WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. -- The Siena Heights men's lacrosse team surrendered a 9-6 lead in the fourth quarter to fall 11-10 to fourth-ranked Cumberlands in overtime on Saturday night. Jake Gallaher (Fenton, Mich.) led the Saints with four goals and an assist in the losing effort.
THE BASICS
Final Score: Cumberland 11, Siena Heights 10 (F/OT)
Location: Williamsburg, Kentucky
Records: Cumberlands (1-0), Siena Heights (0-1)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Patriots got things rolling with a score at the 12:13 mark of the first quarter. The Saints knotted things up with a goal from Garnett Potter off an assist from Ryan Mamo with 10:46 remaining on the clock. Gallaher recorded his first goal off an assist from Eric Csizmadia with 6:39 to give Siena its first lead of the game, 2-1. Danny Kreitzer scored an insurance goal off a dish from Csizmadia with 4:18 left in the first. Csizmadia got a score of his own off an assist from Gallaher and the Saints were looking at 1 4-1 lead as the opening quarter ended.
Cumberland (Ky.) scored goals at the 12:27, 7:59, and 00:03 marks of the second quarter. These goals were the only scores in the period and they forced a 4-4 tie as the teams entered the locker room at half time.
Potter gave the Saints back the lead in the opening minute of the third stanza and Gallaher added a cushion less than three minutes later. The Patriots recorded a score with 7:17 left in the third that cut the Siena lead to 6-5. Gallaher completed his hat trick two minutes later to regain a two-score lead for the Saints. Kreitzer scored his second following another Cumberland goal to give SHU an 8-6 lead as the final quarter of regulation began.
Gallaher scored with 11:50 left in the fourth to give the Saints their largest lead of the game, 9-6. The Patriots stormed back, scoring three-straight goals to tie the game at nine with 5:20 left to play in regulation. Potter finished his hat trick with a goal in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter that gave Siena Heights a 10-9 lead. A goal by Cumberland (Ky.) with 1:48 remaining tied things up and forced overtime.
The Saints had the first opportunity to win the game when a shot from Mamo was saved by Patriot goalie Will Settle in the first minute of the overtime period. Cumberland (Ky.) completed a clear and then called a timeout. After a turnover by each team, Christian Vanover took a shot for the Patriots, but Alexy McCarthy made the save. Dylan Crouch scooped up the groundball for Cumberland and took a shot that passed McCarthy and gave the Patriots the win.
TOP SAINTS
• Gallaher finished with four goals, one assist, two caused turnovers, and a game-high 10 groundballs.
• Potter tallied three goals, four groundballs, and a caused turnover.
• Kreitzer scored twice and scooped a groundball.
• McCarthy (L, 0-1) finished with nine saves in 62:22 of play between the pipes.
THE OPPOSITION
• Holden Lowes was a force on offense with a game-high five goals.
• Thomas Fogarty led the Patriots with two assists.
• Schyler Pennington led the team with seven groundballs.
UP NEXT
The Saints will stay on the road as they travel to Iowa to face Saint Ambrose next Saturday, February 29 at 3:00 p.m., EST.
