Box Score
ITHACA, New York – The Williams College men's
lacrosse team built an 8-5 halftime lead before surrendering twelve
second-half goals and falling to seventh-ranked Ithaca College
17-10 in the second round of the NCAA Division III men's lacrosse
tournament Saturday. The game marks a disappointing end to a season
which saw the Ephs win the NESCAC championship for the first time
and earn their first ever birth in the NCAA tournament.
The fourteenth-ranked Ephs (10-6, 4-5 NESCAC) earned a first round
bye in their NCAA debut setting up their second round match up with
Ithaca (16-2) – the alma mater of Eph head coach George
McCormack. The Ephs appeared poised to keep their run going after
going up 8-2 in the first half, but the Bombers responded in a big
way recording fifteen of the games next seventeen scores to secure
the victory and spoil McCormack's homecoming.
The Eph offense was led by the Michael Vrla and Richard Reuter,
who recorded four goals and an assist and three goals and an assist
respectively. While Eph goalie Michael Gerbush, who had been one of
the catalysts for the Ephs during their late season push, was
uncharacteristically off – surrendering 17 scores with 10
saves off of 47 shots.
Ithaca received hat tricks from Tim Pfeffer, Matt Nelligan, and
Logan Bobzien - who also recorded a whopping six assists. David
Gal, who entered the game in relief of Ben Connery during the
second quarter, played solid in the net for the Bombers,
surrendering only two goals while making nine saves off of 24
shots.
Ithaca struck early with Pfeffer's first goal, but the Ephs
unleashed five unanswered with two goals from Richard Reuter, and a
goal each from Michael Vrla, Brian Wrapp, and David Hawley to
sprint out to an early 5-1 lead. Ithaca would capitalize on a man
up opportunity with just 39 seconds left to close out the scoring
for the quarter with the Ephs holding a 5-2 advantage.
The Ephs continued to control the tempo in the early goings of the
second period, with the relentless offensive pressure being
spearheaded by Michael Vrla. The Ithaca defense had no answers for
Vrla in the games first half, as he added a rare natural hat-trick
in the second quarter en route to a four goal first half
performance.
However, the latter part of the second period was all Ithaca, as
the Bombers reeled off three unanswered goals while simultaneously
limiting the Eph offense to only a few sporadic shots and no goals.
The two teams traded goal opportunities in the waning moments but
neither converted, and the Ephs maintained an 8-5 advantage after
one half of play.
The first half highlighted the fundamental strategic difference
between the two teams: as the early goings saw the Ephs control the
tempo with their patient wait for the best shot mentality
translating into success early on, but the bombers more haphazard
shoot as much as possible offense really began to pay dividends by
the end of the half.
Ithaca came out firing in the second half, as the increasingly
animated Bomber sideline helped carry the momentum over from the
first half and fueled their teammates to two quick goals to start
the half and slash the deficit to 8-7 only 4:14 into the half.
After two Eph possessions ended in quick turnovers, Nick Heckman
scooped up the ground ball and found teammate Craig Lepiane who
slipped it past Gerbush to tie things at 8-8 less than two minutes
later.
Ithaca's offensive surge was far from over, and Bobzein gave
the bombers their first lead since the games first score with just
6:46 remaining in the period. The score marked Ithaca's sixth
straight goal going back to the second period. Brian Moressey
responded and put an end to the Ephs drought with a score just a
minute later to tie things back up at 9-9, but the momentum had
already shifted and the Ithaca offense refused to quit as they
recorded four more goals before the quarter was through to take the
lead for good at 13-9.
The third quarter was all Ithaca as the bombers poured on eight
goals to the Ephs one for the quarter and eleven of the last twelve
scores in the game.
The Ephs needed a big quarter to keep their season alive, but
after failing to take advantage of a an early man-up opportunity
the Eph defense surrendered two goals within thirty seconds as the
bombers pushed their lead to 15-9. Ithaca remained in control for
the rest of the contest and added two goals while surrendering one
before the game was through, settling the score at 17-10.
The Bombers will face 15th-ranked Western New England in the
quarterfinal round of the NCAA Tournament on Wednesday, May 14. The
site and time are to be determined.
The #14 ranked Ephs (10-6, 4-5 NESCAC) had won their previous
six straight games and end their season with wins in eight of their
last ten contests in the programs breakout season.
