Big 2nd Quarter Lifts Pioneers Past Medaille in AMCC Showcase

The Alfred State lacrosse team scored nine unanswered goals in the 2nd quarter as they defated Medaille 21-8 in the first game of the AMCC Showcase. The Pioneers outshot the Mavericks 69 to 30 in the contest as nine different Pioneers found the back of the net.

Medaille got on the board first after an early Pioneer penalty. Alfred State answered with three straight goals, one each by Nathan Crowley (Irondequoit), Ian Grana (Greece Odyssey), and AJ Soto (Churchville), to grab a 3-1 lead. The Mavericks answered right back with three of their own before Soto scored with 21 seconds left in the quarter to make it 4-4.

The Pioneers dominated the 2nd quarter as they scored nine straight. Branden Dickson (Bath) had a huge quarter as he found the back of the net three times while Dominic Arresta (Southampton) scored twice. Crowley, Grana, Cade Casey (Plattsburgh/Peru), and Teddy Alvarado (Hilton) also scored in the quarter.

Medaille scored the first two goals of the 3rd quarter but the blue & gold answered with the next five goals. Grana found the back of the net twice while Alvarado, Soto, and Dickson scored once as the Pioneers led 18-6 with 9:25 remaining in the contest. Medaille stopped the scoring run but Alfred State continued the pressure with three more goals, one each by Dickson, Kyle Vandewater (Canandaigua), and Nic Covelli (Carmel), to make it 21-7. Shawn Barbalato netted his fifth goal of the game for Medaille with 46 left to cap the scoring.

Grana led the team with eight points on four goals and four assists while Dickson finished with five goals and two assists. Soto had three goals and two assists, Arresta and Alvarado recorded two goals and an assist, and Crowley finished with two goals, 21 groundballs and 26 faceoff victories. Covelli had a goal and an asisst while Casey and Vandewater both netted a goal.

Barbalato scored five goals to lead Medaille while Tyler Fales and Jake Rush each had a goal and three assists.

The Pioneers advance to round two of the showcase on Sunday when they host Franciscan. The Pioneers and Barons will face-off at 2 p.m. The two teams met earlier in the season with the Pioneers pulling out the 14-9 victory.