Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/16/19
From Press Release
Thanks to heroics by attackman Mike Gerzabek (Springfield-Delco) and goalie Riley White (Plymouth Whitemarsh) and a host of others, the Cabrini men’s lacrosse team made history Wednesday night.
The Cavaliers entered the fourth quarter trailing 7-4, but outscored the No. 4 Spartans 6-3 in the fourth before junior Gerzabek’s overtime goal sent the Cavaliers into the NCAA Tournament national semifinal with a thrilling 11-10 victory.
With the win, the No. 6 Cavaliers extended their current win streak to 13 games and improved to 20-2, marking the first 20 win season in program history.
Cabrini will make its first ever appearance in the national semifinal round on Sunday, when it visits No. 2 Salisbury at 5 p.m.
Senior Jordan Krug (Cherokee) and sophomore Kyle Tucker scored three goals each for the Blue and White, while Gerzabek finished with two goals, including the game-winner. Junior Jakob Klein (Wilson) added three points and matched classmate Tyler Kostack (Marple Newtown) with two helpers.
Krug’s three points give him an even 100 on the season, making him just the second player in program history to record 100 points in a season. Corey Elmer also accomplished the feat in 2013 and 2014.
Senior goaltender White – recently named ECAC Goalie of the Month – recorded a season-high 15 saves, including 10 in the first half. Junior Tommy DeLuca paired two caused turnovers and two ground balls, while White, junior Kyle Myers and sophomore Luke McCallion (Haverford High) scooped three ground balls each. McCallion also went 10-25 at the faceoff spot.
Despite Klein’s first quarter goal, the Cavaliers could not find their rhythm in the first half, as it trailed 5-1 at the break. Over the opening 30 minutes, the Blue and White was -15 in shots, committed 12 of its 17 turnovers and was just 7-12 in clears.
Tucker found the back of the net at the 12:10 mark of the third quarter, snapping Cabrini’s 26 minute scoring drought, injecting some life into the Cavaliers’ bench. Both team alternated goals throughout the period, with Krug’s unassisted goal pulling Cabrini to within 7-4 with 15 minutes to play.
The Blue and White wasted little time climbing back into the game. Krug and Tucker combined for three unanswered goals, with Krug’s third marked leveling the game at 7-7 with 7:21 to play.
The Spartans broke Cabrini’s 4-0 spurt on Thomas Pfeiffer’s goal with 6:27 to play. The Cavaliers took advantage of York’s only penalty of the game, as senior Timmy Brooks (Haverford School) blasted a man-up goal to even the score at eight with 4:51 on the clock.
York again regained the lead 43 seconds later, but junior Kevin Leyden (Haverford High) found Gerzabek for a goal with 3:27 to play. Again, the Spartans regained the momentum, as Dylan Wolf marked the scoring column with 2:16 left in regulation.
With time dwindling after a Cabrini timeout, Kostack found Tucker for the sophomore’s third tally of the night, tying the score with just 51 seconds remaining.
The Spartans won the ensuing faceoff, but following a York timeout, the Blue and White defense pressured the Spartans into a turnover, sending the game into overtime.
While Cabrini has had little overtime experience, the team could draw on its last overtime contest, an 11-10 victory over then No. 1 Salisbury in 2017.
York won the opening draw of the extra four minute period and immediately called timeout. As they did in the final possession of regulation, the Cavaliers pressured the Spartans into a turnover. Myers collected the ground balls, giving Cabrini a chance to end the action.
The Blue and White completed the clear before calling a timeout. While the designed play did not come to fruition, Gerzabek took a chance and racing to the crease, where his diving shot attempt beat York goaltender Jack Michael, sending the Cavaliers streaming onto the field in celebration.
After struggling through the opening 30 minutes, the Cavaliers controlled the final 32, outshooting the Spartans 31-12. Cabrini committed just five turnovers after the halftime break and just one in the fourth quarter and overtime, while it completed 10 of its 11 clear attempts.
Pfeiffer, Hunter Davis and Brendan McGrath (Central Bucks South) led the Spartans (18-3) with two goals and an assist each. Nick Roman anchored the York defensive effort with three caused turnovers and three ground balls. Jake Hvazda (Spring-Ford) scored once.
Billy Sasso went 14-25 at the faceoff X and secured four ground balls, while Michael paired nine saves and six ground balls.
