Pioneers Fall in Tight Contest

Pioneers Fall in Tight Contest

Alfred State and CCBC (MD) Catonsville battled back and forth in a highly competitive contest on Friday afternoon.  The Cardinals outscored the Pioneers 4 to 2 in the 3rd quarter which proved to be the difference in a 11-9 contest.

The Pioneers jumped out to a 3-0 lead just over five minutes into the contest on goals by Bradley Murdoch (Auburn), Keegan Phalen (East Aurora), and JJ Elie (Orchard Park).  CCBC answered back with two before defensemen Jonathan Prendergast (Freeport) went coast to coast to make it 4-2.  Derek Taylor scored twice in the final minute of the 1st quarter to knot it up 4-4 after one quarter.

The Cardinals took their first lead of the game 15 seconds into the 2nd quarter with their lone goal of the frame.  Alfred sent the game into half tied at 5-5 behind a goal by Nate Spoor (Penn Yan) with 1:24 left (Phalen picked up the assist).

Doug Brown found the back of the net with 13:15 remaining in the 3rd to give the Cardinals back the lead but Phalen tied it up six minutes later with his second of the day (Murdoch with the assist).

Taylor scored the games next two goals for the Cardinals to give them a lead they would never give up the rest of the way.  Brandon Griffin (Corning East) cut it to 8-7 with 1:38 left in the quarter but David Nesbit upped the lead back to 9-7 in the final minute.

Phalen completed the hat trick just 32 seconds into the 4th quarter to move the Pioneers within one once again but Brown scored on the man-up two and half minutes later.  Frank Martin (Whitney Point) made it 10-9 with 6:47 remaining but Greg Abendschoen scored with two minutes later for CCBC.

The Pioneers looked to have cut the lead back down to one in the final minute but their score was waived off due to an offsides call.  CCBC controlled the ball the rest of the way and held on for the victory.

Phalen finished with three goals and an assist for Alfred while Murdoch and Martin both had a goal and an assist. 

Taylor finished with four goals and three assists to lead the Cardinals while Brown had three goals and a helper.

Mike Alessi (Liverpool) made 21 saves in net for the Pioneers while the combination of Patrick Payne and Michael Jordan combined for 20 saves for the Cardinals.

The blue & gold (2-6) return to action on Wednesday when they host Broome CC at 7 p.m.