Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 3/6/12
From Press release
Looking for its first win of the 2012 season, Penn took down No. 8 North Carolina at Franklin Field, 10-6, to get in the win column in a big way. The win at Franklin Field is the first-ever home win against the Tar Heels in program history.
Five different players had multi-goal games for the Quakers, led by Dan Savage’s hat trick. John Conneely added a pair for Penn as part of a four-point night while Tim Schwalje and Ryan Parietti each added two goals. Anthony Adler had one goal, but dished out two assists and Drew Belinsky came through with an assist in the win.
The difference may have been the play of Penn freshman Joe McCallion (Haverford School), who was solid on the draw all night for the Quakers by winning eight of 13 face-offs. The improvement at the X was paramount for a Penn team which entered the night just 11-for-41 on the draw in its two games to start the season.
The first half was low-scoring, the Quakers holding a slim 3-2 lead at the break. Schwalje opened the scoring 3:24 into the game on a feed from Conneely, but the Tar Heels tallied the next two – one midway through the first half off the stick of Duncan Hutchins and another from Jimmy Bitter 1:19 into the second quarter.
The Red and Blue netted the equalizer 2:06 later when Belinsky set up Savage for a man-up goal – his third goal while Penn was up a man this season. Just over three minutes later Parietti gave Penn a lead it would not relinquish off an Adler pass.
The Quakers were on the offensive most of the second quarter, taking seven shots while registering just the two goals. North Carolina only mustered four shots to counter, with one connecting and three sailing wide.
Adler helped get Penn on the board quickly in the third quarter, setting up Conneely 1:17 into the frame to push the Quakers to a 4-2 lead. It took nearly seven minutes for another goal, but this time Adler was the goal scorer, finishing a Schwalje pass with 6:55 left in the third period. Marcus Holman attempted to get North Carolina back in the game before the end of the third quarter, scoring twice in the final 4:25, but Parietti netted an unassisted tally with 11 seconds left in the quarter to ensure Penn had a two-goal lead entering the fourth quarter.
The advantage could have been three goals if not for Holman’s goal with just two seconds left in the third quarter – nine seconds after Parietti’s goal – and it became a one-goal lead when Bitter got the Heels a goal 1:06 into the fourth quarter.
That goal woke up the duo of Savage and Conneely as the pair combined for three goals in a span of 5:06 to provide the Quakers with a breathing room. Savage had the first two, depositing a Conneely pass with 9:53 to play and then connecting on a man-up situation 2:38 later. Conneely gave Penn four-goal edge with 4:45 to play, working his own play for an unassisted goal.
UNC attempted a comeback late, scoring with 1:07 to play, but Penn staved off any semblance of a Tar Heel rally and Schwalje finished the game off with his second of the night with 16 seconds remaining.
Brian Feeney made four saves in goal for the Quakers – with three in the second half while protecting Penn’s lead, adding a pair of ground balls. Zack Losco also had two ground balls, both coming off turnovers he caused. Alex Blonsky caused one Tar Heel turnover and swooped in for three ground balls.
The win over North Carolina is the fifth all-time for Penn, and first since 2006. The Quakers are now 5-8 against UNC and 3-2 in the last five meetings.
The Red and Blue finish a three-game home stand with No. 12 Villanova on Saturday at 3 p.m. The game is part of a lacrosse doubleheader highlighting Alumni Weekend for the lacrosse programs. The No. 9 women’s team opens Ivy play with Harvard at noon.
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