contest. USJ took the momentum from the clutch moment, as Pestrichello found Decker on the right side before the sophomore fired a shot past Curry's backup netminder, securing his hattrick and the win in walk-off fashion, 9-8.

Decker finished with a hattrick and one assists, while Baden and Pestrichello netted two goals and dished out one assist each to pace USJ.

GOALIE BREAKDOWN

Curry– Evan Falandys (Leominster, Mass.) earned the start, allowing eight goals while making 12 saves in 55 minutes. Falandys would have to go off injured in the closing moments, allowing Austin Brown (Scarborough, Maine) to play in the final minute. Brown would make one save, but let in the game-winner, picking up the loss.

USJ – McCann played all 56 minutes in net for USJ, recording nine saves and allowing eight goals to pick up the victory.

BATTLE AT THE 'X'

Pestrichello dominated at the faceoff X, winning 14 of 18 attempts, finishing with a 77.7 percent mark. As a team, USJ also had the edge, winning 16 of 22 faceoffs for a 72.7 percent clip.

UP NEXT
The Blue Jays remain at home for its next contest, welcoming Castleton University to the USJ Lacrosse Field on Sunday, Feb. 26. Start time against the Spartans is set for 4:00 p.m.

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