Bear Lax Trax Fax by John Nichols

BLTF 031222

D-I

•    The Ivies go two for two in this week’s Bears versus Bears matches.

• Wild ending to Towson’s game with St. Joseph’s

BEARS vs BEARS

HARVARD (Joey Graham) 14

MICHIGAN (Zach Johnson, Graham Hertzberg) 9

Big Blue fell from the ranks of the undefeated as Harvard held Michigan to their lowest offensive output of the season.  Although Michigan out shot the Crimson, Harvard shot far more accurately, putting three of every four shots on goal while Michigan wasted their advantage by getting just 40% of their shots toward the cage.

Michigan took the early lead with the first goal of the game, but Harvard’s run of four straight scores put them up by three early in the second period.  That lead held up over the balance of regulation as mini-runs to two or three Harvard goals were generally me with single scores by Michigan.

Zach saw the field for Michigan in this game

YALE (Jake Cohen) 16

DENVER (Ryan Giles) 13

Another case in which accurate shooting outdoes high volume shooting.  Denver’s shots missed the cage over half the time and of those shots that were on target, over half ended up in the Yale goalie’s crosse.  In contrast, Yale took far fewer shots on the day, but put nearly as many on-goal as Denver.  The Pioneer goalie had a rough day in the cage, saving just a third of the shots that mattered.

In the game’s first quarter, Harvard scored twice for each goal recorded by Denver.  The teams matched score for score in the second period with Yale leading by three at the break.  Yale extended their lead to four early in the third period but Denver put together a run of three straight scores to pull within one midway through the third.  The Eli blunted that charge with their own run of three in a row as the game moved into the final quarter.  Denver was able to pull within two with four minutes left in the game, but a pair of goals by Yale in the game’s closing minutes preserved the win for the Bulldogs.

Both Ryan and Jake played in the game.

OTHER GAMES

BUCKNELL (Drew Wellington) 7

Boston U. 12

The Terriers start each half with scoring runs, 4-1 in the first quarter, 4-0 in the third quarter, while allowing Bucknell to score successive goals just twice. 

Drew had four ground balls and caused a pair of turnovers.

DARTMOUTH (Brendan Gallagher, Brett Gallagher) 8

Vermont 7

Brett has bragging rights over Brendan this year as he was the first of the brothers to seeing playing time for Big Green.  Vermont had the early advantage in this low scoring contest but Dartmouth’s run of four consecutive scores from late in the second period until early in the fourth staked Dartmouth to a three-goal advantage.  Two late goals by the Catamounts cut Dartmouth’s lead to one, but one last shoe for Vermont ended up being one more save for Dartmouth.

JOHNS HOPKINS (Joey Epstein) 10

Syracuse 7

Joey opened and closed the scoring in this match of legendary programs.  In between he assisted on three more scores for the Jays.

A pair of first quarter goals by the Orange gave Syracuse their first lead of the game midway through the first period, however; that turned out to be the last time Syracuse score back-to-back goals.  The Jays managed to pair up scores three time over the balance of regulation, while otherwise trading single score with Syracuse

LOYOLA (Cam James) 12

Duke 10

The Greyhounds’ challenging early season schedule of highly ranked teams left Loyola winless through their first four games.  Loyola appears to have righted the ship with a solid win over Duke.  The game was not as close as the score indicates.  In the first half Loyola wrapped runs of four and six goals around a pair of Blue Devil scores to go up 10-2 at the half.  That lead held up through the third period as the teams each score twice.  Duke last goal of the third period was the first of a seven straight scores which added a measure of excitement to the game’s closing moments.  Tension rose as Duke scored ever more frequently down the home stretch, but a Duke turnover after the final faceoff ended the threatening come back.

Cam played in the game.

MARYLAND (John Geppert, Matt Kopp) 24

Albany 6

The game was not as close as the score indicates.  Maryland went of 11-0 tear in the first period then closed out the second with a run of five straight to take a 18-2 lead at the half.  The Terrapins substituted extensively in the second half and the pace of scoring slowed as Maryland eked out 6-4 advantage over the final two periods. 

John had a pair of goals for the Terrapins, the first being the last of those initial eleven in a row, the second being the first from the run of five that closed out the first half.  Matt also played in the game.

NAVY (JT Thomas) 11

Colgate 10

Colgate scored the game’s first three goals and were able to defend that lead throughout the first half.  The Midshipmen tied the game up early in the third period only to see Colgate run off three straight scores to re-establish their lead.  Navy’s offense then came alive, scoring five straight in the final period, including three man-up goals.  Colgate pulled within one with thirteen seconds left in the game, won the ensuing faceoff but had their attempt to tie the game saved by the Navy goalie.

PENN (Stephen Bou) 8

Villanova 7

Penn scored two in a row, the Villanova scored two in a row to tie, then Penn scored two in a row, then Villanova scored two in a row to tie, then Penn….until Villanova scored three (!) in a row to take their first lead.  Of course, then Penn scored two in a row to win.

PENN STATE (Nate Buller) 15

Cornell 16

Big Red appeared to be cruising early, up 6-0 in the first ten minutes of the game.  Penn State rallied back and took an 8-7 halftime lead on the strength of two four-goal runs.  Cornell started the second half with a small reprise of the first, scoring the first four goals of the second half.  Big Red’s lead extended to four goals in the final period but once again Penn State rallied back, tying the game again midway through the final period.  Another Cornell goal meant that the Lions had to rally to tie things up yet again.  Cornell found the net with less than two minutes left in the match, but this time the Lions did not have a response.

TOWSON (Mo Sillah) 8

St. Joseph’s 11

The Tigers had a rough first half, scoring their lone goal with just thirty seconds left in the half after having surrendered six goals to St. Joe’s.  The second half started with St. Joe’s extending their lead further with two early goals.  Towson then went on a bit of slow run, scoring five of the next six goals and were now trailing by three, 9-6, with a minute to go in regulation. 

