BOSTON, Mass. – Senior Ryan Coakley (Flemington, N.J.) scored a game-high five points, coming on four goals and an assist while junior Tim Parlato (Needham, Mass.) became the program's all-time ground ball leader, as the Wentworth Institute of Technology men's lacrosse team defeated Nichols, 12-10, in Commonwealth Coast Conference action Wednesday night at Sweeney Field.
Snapping a two-game losing streak the Leopards improve to 7-4 overall and 3-2 in CCC play while the Bison fall to 4-7 (0-5).
The first quarter was truly back-and-forth, with each side alternating goals. Sophomore Tyer Sikich (Hermosa Beach, Calif.) scored first for Nichols. Junior Alec Paradis (Pelham, N.H.) responded shortly after to make it 1-1. Freshman John Zaremski (Dorchester, Mass.) made it 2-1 Bison, then senior Michael Cushera (Waltham, Mass.) tied it at two with just under six minutes left. Freshman MacKenzie Martin (Merrimack, N.H.) put Nichols ahead with a goal coming 1:07 later, however Coakley would even the score at 3-all with 35 seconds remaining.
Cushera gave the Leopards its first lead of the night with a goal less than a minute into the second. The second quarter was a defensive showing, as neither side scored until the final two minutes. Sikich tied the game 4-4 with a goal at 1:49, but Paradis put the Black and Gold back on top 28 seconds later. Junior Nick Parent (Windham, N.H.) scored coming out of a timeout with 53 seconds remaining to make it 6-4 at the break.
Senior Corey Davis (Wakefield, Mass.) scored the first goal of the second half with a man up, and then Sikich scored once again to tie the game at 6-all with 9:48 left in the third. Freshman Kevin Butler (Jefferson, Mass.) joined in on the scoring to put the Leopards back up 7-6 just over a minute later. Sophomore Dylan Baer (Webster, N.H.) tied things up again, but Cushera and Coakley each scored afterwards to give Wentworth the 9-7 lead going into the fourth.
Just like he did in the third, Davis started the fourth with a goal to bring Nichols within one. Coakley scored shortly after to make it 10-8, but Martin's back-to-back goals tied the game at 10-all with 6:34 left. With a little over 5:18 to go, Coakley scored his fourth goal of the game and the eventual game-winner while Parent added an insurance marker with 47 seconds left to give the Leopards the 12-10 victory.
In addition to Coakley's five points, Cushera tallied three goals, Paradis had two goals and an assist, and Parent had a pair of tallies. With his four ground balls, Parlato has 253 career ground balls which eclipses the previous mark of 249 set by Jeff Ryan '10. Paradis would finish with a team-high six ground balls, while sophomore Ty Trebbe (Wilbraham, Mass.) won 15-of-25 at the X and scooped up five ground balls.
For Nichols, Sikich and Martin had three goals apiece, Davis had two goals and an assist, and junior Brian Hancock (Groton, Mass.) tallied a game-high three assists. Senior Michael Bane (North Grafton, Mass.) scooped up six ground balls while classmate Sean Coates (Grafton, Mass.) had five ground balls and three caused turnovers.
Freshman Adam Dufault (Lexington, Mass.) made 13 saves to pick up the win while freshman James Keane (Franklin, Mass.) made 11 saves in the loss for the Bison. Nichols had a 40-32 shot advantage and a 45-43 edge in ground balls.
Both teams continue CCC play on Saturday as Wentworth is at Roger Williams and Nichols is at Endicott.
