Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/4/19
From Press Release
The DeSales University men’s lacrosse team will continue its record breaking season earning an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament, winning its first-ever MAC Freedom Championship, 14-13, at Eastern University on Saturday afternoon.
The Basics:
Records: DeSales (17-1 overall); Eastern (12-7 overall)
The Bulldogs earn the conference’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament with selections scheduled to be announced on Sunday evening around 9 PM.
Not only are DSU’s 17 wins a school-record, this is the first season in team history with a record over .500.
It was DeSales’ first win over the Eagles since the very one back in 2009.
How it Happened:
The entire first-half was back and forth as neither team held more than a one goal lead.
The Bulldogs out-scored Eastern, 2-1, in the second quarter, scoring the final two goals of the half to take a slim 6-5 margin into the halftime locker room.
The third quarter was complete domination by DeSales.
DeSales out-scored Eastern 5-2 in the quarter extending its lead to four goals (11-7) and out-shot EU, 14-6, in the quarter.
Eastern got within two early in the fourth quarter but goals from sophomore Dylan Valinchus (his first of the year) and senior Joe Neggia pushed DSU back up four goals with 6:43 left to play.
DSU seemed to ice the win with 3:16 to go as freshman Kai Taylor (Wilmington Charter-DE) scored an empty net goal to put the Bulldogs up 14-10.
Eastern would not go away scoring three straight goals to get within one with 27.7 seconds left.
EU won the ensuing face-off but immediately turned the ball over as junior Frank Krug (La Salle) knocked it away and freshman Timmy Smith picked it up and ran out the clock setting off a huge celebration.
Top Bulldog Performers
Sophomore Zach Bowen (Appoquinimink-DE) was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player scoring two goals and adding one assist, finishing the playoffs with eight goals two assists.
Freshman Tom Connors had four goals and one assist and Neggia finished witnih two goals.
Taylor added two goals and one assist and junior Justin Monaghan (Ridley) had one goal and one assist.
Valinchus, sophomore Colin Corrado (Gloucester Catholic), and junior Eric Magro (Ridley) each finished with one goal and Brown added an assist.
Krug was terrific finishing with seven ground balls, six caused turnovers and an assist.
Senior Matt Barry was outstanding in net making 13 saves.
For the Foes
Mark Buannic had four goals and one assist and Colin Piper finished with two goals and four assists.
Antonio Yeoman (Mainland Regional-NJ) had three goals and an assist and Trent Ashton finished with two goals and two assists.
Chris Durning had 11 ground balls.
Inside the Box Score
Eastern out-shot DeSales, 39-32, and had a 40-29 advantage in ground balls.
EU won 23-of-31 face-offs and was 2-for-3 in man-up situations.
DeSales had a 13-6 advantage in saves.
