Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/5/24
From Press Release
The host Cabrini men’s lacrosse team used a 7-1 run to erase a 6-3 lead late in the first half and defeat Marymount, 19-12, Saturday to claim the Atlantic East Conference Championship.
The game could be the last one ever played at Edith Robb Dixon Field for Cabrini, which clinched an automatic NCAA berth and won its 23rd straight conference title but will close its doors in a few weeks.
The Cavaliers (15-4 overall, 6-0 AEC) had to work, however, to beat the stubborn Saints (9-10, 4-2 AEC)
Marymount jumped out to an early lead, collecting 3 goals in the first 3 minutes. The Saints registered unassisted tallies at 13:54 and seconds later at 13:49 before scoring their third goal on a man-up chance at 12:35.
The Saints added their fourth goal nine minutes into the game as Marymount’s Jack Williams earned an early hat trick. Cabrini began a 3-goal run late in the first quarter. Dillon McManus scored the Cavaliers’ first tally, helped by Connor Herraiz, before Herraiz and Austin Bolton followed with unassisted punch-ins.
After eight scoreless minutes in quarter two, Marymount picked up a pair of goals by Kai Goo and Jack WIlliams, to make it 6-3 late in the second.
The Cavaliers continued to pressure the Saints on their clear attempts, leading to a Peter Hewitt (Conestoga) goal and a Tommy Vaughan man-up goal assisted by Vaughan. Cabrini entered halftime down 6-5.
Cabrini came out of the break with a vengeance, scoring three times to steal much of Marymount’s momentum. Mason Lenart (Wilson), McManus, and Gerry Ulatowski (Unionville) registered the unassisted goals that put the Cavs up 8-6.
Marymount’s Williams tallied his fifth goal of the day five minutes into the third quarter, only to be interrupted by a pair of Cabrini scores by Nate Mazurek and Vaughan, helped by Ulatowski and Bolton. The Saints secured their second man-up goal midway through the third period, as Bryan Maguire beat the Cavs defense to feed an 8-10 score.
With seconds left on the third quarter clock, Herraiz delivered his 60th goal of the season to give Cabrini an 11-8 edge entering the final frame.
Marymount pulled within 11-9 as Williams scored a man-up goal off a penalty that carried into the fourth quarter, his seventh on the day. Cabrini answered with a pair of goals from Griffin Ganster (Gov. Mifflin) and McManus, assisted by Mason Lenart and Gavin Lenart (Wilson).
Marymount’s Ciaran Connolly put the Saints in double figures, scoring with 10:14 remaining in the contest. Cabrini sealed the game with a five-goal run in the middle of the final quarter, as Herraiz (twice), Mason Lenart, McManus, and Mazurek scored during the stretch that put the Cavs ahead 18-10.
Cavalier Leaders
Goals: McManus/Herraiz (4), Vaughan (3), M.Lenart/Mazurek (2)
Assists: Bolton (2), Ulatowski/Lenart/Lenart/Leone/Herraiz/MacManus (1)
Points: McManus/Herraiz (5), Bolton/M.Lenart/Vaughan (3)
Shots: Herraiz (15), Vaughan (11), McManus (9)
Ground Balls: McCormick (13), Bolton/Hewitt/Gerzabek (3)
Caused Turnovers: McManus/Herraiz (2), 7 players tied w/ (1)
Faceoffs: McCormick (21-33)
Saves: Skipper (12), Waldron (3)
Cabrini Awards
Tommy Vaughan’s hat trick awarded him the Championship game MVP nod.
Jason Fridge earned the Atlantic East’s Elite 20 Award, given to the upperclassman with the highest cumulative GPA at the Championship site.
