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Pioneer Men's Lax Comes Back to Beat Delaware
April 5, 2003
NEWARK, DE - Sophomore attacker Robert Bielawski (Commack, NY) scored 25 seconds into the second overtime from 20 yards out to lift the Sacred Heart men's lacrosse team to a 10-9 comeback win over host Delaware Saturday night in an important Colonial Athletic Association battle.
The Pioneers, now 5-4 overall and 1-2 in the CAA, rallied from a three-goal deficit in the fourth quarter and snapped a two-game losing streak. Sacred Heart trailed 9-6 with just over seven minutes left to play to send the game into overtime. Erick Perez and and Chris Swier each scored two goals as the Pioneers downed the Hens for the second straight season.
Delaware, 5-6 overall and 0-2 in the CAA, appeared to have the upper hand when Bob Meunier scored with 11:48 left in regulation to give UD a 9-6 lead. Meunier and Matt Alrich each scored twice for the Hens, while freshman Xander Ritz scored one goal and dished out four assists. Delaware had won five straight overtime contests since a 17-16 double overtime setback at Penn State in 1996.
The Hens jumped out to a 6-2 lead midway through the second quarter as Ritz started a four goal run with a goal with 46 seconds left in the opening period and assisted on goals by Ryan Metzbower and Scott Evans for the 6-2 lead with 8:35 left.
Sacred Heart got back under control and cut the lead to 6-4 heading into intermission as James Delmonico scored with 7:29 left before halftime and Perez closed the first half scoring with 5:38 remaining.
The Pioneers cut the lead to 7-6 heading into the final period as Daniel DeVoe and TJ Hutmacher sandwiched goals around one by Delaware's Alrich during the third quarter.
A goal by Alrich off a feed from Ritz 2:21 into the final quarter, and then a goal by Meunier less than one minute later gave the Hens the 9-6 lead.
Sacred Heart rallied as Perez scored with 7:15 left. Swier then tallied off a feed from Ben Giamichael with 5:23 left, and Matthew Robideau followed with a solo goal just 22 seconds later to knot the score at 9-9.
Neither team scored the rest of regulation and neither could capitalize in the first overtime, which ended with Delaware's Chris Collins (16 saves) stopping a mid-field shot by Paul Lyons just before the horn sounded. Sacred Heart won the faceoff to open the second overtime period and pulled out the win as Bielawski fired the long game-winner.
Sacred Heart 2 2 2 3 0 1- 10 Delaware 3 3 1 2 0 0- 9Individual Scoring: Delaware - Matt Alrich, 2 goals; Bob Meunier, 2 goals; Xander Ritz, 1 goal, 4 assists; Scott Evans, 1 goal; Andy Hipple, 1 goal; Ryan Metzbower, 1 goal; Kurt Nordhoff, 1 goal, 1 assist.
Sacred Heart - Erick Perez, 2 goals; Chris Swier, 2 goals; Robert Bielawski, 1 goal; James Delmonico, 1 goal; Daniel DeVoe - 1 goal; Francis Hunter, 1 goal; T.J. Hutmacher, 1 goal; Matthew Robideau, 1 goal; Ben Giamichael, 2 assists; Stephen Grabow, 1 assist; Chris Paige, 1 assist.
Shots: Sacred Heart - 49, Delaware - 35;
Saves: Sacred Heart - 17 Thomas Hind, 64:25 min., 9 goals, 17 saves), Delaware - 16 (Chris Collins, 64:25 min., 10 goals, 16 saves)
Extra Man Goals: Sacred Heart - 2 of 8, Delaware - 2 of 7;
Penalties: Sacred Heart - 7 for 7:30, Delaware - 9 for 8:00;
Attendance: 400
