Huskies Score Eight Goals in the 4th Quarter

            GORHAM, Maine -- Sparked by a pair of man-up goals, the University of Southern Maine men's lacrosse team went on an 8-2 run over the final 11 minutes to post a 17-14, come-from-behind win over the University of Massachusetts Boston in a Little East Conference game Saturday afternoon at Hannaford Field.

            The win snapped the Huskies' five-game losing skid and improved their overall record to 2-5.  It was the Huskies first win over the Beacons since the 2012 season.  The Beacons suffered their second straight loss to slip to 4-5 overall.  The game was the conference opener for both teams.

            Down 12-9, the Huskies got a man-up goal from senior Nate DelGiudice (Oakland, Maine/Messalonskee) with a laser-like shot to the top corner from the right wing with 11:26 to play.  The Huskies also got the benefit of going back on the man-up as the Beacons were whistled for another infraction.  Sophomore Tristan Dundas (Abbotsford, B.C.) converted a pass from rookie Steve Gilbert (Litchfield, Maine/Oak Hill) to pull USM within one.  Twenty-nine seconds after assisting on the Dundas goal, Gilbert tied the game (12-12) with an unassisted marker.

            The Beacons regained the lead on a goal from junior Tre Mason (Kelowna, B.C.), but the lead lasted just 12 seconds as freshman Cam Thibault (Scarborough, Maine) equalized for the Huskies.

            After the blitz of five goals in a four-minute span, the score remained deadlocked at 13-13 until sophomore Bryce Randall (Portland, Maine/Deering) scored at 3:30.  Gilbert's third goal of the game at 2:19 gave USM its first two-goal cushion since midway through the second quarter.

            Sophomore Josh Holmes (Weymouth, Mass.) gave the Beacons a ray of hope with an unassisted goal at 1:47, but Randall and senior Seth Wing (West Gardiner, Maine/Gardiner Area) put the game away with goals in the final 91 seconds.

            Down 6-4 at halftime, UMass Boston dominated the third period outscoring USM 7-3.  Mason ignited a four-goal run two minutes into the quarter, and sophomore Ned Parker (Stafford, Va.) scored twice in a span of 46 seconds to give the Beacons their first lead of the game (7-6).  A Holmes' goal at 9:45 gave the visitors a two-goal edge.

            Dundas snapped the run of UMB goals at 7:25, but the Beacons responded with three consecutive goals to go up 11-7.

            A pair of late third-quarter goals 14 seconds apart from Gilbert and rookie Ethan Ouellette (West Newfield, Maine/Massabesic) gave the Huskies some momentum heading into the final quarter down just two.

            Dundas finished with a team-high four goals for USM.  Gilbert had three goals and two assists, and Ouellette finished with three goals and one helper.  Senior goalie Zach Bessette (Readfield, Maine/Maranacook) stopped 18 shots to earn his second win of the season.

            Parker led the Beacons with three goals.  Holmes had two goals and three assists for five points, and Mason contributed two goals and two assists.  Sophomore goalie Alex Surette (Melrose, Mass.) made 13 saves.

            UMass Boston finished the game with a 53-47 edge in shots and won the battle for ground balls 41-35.  Both sides were very proficient in clearing the ball from their defensive end as UMB was successful on 22 of 23 clears while USM was successful on all 25 of its attempts.

            The Huskies return to action on Thursday (3 p.m.) hosting Thomas College in a rescheduled game from March 7.  The Beacons are off until next Saturday (4 p.m.) when they travel to Western Connecticut State University for a Little East Conference game.

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