Box Score Bangor, ME – The Husson men's lacrosse team picked up the win 12-3 over the Beavers of University of Maine-Farmington today on a chilly rain-soaked afternoon at Husson's Boucher field. Ben Landry (Lewiston, ME) led the Eagles in scoring, netting four goals assisting on a couple more for 6 points on the day.
Alex Ryan (Northfield, NH), Ethan Pratt (Biddeford, ME) and Tony Diaz (Brunswick, ME) each had a pair of scores to help secure the victory, with Diaz adding to his point total with an assist. Ryan also did well in the faceoff dot, winning all 4 draws he took on the day. Matt Sweeney (Norwood, MA) and Chris Lloyd (Oxford, ME) each had six ground balls to help Husson to a 55-28 advantage in that column. UMF goalie Ben Altmaier (Farmington, ME) had a fine day between the pipes despite the loss, picking up 23 saves on the day. Mike Foley (Byfield, MA) had a game high 16 ground balls and forced 5 turnovers while also scoring two of the three Beaver goals with his long stick.
Both teams went scoreless in the first quarter, feeling each other out while battling a cold rain to start the contest. The Eagles opened up the scoring 6 minutes into the second period (21 minutes into the game) when Landry found a spot in the net for the game's first tally. Ryan followed up with a goal of his own at 7:31, when Matt Sweeney (Norwood, MA) found him at the tail end of a man-up opportunity. The Beavers answered back to score 18 seconds later when Tennessee Peters (Scarborough, ME) scooped up the ground ball off the faceoff and scored, cutting the Eagle lead to one. Husson would go on to out-score UMF 7-1 in the second frame, netting 5 unanswered goals before the half. The first two of the offensive spurt came from Landry, giving him a hat trick in the second quarter alone. Ryan scored his second of the half just inside of 5 minutes to put Husson up 5-1. Diaz scored at 2:59, and Ben Potter (Chula Vista, CA) scored the final Eagle goal of the half with 1:12 to play off a nice assist from Landry.
Farmington came out of the break with some momentum, when Foley picked up a ground ball off the draw and scored just 8 seconds into the half. Husson responded about three minutes later when Diaz found the back of the net again, and once more it was Landry with the dime. Landry would get his final point of the game with 9:22 left in the 3rd quarter, scoring his fourth goal of the game to put Husson up 9-2. Foley scored again for the Beavers, with 1:33 to play in the third, but Pratt netted his first of the day with just 19 seconds left in the period to extend the Eagle lead back to seven going into the final frame.
Husson ran the offense, working the ball around a few times each possession, but Altmaier's stellar play in net kept the Eagles off the board for most of the fourth quarter. Pratt finally found a hole with 4:12 left to play, scoring his second of the day to push the Husson lead to eight. Dillon Shaw (Augusta, ME) scored the final tally with just 30 seconds remaining, and it would go final, 12-3 in favor of the Eagles.
Coach Murphy had this to say after the game, "UMF is an up and coming team who showed a lot of class out there today and we're expecting some good games with them in the future. We're very excited for the home games this weekend." Husson plays again on Saturday and Sunday; both of this weekend's games were originally scheduled to be played away, but due to unplayable field conditions at Lyndon and Johnson State, the Eagles have earned another pair of home games. A start time has not yet been set for either contest. UMF take to the field again, traveling to Green Mountain on Saturday for a 1:00 pm start.