Frankly, the ending of this game was so wild you should see it yourself.  The replay is available at NECFRONTROW.COM/GAME/9493.  You will want to start at the 1:50:00 mark to see the final minute.  St. Joe’s scores twice while trying to run the clock out to go up 11-6 with 11.5 seconds left.  But, there’s no face off after that goal—a dead ball penalty on St. Joe’s—and Towson scores with 2.9 seconds left on the clock.  Yet another dead ball penalty on St. Joe’s so, no face off again.  Towson throws the ball from mid-field towards into a very crowded crease and scores again with 0.7 seconds left.  St. Joe’s won the final face off to finish off the wild ending.

D-I USILA POLL

1. Maryland

2. Virginia

3. Cornell

4. Princeton

5. Georgetown

6. Penn

7. Ohio State

8. Rutgers

9. North Carolina

10. Army                                                                                    

11. Yale

12. Duke

13. Brown

14. Boston U.

15. Notre Dame

16. Jacksonville

17. Michigan

18. Johns Hopkins

19. Harvard

20. Delaware

THIS COMING WEEK

This week’s Bears versus Bears match feature the historic match between Johns Hopkins (Joey Epstein) and Navy (JT Thomas) while Loyola (Cam James) and Bucknell (Drew Wellington) meet in a Patriot League tilt.

D-III

BEARS vs BEARS

TUFTS (Garrett Kurtz) 18

AMHERST (Nicholas Kopp) 14

Not just a Bears vs. Bears game but a match of gargantuans: the Tufts Jumbos versus the Amherst Mammoths.

Tufts’ five goal run in the first period put some distance between themselves and the Mammoths of Amherst in this early match up of top NESCAC teams.  Amherst survived that onslaught and fought to a draw in the second period.  As the game moved in to the final quarter Amherst pulled within two of Tufts and on the strength of back-to-back goals midway through the fourth, Tufts’ lead was trimmed to a single goal.  The Jumbos squelched Amherst’s hope by closing out the game with three straight scores.

Nicholas had a big game taking 33 of the 35 faceoffs for Amherst and winning 19.  He also gathered in nine ground balls and forced a turnover.

OTHER GAMES

COLBY (Miles Tonkel) 21

Maine Maritime 5

The Mules kicked Maine Maritime hard, scoring seventeen straight goals before Maine Maritime got their first, five minutes into the third quarter.  Maine Maritime backed that up with another score, then the teams traded goals across the balance of the contest.

COLORADO COLLEGE (Max Becker) 14

Swarthmore 10

The Tigers picked up their first win of the season.  Swarthmore opened the game with a pair of scores then Colorado College went on a tear, scoring six in a row to go up 6-2 at the first break.  Three straight scores from Swarthmore gave the Garnet pull within one late in the second period.  Colorado College closed out the first half scoring then netted four in a row to start the second half to take a 12-6.  Another run of three from Swarthmore cut that lead in half, but the Tigers answered back with successive scores to maintain their advantage.

GETTYSBURG (Billy Banfield) 17

Ohio Northern 6

The Bullets shot out to an early lead with a run of five straight scores and two runs of four straight in the first half, taking a 13-3 lead into the break for halftime.  The pace of play slowed in the second half and scoring evened out.

SALISBURY (Jace Menendez) 24

Ohio Northern 2

The Gulls raced out to a 20-0 lead before Ohio Northern got on the board.  By then, there were just ten minutes left in the game.

Jace played in this game.

SALISBURY (Jace Menendez) 13

York 10

After York took and early 2-0 lead, Salisbury scored eight straight goals across the first and second quarters.  York trimmed the Gulls’ lead with a run of three, but Salisbury responded with three of their own to stay up by six.  York trimmed Salisbury’s advantage to two with a four-goal run, the last coming with three minutes left in the game.  A goal by the Gulls with just over a minute remaining closed out the scoring for the day.

TUFTS (Garrett Kurtz) 28

Springfield 16

By the numbers:

108 shots, 75 shots on goal, 44 goals, 45 faceoffs, 76 ground balls, longest time between goals 4:46, shortest time between goals 0:06.  Attendance: 350, no reports of how many cases of whiplash in the stands.

Garrett scored a goal and took two shots for the Jumbos.

WASHINGTON & LEE (Will Bou) 12

Baldwin-Wallace 5

The Generals dominated play early, taking a 6-0 lead before Baldwin-Wallace got their first score.  The game evened out a bit in the second half, each team scoring four goals.

Will took the almost all of the second half faceoffs for the Generals, winning five of eight while getting to four ground balls.

WASHINGTON & LEE (Will Bou) 14

Hampden-Sydney 8

Washington and Lee used a four-goal run to open up a midway though the second period and added another run of four in the third quarter to win their first ODAC game of the season.  The Generals’ defense did not allow Hampden-Sydney to score successive goals until the fourth quarter

D-III USILA POLL

1. Salisbury

2. RIT

3. Tufts

4. Christopher Newport

5. York

6. Saint John Fisher

7. Lynchburg

8. Franklin & Marshall

9. Wesleyan

10. Gettysburg

11. Dickinson

12. Union

13. Cabrini

14. Williams

15. Saint Lawrence

16. Stevenson

17. Amherst

18. Denison

19. Rensselaer Poly

20. Ursinus

THIS COMING WEEK

Gettysburg has a pair of Bears versus Bears matches this week—Washington and Lee (Will Bou) on Tuesday and Amherst (Nicholas Kopp) on Saturday—and Salisbury (Jace Menendez) plays Colorado College (Max Becker).