Rangers Hold Off Royals In Landmark Conference Semifinal Action Wednesday Evening
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| Taylor Nelson | Mike Rufo |
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| Kyle Frank | Dillon McInerney |
Box Score
MADISON, NJ—The University of Scranton men’s lacrosse
team whittled a 7-goal third-period deficit down to two before Drew
University regained its composure and pulled away for a 15-9
victory in the semifinals of the Landmark Conference tournament
Wednesday evening.
The Rangers will advance to Saturday’s championship game in
Towson, Maryland, against top-seeded Goucher College, which downed
Catholic University in the other semifinal game, 13-6.
With the loss, Scranton ends its 2012 season with a 9-7 record.
Senior midfielder Sean McGowan (Milltown, NJ/Saint Joseph) and
junior attacker Scott Humphreys (Newark, Del./Sanford School)
finished with four goals apiece, freshman attacker Patrick Lamon
(Severna Park, Md./Severn School) contributed two goals, and junior
midfielder Steve Gentile (Franklin Lakes, NJ/Indian Hills) and
junior defender Dominick Reda (Floral Park, NY/Floral Park
Memorial) each had a goal and two assists for Drew, which won its
eighth straight game to improve to 12-4.
Junior attacker Taylor Nelson (Chester Springs, Pa./Downingtown
East) led the defending champion Royals with three goals
and three assists and senior midfielder Mike
Rufo (Broomall, Pa./Haverford School) and junior
midfielder Dillon McInerney (Hawthorne, NJ/Bergen
Catholic) chipped in two goals apiece.
Scranton, which held a 36-34 advantage in shots and which won 17 of
29 face-offs, also received a goal apiece from sophomore midfielder
John Gregitis (Wayne, Pa./St. Joseph’s
Preparatory) and senior attacker Kyle
Frank (Glen Arm, Md./Boys’ Latin).
The Rangers built up a 7-3 first-half lead, thanks, in part, to
their ability to cash in twice on six penalties assessed against
the Royals. It then appeared as if Drew might run away with
it by opening up the third period on a goal by Gentile and two more
from Humphreys to build up a 10-3 advantage.
Taylor then made sure the Royals did not go down quietly. He
scored three goals during a 5-0 rally that cut Drew’s lead
down to 10-8 with 7:38 left in the fourth period.
McGowan then sandwiched a pair of goals around one by Humphreys as
the Rangers regained the momentum and took a comfortable 13-8 lead
with 4:16 left.
In just his third game and second start of the season, freshman
goalkeeper Chris
Sumpter (Crofton, Md./South River) finished with five
saves for Scranton while Drew’s Charlie DeSocio (Maplewood,
NJ/Columbia) stopped 14 shots.
In just three seasons, Frank finished his career as the
Royals’ seventh all-time leading scorer with 127 points (92
goals, 35 assists). With two goals tonight, Rufo ends his
career as the 20th all-time leading scorer in Scranton history with
100 points (75 goals, 25 assists).
--ROYALS--
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