Pioneers Can't Overcome Slow Start in Season Finale

The Alfred State lacrosse team fell behind early and couldn't fully recover as they fell 12-9 in their 2019 season finale. The Pioneers wrap up the slate with a 5-8 overall record.

The Pioneers struck first with a fast break unassisted goal by AJ Soto (Churchville). Daniel Flynn tied it up just over a minute later and Ryan Spath scored his first of three goals with 7:10 left to give the Hawks a lead they would never give up. Marc O'Neill and Liam Doyle scored to give Hilbert a 4-1 lead after 15 minutes.

The Pioneers opened the scoring in the 2nd when Soto scored after getting a pass from Nick Griffin (Penn Yan). Hilbert answered with the next four goals. Doyle scored with 7:26 left and then James Duffy, Flynn, and Spath all scored with the man advantage to send the Hawks into halftime with a 8-2 lead.

As the rain started to come down harder, the Pioneers started to click on both sides of the ball. Griffin scored just 12 seconds into the quarter after getting a pass form Nic Covelli (Carmel). Tucker Sutphen (Brockport) scored 1:04 into the half unanssisted to make it 8-4. In the middle of the quarter the teams traded goals back and forth. O'Neill, Spath, and Duffy scored for Hilbert while Crowley and Soto (twice) scored for Alfred. Joe Johnson (Churchville) netted his first goal of the contest and cut the lead to 11-8 as the contest headed into the final 15 minutes.

The Pioneers had three extra man opportunities after cutting the lead to three but couldn't get anything past Hawk goalie Elijah Ryan. They finally were able to cut the lead to two, 11-9, with 6:23 left when Soto netted his 5th goal of the game when he found the inside corner of the net. Two Alfred State penalties slowed down the comeback attempt and Drew Werner iced the game with a goal with 2:21 left.

Soto had five goals to lead the Pioneers while Johnson and Griffin both finished with a goal and an assist. Crowley and Jermaine Dyer (Elmont) both picked up seven groud balls to lead the team. Matt Cobb (Churchville) made 11 saves, six in the 2nd quarter, in net.

Spath had a hat trick for Hilbert (5-6) while O'Neill finished with a pair of goals and a pair of assists. Ryan finished with 19 saves including 11 in the 2nd half as the Pioneers were trying to make a comeback.

Prior to the game the Pioneers recognized five players, Johnson, Covelli, Crowley Noah Teator (Grand Island), and Cade Casey (Peru), that will graduate in three weeks.