ASHLAND, Va. - Men's Lacrosse battled back in the fourth quarter to force a sudden-death overtime showdown against the Washington College (Md.) Shoremen Saturday afternoon.
The Basics
Score: (RV) Randolph-Macon 16, Washington College (Md.) 15
Venue: Ashland, Va. // Randolph-Macon College // Day Field
Records: Randolph-Macon (5-1, 0-0 ODAC); Washington (Md.) (2-1, 0-0 Centennial)
How it Happened
- One minute and 15 seconds into the first quarter, Peyton Rodriguez (Santa Barbara, Calif./Bishop Garcia Diego) opened up the scoring with an unassisted goal. At the 10:26 mark, the Shoremen answered the Yellow Jackets' goal with three of their own over the span of three minutes. Carson Mingo (Cambridge, Md./Gilman) shut down the three-goal run after winning the faceoff to himself and burning the ball in the back of the net. Washington (Md.) added two more goals in the first quarter, one with 3:12 on the clock and another one right before the end of the quarter with 23 seconds left. RMC responded two seconds later, when Mingo connected with sophomore JJ Phillips (Ramsey, N.J./Ramsey) to close out the first frame down 5-3.
- 30 seconds into the start of the second quarter, Jack Dupuis added the Shoremen's sixth goal of the afternoon. Freshman Charlie Hilgartner (Severna Park, Md./Severn) buried an assist from Hunter Drake (Richmond, Va./Deep Run), cutting the lead to 6-4 with 12:55 on the clock. Over the next five minutes, Washington (Md.) added to more goals, extending its lead to 8-4. At the 5:36 mark, Grant Sobell (Mechanicsville, Va./Christchurch) cashed in on the man-up opportunity, assisted by Andrew Bergesen (Olney, Md./Sherwood). Bergesen added a goal of his own with 4:09 left in the half. JT Harvey (Ruther Glen, Va./Riverbend) cut the Shormen's lead to 8-7, 48 seconds later. With exactly one minute before halftime, freshman Jake Dudley (Locust Grove, Va./Woodberry Forest) capitalized on another man-up opportunity, leveling the game at eight goals apiece. With 23 seconds on the clock before the break, Dupuis gave Washington (Md.) a one-goal lead entering halftime.
- Coming out of the break, RMC looked poised to tie the game up once again. Senior attackman Matt Carter (Glen Allen, Va./Deep Run) assisted Jackson Hedrick (Reisterstown, Md./St. Paul's) on a third man-up opportunity for the Yellow Jackets, equalizing the score at 9-9. At the 8:58 mark, Carter buried a pass from Bergeson to give the Yellow Jackets their second lead of the game. The Shoremen stopped the RMC run with a man-down goal from Jake Laubach. Washington (Md.) maintained the momentum, adding the next two goals at the 7:06 mark and 6:26 mark to push the score to 12-10. Off the faceoff, Nick Harrington (Mechanicsville, Va./Hanover) recorded a goal of his own, cutting the lead back to one goal. With time just a few seconds away from expiring in the third frame, Reeve Hargrave added one final goal, closing out the quarter with a 13-11 lead.
- Less than two minutes into the fourth quarter, the Yellow Jackets opened up the scoring on a great dodge and shot from Sobel. At the 9:33 mark, the Shoremen added back-to-back goals, with the second coming 47 seconds later, making the score 15-12. The Yellow Jackets' defense hunkered down, shutting Washington (Md.) out the rest of the game. Hilgartner connected with Harvey, cutting the lead to two goals with 4:47 left in the fourth quarter. Three minutes later, Harvey picked up his third of the afternoon, slicing through the defense, putting the Lemon and Black within one. With time winding down at Day Field and a tense atmosphere, Carter found Sobel in front of the net, who buried the ball, tying the game up at 15-15 with 14 seconds left in regulation. The Yellow Jackets closed out the final 14 seconds after the faceoff with clean play to head to overtime.
- The Yellow Jackets' first possession of overtime resulted in a turnover. RMC played disciplined defense and a costly turnover by the Shoremen gave the ball back to the Lemon and Black. At the 2:21 mark of overtime, Bergesen weaved through the Shoremen defense, burying the sudden-death OT winner for a 16-15 victory.
Inside the Numbers
- The Lemon and black outshot Washington (Md.) 45-33 overall and 23-to-22 in shots on goal.
- Bergesen led the Yellow Jackets offensively with five points total on three assists and two goals.
- Harvey and Sobel each recorded a hat-trick during the contest.
- Carter also recorded three points overall on two assists and one goal.
- Hilgarnter and Mingo tallied a goal and an assist for two points total.
- Harrington, Hedrick, Phillips and Rodriguez all record a goal against the Shoremen.
- Mingo went 19-28 (67.8%) from the faceoff x, adding 10 ground balls for a new career single-game high.
- Senior Brodie Kent (Coquitlam, Canada/Centennial) picked up four ground balls and caused two turnovers.
- Mike Allen (Williamsburg, Va./Jamestown) picked up three ground balls and caused three turnovers.
- Randolph-Macon held the advantage in the ground ball department, scooping up 36 while Washington (Md.) picked up 23.
- Extra-man opportunities proved crucial in today's win, with the Lemon and Black cashing in on three out of their six chances while holding the Shoremen scoreless.
For the Record
- This is the first time in the history of the matchup between these two schools that the game has gone to OT.
- Mingo passed his career single-game high previously set in his freshman season against St. Mary's (Md.) on February 23.
Up Next
Randolph-Macon is at home again next week on Saturday, March 7, Hosting ODAC rival Hampden-Sydney with the first faceoff at 1:00 p.m.
