Strong Middle Quarters Lifts Pioneers to AMCC Showcase Championship Game
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Franciscan (7-8) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
|
Alfred St. (8-9) | 3 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 16 |
The Alfred State lacrosse team outscored Franciscan 11-0 in the 2nd and 3rd quarter as they defeated the Barons 16-5 in the AMCC Showcase Semifinals. The Pioneers have now won seven of their last eight games.
The 1st quarter ended with the game knotted at 3-3. The Pioneers got the offense going in the 2nd quarter as five different players scored in the first four minutes. Ian Grana (Greece Odyssey), Teddy Alvarado (Hilton), Joe Johnson (Churchville), AJ Soto (Churchville), and Dominic Arresta (Southampton) scored to give the blue & gold a 8-3 lead. Alvarado and Johnson found the back of the net again to send the Pioneers into halftime with a 10-3 lead.
The Pioneers kept the pressure on in the 3rd with a pair of goals by Alvarado and sgoals by Soto and Johnson to push the lead to 14-3. Quintin Himko (Johnson City) and Arresta scored in the 4th to make it 16-3 before Franciscan scored two goals in the final 3:10.
Johnson, Grana and Alvarado scored in the 1st for the Pioneers while Mike Rossachi, Paul Modzelewski and Andrew Thibault scored for the Barons. Franciscan led 3-2 at a point in the quarter.
Alvarado led the way with a 10 points game with five goals and five assists. Johnson finished with four goals and two assists, Soto and Arresta both had two goals and two assists, and Grana chipped in two goals and an assist.
Tanner Morrow (Grand Island) was dominant in the face-off circle. He was 23 of 25 and picked up 21 ground balls. Ryan Amidon (Fayetteville Manlius) made 11 saves in net to earn the victory.
Modzelewski led Franciscan (7-8) with three goals and two assists while Matt Marrenna made 14 saves.
The Pioneers outshot the Barons 46 to 26 in the contest and picked up 40 (61 to 21) ground balls. The blue & gold were 1 of 2 with the extra man and held Franciscan without a goal in their six attempts.
The Pioneers will play the #1 Hilbert Sunday afternoon. The game is slated for a 2 p.m. start at St. Francis High School in Buffalo. Hilbert defeated Medaille 27-1 in the other semifinal contest.
