HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, VA - The Hampden-Sydney College Tigers lacrosse team held the Catholic University of America Cardinals to just two goals in the final three quarters to earn a 10-4 non-conference win on Fulton Field Saturday afternoon.
Catholic's Justin Schaufler scored the game's first goal at 13:05, but Ben Clarke (Virginia Beach, VA/Norfolk Academy) and Carter Mavromatis (Virginia Beach, VA/Cape Henry) scored the next two to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead with 5:21 left in the first quarter. Schaufler scored again at 4:25 to make it a 2-2 game after one quarter.
Mavromatis provided the first score on the second quarter at the 4:37 mark, but the Cardinals' Chris Fuccillo evened the game at 3-3 just 35 seconds later. Cole Hawthorne (Richmond, VA/Collegiate)continued his hot streak by putting the Tigers in the lead for good at 3:12. Bobby Fulton (Atlanta, GA/Wesleyan) scored what would turn out to be the game-winner at the 2:35 mark to make it a 5-3 content heading into halftime.
The third quarter proved to be all Hampden-Sydney as Catholic was held without a goal while Nate Cundy (Midlothian, VA/James River), Hawthorne, and Mavromatis each scored to push their lead out to 8-3. Kyle Fox (Manassas, VA/Osbourn Park) opened the final frame with a goal at 12:24, but Sean Cummins ended the Catholic drought of nearly 24 minutes with 10:43 to go. Cundy posted the game's final goal with over seven minutes left on the clock.
While several Tigers had a strong day on offense, the defense proved to be the difference maker. Catholic coughed up the ball 26 times on the afternoon, with seven on clears, while the Tigers had nine caused turnovers, headlined by three from Nick West (New Canaan, CT/The Gunnery). Nate Norbo (Waterford, VA/Loudoun Valley) and Andrew Pritzlaff (Castle Rock, CO/Kent Denver) also forced two turnovers apiece. Additionally Cameron Sheppard (Denver, CO/Kent Denver) and Pritzlaff tied for the team-high in ground balls with four and Norbo scooped up three. While Catholic has 29 shots, only 11 proved to be on goal as the defensive unit allowed very few good looks at the goal. Cody Hornung (Bala Cynwyd, PA/Lower Merion) earned the win in the cage, making six saves and corralling four ground balls.
Hawthorne led H-SC with five points on two goals and three assists while Mavromatis tallied a hat trick with three scores. Cundy found the back of the net twice while Fulton and Clarke each provided one goal with Clarke tacking on three ground balls. Brad Mostowy (Atlanta, GA/Trinity Pawling) went 9-for-17 on face-offs with two ground balls.
Schaufler had two goals for the Cardinals while Cummins and Fuccillo each had one score. Sean McKenne played all 60 minutes in the net with 10 saves and six ground balls. Tom Scotto was 9-for-18 on face-offs and Ryan Doyle had a team-high four ground balls.
Hampden-Sydney outshot Catholic 31-29, but held a 20-11 advantage in shots on goal. H-SC held a 33-28 edge in groundballs, and each team went 9-18 on face-offs. H-SC converted on 15 of their 18 clear attempts while Catholic went just 16-23. CUA failed to convert on either man up attempt, but the Tigers were 2-5.
Hampden-Sydney travels to ODAC rival and 16th ranked Lynchburg College in Lynchburg, VA, on Saturday, April 2nd for a 7 p.m. contest.
