HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, VA (April 8, 2006)--The # 2 ranked team in Division III lacrosse edged the #16 Hampden-Sydney Tigers by a score of 8-6 Saturday afternoon. The Lynchburg Hornets defense was able to slow down a Tiger attack that had scored 38 goals in the last two games. Lynchburg goal keeper Garrett Curran made 15 saves while seeing 44 Tiger shots.
Lynchburg's Brain Kemper scored the games opening goal at the 11:49 mark to take the early lead. The Tigers tied the game less than one minute later when junior Thomas Jennings (Murfreesboro, TN/Webb School) passed from the x to a slashing William Shell (Alexandria, VA/St. Stephen's), who beat Curran on his left side.
The Tigers would find themselves down 4-1 at the end of the first quarter. At 9:56 into the second quarter, senior captain and attacker Vince Smith (Palmyra, VA/St. Anne's-Belfield)scored an unassisted goal to cut the lead in half, 4-2. Midfielder Thomas Jennings would score at the 5:15 mark on an unassisted low side shot to make the score 4-3.
Another goal by the Hornets made the score 5-3 before the two ranked teams broke for halftime. In the third quarter the Tigers evened the game on goals by juniors Ryan Harrington (Dallas, TX/Plano) and Michael Via (Virginia Beach, VA/Norfolk Academy).
At 12:44 into the fourth quarter, Lynchburg's Ryan Quick made the score 6-5 on an unassisted goal. Brian Kemper then scored his second goal of the game to go up by two, 7-5. The Tigers were able to answer with 6:49 remaining in the game to pull within one thanks to an over the goal feed to Michael Via from junior William Shell. Down by a score of 7-6, the Tigers pulled goal keeper Scotty Russell (Darien, CT/Darien) but Lynchburg senior attacker A.J. Tinklepaugh muscled one in to put the game away for good.
The Tiger loss gives them a 6-4 overall record (2-2 ODAC) and the Lynchburg victory is their ninth straight. At 9-0 (3-0), the Hornets will face #1 Salisbury (15-0) on April 11th. The Tigers have no games scheduled until April 22, 2006 when they face Washington & Lee in Lexington at 1:30 pm.
