MANCHESTER, N.H. – Junior goalkeeper James O'Neill (East Walpole, Mass.) recorded a career-high 21 saves and senior midfielder James Peters (Medway, Mass.) netted the game-winning goal in the second overtime as the Saint Anselm College men's lacrosse team knocked off crosstown rival Southern New Hampshire University Wednesday night at Larkin Field, 12-11.
Due to unplayable field conditions at Grappone Stadium, the Queen City rivalry game was moved to SNHU's Larkin Field. The win was the first for the Hawks this season, who improve to 1-5 overall and 1-3 in Northeast-10 Conference play. Southern New Hampshire falls to 1-8 overall and 1-4 in league action.
Peters' pair of tallies came as bookends as he opened the scoring just 56 seconds into the game with an unassisted tally. Junior Ben Warren (Georgetown, Mass.) scored two goals in the first period alone and added two assists for a four-point day, and senior Charles Geraghty (Norwich, Vt.) tallied an assist and a goal to put the Hawks up 3-0 early in the opening session.
Southern New Hampshire would respond with a quick tally by Keifer Heckman, but senior Andy Budz (Williamstown, Mass.) and Warren notched goals in the final 2:14 to surge to a 5-1 lead at the first intermission.
The Penmen chipped away throughout the second period, remaining within striking distance at the half facing a 9-5 deficit. Saint Anselm continued to find a response throughout the second session, as the teams alternated four goals apiece through in the second quarter alone. Senior Geoff Kennedy (Gloucester, Mass.), junior Jake Stokes (Beverly, Mass.), and sophomores Alex Pacitti (Foxboro, Mass.) and James Olsen (Westford, Vt.) all etched their names into the scorebook with a goal. Kennedy's Peters-assisted tally came just 54 seconds into the period as the Hawks enjoyed its biggest lead of the season at 6-1.
Saint Anselm's four-goal halftime advantage was quickly erased as the "visiting" Penmen roared back with four straight goals to open the third period. Phil LaTorre's goal at the 6:55 mark tied the game at 9-9 as Southern New Hampshire netted two goals on three man-up opportunities over the second and third periods alone. Finally, Stokes rocketed an unassisted at the 4:31 mark to reclaim a lead that the Hawks would hang onto into the third intermission.
Hawks sophomore Chris McCormack (Ipswich, Mass.) won the opening faceoff to start the fourth quarter, leading directly to a Stokes-to-Olsen goal just 18 seconds into the period to make it 11-9 Saint Anselm. McCormack finished the day 17-of-27 at the faceoff "x", his best showing of the season.
The Penmen responded with a quick Cory Allen goal to again pull to within one early in the fourth. The teams ratcheted up their defenses as the intensity heightened, combining for 14 turnovers over the final 14 minutes of the game, before Allen snuck another snipe past O'Neill to lock the game at 11 apiece and send it into overtime.
Saint Anselm dominated the opening overtime session, outshooting the Penmen 5-1. Peters nearly ended the game at the 3:00 mark of the first overtime, collecting a bouncing ball that was misplayed 20 yards in front of an open goal but his shot sailed high. SNHU's prolific scorer Cameron Joyce also had a great look, but O'Neill shut him out with just over one minute left in the overtime to preserve an 11-11 tie.
McCormack knocked the first faceoff of the second overtime to Kennedy, but the ball was promptly turned over. After SNHU paused for a timeout, a LaTorre shot missed wide before an errant pass by Joyce sailed out of bounds and handed the ball back to the Hawks. A Warren crack bounced wide before the Peters launch from the right side ruffled the netting as the Saint Anselm sideline erupted.
O'Neill's career day included recording seven saves over the fourth quarter and overtime periods alone. Saint Anselm also won the groundball game, owning a 40-28 advantage.
Wednesday's men's lacrosse victory also cut into an eight-point deficit held by Southern New Hampshire in the Queen City Cup race. The Penmen, who lead 16-10 after Wednesday, need just one point to clinch the cup outright this season, barring any playoff bonus-point matchups.
Saint Anselm will return to action Saturday with a tough road test at league-leading Le Moyne. The Dolphins (8-1, 6-0 NE-10), who were ranked No. 3 in the latest U.S. Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Coaches Poll, will host the Hawks at noon at Ted Grand Field in Syracuse.
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