Balanced Attack Leads Pioneers Past Franciscan

Seven different Pioneers scored as the Alfred State lacrosse team defeated Franciscan 14-9 to improve to 3-0 in AMCC play on Saturday afternoon. 

Cole Reuben (Basom/Akron) got the scoring started 36 seconds into the game to give the Pioneers the early lead. Teddy Alvarado (Hilton) made it 2-0 after getting a pass from Reuben 1:39 into the contest. TM Thomas got the Barons on the board with a goal as the teams started to trade scores. Joe Johnson (Churcvhille) traded goals back and forth for the next four minutes. McCartney's third goal of the quarter tied it up with 3:31 left in the 1st but Alvarado gave the Pioneers a 5-4 lead after the 1st quarter with a late goal (42 seconds remaining) after getting a pass from Ian Grana (Greece Odyssey).

The Pioneers pushed the lead out in the 2nd quarter with four unanswered goals. Grana, Johnson, AJ Soto (Churchville), and Cade Casey (Plattsburgh/Peru) found the back of the net to make it 9-4. William Muraski made it 9-5 and started a three-goal run with a tally with 2:45 remaining in the half.

Franciscan scored two quick goals, one by Jonas McCaig and one by Mike Rosaschi, in the 3rd quarter to cut the lead to 9-7 but were unable to get any closer. Eric Passeck (Thomaston, CT) scored three straight for the Pioneers in under a three minute span to make it 12-7 Alfred State. Reuben and Alvarado scored in the final 35 seconds of the 3rd to push the Pioneers lead to 14-7.

McCartney scored the only two goals of the 4th quarter but the Barons were unable to get any closer.

Alvarado, Johnson, and Passeck all recorded hat tricks for Alfred State (4-5, 3-0 AMCC) while Reuben finished with two goals and two assists. Grana chipped in a goal and two assists. Nathan Crowley (Irondequoit) won 19 of 26 face-offs and led the team with 12 groundballs. Matt Cobb (Churcvhille) made 17 saves to earn the victory in the net.

McCartney finished with five goals and an assist for Franciscan (3-7, 1-1 AMCC) while Grant McKeown made 19 saves in net.

The Pioneers held a 45 to 43 shot advantage in the contest (33 to 26 shots on goal).

The blue & gold conclude their homestand on Wednesday when they host Hiram at 7 p.m.