OWINGS MILLS, Md. - The #11-ranked Dickinson men's lacrosse team shocked the #2-ranked and unbeaten Rochester Institute of Technology, outlasting the Tigers, 10-9, in overtime. RIT is the highest-ranked team the Red Devils have beaten in program history, topping #3-ranked Roanoke College in 2010.
The Red Devils won the opening face-off and had a strong start but two big saves from Nick Nesbitt kept the game level. Junior goaltender Andrew Jones (Odenton, Md./Arundel) came up with a big stop early and the Devils had a four-minute possession.
Nesbitt made a save and the Tigers quickly struck on the other end to put RIT on the board.
Sophomore Brodie Phillips (Charlottesville, Va./St. Anne's Belfield) caused a turnover and answered with a heads-up play, scoring from beyond midfield on a 10-man ride by RIT, that left the cage untended.
Jones turned away another strong shot but RIT found the net on the rebound to take a 2-1 lead. Tyler Llewellyn (Cockeysville, Md./Loyola Blakefield) countered with a brilliant behind the back shot to tie the game, scoring off a great feed from Tucker Carney (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven).
The Tigers did capitalize with a turnover on their ride at the end of the first, as Beau Riley scored off an assist from Ben Tackett to put RIT up, 3-2, with under two minutes remaining in the quarter.
First-year Nick Goles (Monkton, Md./Loyola Blakefield) made a great dodge and found the back of the net with the equalizer. The Devils won the face-off worked the clock for a final shot, but Nesbitt made the stop to end the period, 3-3.
RIT took advantage of a penalty as Kyle Killan tallied with an assist from Baden Wallace. Killan scored again, just two minutes later to give the Tigers a 5-3 lead with just under 12 minutes to play in the half.
Dave Shuster turned the corner and bounced a shot past Jones to stretch the margin to 6-3 at the 9:58 mark. Dylan Maher (Ridgefield, Conn./Ridgefield) powered his way to an open look, ripping the twine to break up the run with eight minutes to go.
Maher struck again, painting the corner as time ran out on an extra-man opportunity to cut the lead to one.
The teams traded turnovers with Nate Usich (Avon, Conn./Avon Old Farms) coming away with the ball and first-year Steve Ganelin (Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad) tied the game with the first collegiate goal of his career, making a strong move at the five-minute mark.
The score held as teams went into halftime tied 6-6. The third quarter saw a scoring drought as both defenses were solid against a pair of patient offensive sets.
RIT tallied for the first time since the 9:58 mark of the second quarter to go back in front, 7-6, with six minutes remaining in the third.
Jones made a huge save and a great clear with the Devils drawing an extra-man from a trip on the fast-break. Carney made it count, scoring off an assist from Alex Hosker (Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman) to tie the game late in the third.
Riley beat the clock at the end of the period, slipping a shot in the net to put RIT up, 8-7, with just 1.9 remaining.
The Red Devils took advantage of a scramble as Brodie Phillips fed John Lockwood (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Brother Rice) in front of the cage to knot the game once again, 8-8.
After the goaltenders traded big saves, the Tigers struck again to lead with a goal from J.D. Hall. Maher pulled the Devils even again with his third of the game, scoring with 4:12 remaining in regulation.
Jones made two huge saves, the second with just 30 seconds on the clock to keep the game even. The Red Devils held, forcing overtime.
Austin Hurdle (Cockeysville, Md./Loyola Blakefield) won the critical opening face-off and claimed the ground ball to start the extra period. The Red Devils came out of a timeout and went right to their leading scorer.
Maher drove the middle and split the pipes over two defenders to hand the Tigers their first loss of the season as the Red Devils shock the #2-ranked team in the nation.
Maher tallied four goals on the day while Carney tallied three points on a goal and two assists. Usich controlled five ground balls and caused a pair of turnovers while Phillips collected three GBs.
Jones was brilliant in the cage, making 10 saves and picking up four ground balls. Sophomore Jack Doran (Ardmore, Pa./Haverford School) collected three GBs, joining Andy Grabis (Chestertown, Md./St. Andrew's) and Patrick Finneran (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) in a standout defensive effort.
The Red Devils held RIT's two leading scorers without a goal as they fall to 5-1 on the season. Nesbitt finished with nine saves for the Tigers.
The Red Devils improve to 5-1 on the season. They return home to open Centennial Conference play next Saturday, hosting Washington College at 3:00 pm.
Postgame Interview with Head Coach Dave Webster | Video