NEWPORT, R.I. – The Salve Regina University men's lacrosse team scored just six seconds into overtime to come away with an 11-10 victory over visiting Wheaton College (Mass.) this afternoon in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference play at Gaudet Field in Newport, R.I.
The Lyons slip to 6-5 overall and 1-3 in league play, while the Seahawks have won eight of their last nine and improve to 11-2 and 4-0.
Salve Regina dominated the shots with a healthy 52-31 margin, while committing just eight turnovers.
There were six lead changes in the contest and no team led by more than two goals at any time.
Junior attacker Emmett Edwards (Sunderland, Vt.) led Wheaton with three goals to go with a pair of ground balls, while sophomore attacker Evan Paturzo (Bellingham, Mass.), junior attackman Charlie Goodrich (Fairfield, Conn.) and senior midfielder Mike McLaughlin (Stoughton, Mass.) each netted a pair of goals and added an assist. Sophomore attackman Theo Stamatel (Plainville, Mass.) contributed with four assists, four ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers. Senior goalie Connor Almstrom (Cumberland, R.I.) was outstanding between the pipes, stopping 19 shots for the day.
First year midfielder Heath Sumwalt (East Quogue, N.Y.) netted three goals, including the game-winner, and added a pair of assists for the Seahawks. Junior midfielder Chris Koltzan (East Quogue, N.Y.) scored three times to go with an assist and a ground ball, while senior Mason Barbone (Windham, N.H.) scored twice. Senior defender Jack Naglieri (Westhampton Beach, N.Y.) chipped in with seven ground balls and three caused turnovers, while senior faceoff specialist Justin Haverly (Clifton Park, N.Y.) won 11 of 16 draws and picked up a game-high eight ground balls. Sophomore keeper Andrew Hazard (Glastonbury, Conn.) made 18 saves for Salve Regina.
Haverly won the opening faceoff in overtime, dumped the ball to Sumwalt, who wasted no time rushing into Wheaton's defense zone, where he fired a low shot from close range on the right side of the net to deliver victory for the Seahawks.
Sumwalt scored the first two markers of the game for the home team within a span of 51 seconds, including the first goal coming just 16 ticks into the contest. The 2-0 margin represented the largest lead of the afternoon for either squad. The Lyons roared back with three unanswered goals, including two from McLaughlin and a score from Edwards to give Wheaton the lead with 8:39 left in the opening quarter.
Graduate student attackman Liam Cooney Portsmouth, R.I.) and Paturzo traded goals before the end of the quarter to leave Wheaton with a one-goal edge heading into the second quarter.
Salve Regina tallied three of the four goals in the second period, including a score from Koltzan to give the home team a 6-5 lead prior to the intermission.
Senior midfielder Charlie Racine (Oradell, N.J.) tallied a man-up goal and Goodrich scored with four minutes left in the third quarter to give the Lyons a 7-6 margin. Koltzan ended a scoring drought of 14:33 and Barbone found the back of the net with 51 seconds left in the quarter to reclaim the lead for the Seahawks at 8-7. Edwards ripped a goal for Wheaton to even the match at 8-8 with 25 ticks showing on the third quarter clock.
Junior attacker Daniel Naglieri (Westhampton Beach, N.Y.) scored with 13:27 to play in regulation put Salve Regina back on top, but Goodrich and Edwards scored within 18 seconds of each other to give the Lyons their last lead at 10-9 with 9:40 remaining in the fourth quarter. Sumwalt found Barbone for the final goal of regulation at the 3:32 mark to pull the Seahawks even and effectively send the game into overtime.
Wheaton returns to action on Saturday, April 12 when it hosts NEWMAC rival Clark University on Nordin Field at 4:00 p.m., while Salve Regina travels to Babson Park, Mass. to play Babson College on the same day at 1:00 p.m.
