Pioneers Down Cazenovia for First Victory

The Alfred State lacrosse team led throughout as they defeated Cazenovia 8-7 in a tight road contest on Tuesday afternoon. The victory was the first of the 2018 campaign for the Pioneers.

Joe Johnson (Churchville Chili) got the Pioneers on the board just 45 seconds in the game but Cazenovia scored the only other goal with 5:06 remaining in the quarter to tie it up. AJ Soto (Churchville Chili) scored the lone goal of the 2nd quarter after getting a pass from Landon Drumm (Tully) with 11:02 remaining.

Five minutes into the 3rd quarter the Wildcats tied up the game but the Pioneers got a pair of goals from Teddy Alvarado (Hilton) to take the lead for good. His first goal came with an extra man with 3:53 remaining and he scored with 53 seconds left after getting a pass from Ian Grana (Greece Odyssey).

The offense picked up in the 4th quarter which featured nine goals. Cazenovia and Alfred State traded goals in the early moments of the quarter. Joe Timm registered his second of three goals on the day with 13:49 remaining but Chris Williams (Watertown/South Jefferson) answered just 23 seconds later. Soto made it 6-3 with 11:41 remaining with his second goal of the night. A pair of goals with just over eight minutes left in the game drew the Wildcats to 6-5 but Eric Passeck (Thomaston, CT) netted a pair of goals to put the Pioneers back up by three. 

Timm scored with 5:49 remaining and Shea Ames scored 47 seconds later to make it 8-7 but the Pioneers held Cazenovia off the board the rest of the way. Matt Cobb (Churchville Chili) made three critical saves to seal the victory.

Alvarado, Passeck, and Soto all finished with two goals while Johnson and Williams scored once. Nathan Crowley (West Irondeqouit) was 10 for 18 in the faceoff circle and led the team with seven ground balls. Cobb registered his first collegiate victory in goal by making 22 saves.

Timm led the Wildcats (0-1) with three goals and two assists while Ames had two goals and an assist. Logan Blount made 22 saves for Cazenovia.

The blue & gold are back in action on Monday when they travel to Farmingdale for a 3 p.m. contest with the Rams.