Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/28/13
From Press Release
Despite a 10-3 shooting edge, Chestnut Hill College only held a 2-1 advantage the first quarter of today’s contest at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, Calif.
The Griffins made up for the inaccuracy by taking a 4-1 lead to halftime and outscoring the Argonauts 8-2 in the second half for a 12-3 victory. Senior attackman Craig Owen (Haverford School) totaled four points in the Griffins first competition on their California crusade.
Owen found freshman attack Tanner Fisher to break the silence with 5:52 remaining in the first quarter, 1-0. A little more than a minute later (4:23), sophomore midfielder Christopher Mertens gave Chestnut Hill College (1-1) a 2-0 edge on Notre Dame de Namur University (0-2), but the Argonauts made use of limited possessions and answered Mertens’ goal before the four-minute mark (5:07), 2-1.
In the second quarter, Owen scored his first goal at 13:07 to make the spread 3-1 before senior midfielders Dennis Klusaritz Jr. (Parkland) and Michael Duddy put the Griffins up 4-1 heading to halftime. The Griffins outscored the Argonauts 3-2 in the third period leaving the score at 7-3 heading to the final period. That’s was where the Griffins dominated, netting five goals on eight shots to earn their first victory of the season, 12-3.
Senior attack Kevin Nguyen led the Argonauts with a goal, two assists, six ground balls, and nine wins in the face-off circle (9-of-14, 64.3%). In goal, senior Hunter Adams totaled seven saves and three ground balls.
Owen’s hat trick was supported by a goal and an assist from junior attack Michael Melnychenko and two-goal efforts from Mertens and Duddy. Junior defenseman Christopher Schaffer and senior goalkeeper Dakota Maurer led the Griffins defensive effort. Schaffer recorded three ground balls and caused two turnovers while Maurer made ten saves and recovered one ground ball in his first win of the season (1-1).
The men’s lacrosse team’s next California contest comes on Saturday with a 1:00 p.m. contest at Dominican College of California.
