Fast Start Leads Pioneers to Victory

The Alfred State lacrosse team scored the first six goals and never looked back in a 17-9 victory over SUNY Delhi on Sunday afternoon. The Pioneers won 67% of the face-offs and held a 66 to 39 shot advantage.

Joe Johnson (Churchville Chili) and Aaron Buck (Churchville Chili) and led the offensive attack. Johnson and Buck both scored three goals in the first quarter as the Pioneers built a 6-0 lead just over ten minutes into the game. 

Anthony Vicairo netted three straight goals and the Broncos scored three of the next four goals to cut the Pioneers lead (Buck scored his 4th in that stretch). Johnson, Ryan Colgan (Warwick), and Patrick Matkoski (West Genesee) answered back to make it 11-4 at the half.

Joshua Aviles (Middletown), Buck, and Johnson scored to start the 3rd quarter to give the Pioneers their biggest lead of the day. Delhi answered with three goals of their own but never would get any closer.

Johnson scored twice while Buck and Nicolas Covelli (Wappinger Falls) scored down the stretch as the Pioneers outscored the Broncos 4-2 in the final 13:36 of the game.

Buck led the Pioneers with ten points (6 goals and 4 assists) while Johnson found the back of the net seven times. Matkoski had a goal and six assists, Joe Wittmeyer (Hamburg) picked up seven ground balls, and Tyler Cook (Corning East) won nine face-offs.

In net, Ryan Amidon (Fayetteville Manlius) made 17 saves to record the victory.

Vicario led Delhi with four goals and an assist while Gavin Schlosser recorded a hat trick. John Russo made 20 saves in net.

The blue & gold wrap up their season opening four-game homestand on Wednesday when they host Houghton College at 4 p.m. at Pioneer Stadium.