Milestone goals by sophomores
Ethan Grossman and
Matt Hager highlighted an 11-6 come-from-behind win by the Muhlenberg men's lacrosse team against Drew.
The Mules (5-1) trailed 5-3 at halftime, but Grossman circled from behind the net to bury a left-handed shot just 30 seconds into the second half to cut the gap to one. The goal gave Grossman his 100th career point in just his 24th career game. He is the eighth player in program history to reach the century mark; all-time leading scorer Mickey Norton '08 scored his 100th point in his 45th game and finished with 123.
After a goal by junior
Frankie Feaster tied the score, Hager intercepted a Ranger pass from behind the cage, cleared the ball past midfield and passed off to sophomore
PJ Lombara. Hager
(pictured above) then took a return pass from Lombara and fired the ball into the net for his first career goal with 9:01 left in the third. The Mules' third goal by a longstick this season gave them the lead for good.
Grossman finished with four goals for his 11th career hat trick, ending the game with 103 career points, while Lombara recorded three assists. But it was the work of Hager and his mates on defense in the third quarter that helped turn the tide of the game.
Shots were about even at halftime (15-14 in favor of Muhlenberg), but the Mule defense held the Rangers (0-6) to only two shots in the third period. Drew had more failed clears than shots (3-2) and was outscored 5-0Â in the third.
Fittingly, a defensive middie, sophomore
Alexander Giaquinto, scored a goal to cap a 6-0 run that gave Muhlenberg a 9-5 lead early in the fourth.
The defense made one more stand late in the fourth quarter, killing off a two-minute non-releasable penalty to seal the win.
Hager finished with three caused turnovers to go along with his goal, while freshmen
Kyle Lando and
Jackson Wilken caused a pair of turnovers apiece. Junior
Garrett Pope made six of his 11 saves while allowing only one goal in the second half, and freshman
Maxwell Seeber picked up three ground balls.
Reigning Centennial Conference player of the week
James Dalimonte contributed to the offense with a goal and an assist.
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