BOSTON, Mass. – Sophomore Jack Dillon (Barrington, R.I.) intercepted a pass and scored the game-winning goal in transition with 1:54 left in overtime to lift the University of Massachusetts Boston men's lacrosse team to a 10-9 win over Wentworth Institute of Technology in non-conference action on Sweeney Field.
The Beacons, who went five overtimes in a 12-11 win at Rivier on Saturday, improve to 2-0 on the season while the Leopards drop their season opener.
Senior Alec Paradis (Pelham, N.H.) had three of his team's four first-quarter goals as the Leopards took a 4-2 lead after one. Paradis scored a pair of unassisted markers 1:37 apart before UMass Boston senior Nick Weiss (Westfield, Mass.) got the visitors on the board off a feed from senior Calvin Lee (Hopkinton, Mass.) with 10:35 left. Freshman Jack Zaylor (Hanover, Mass.) set up set up Paradis for his third of the frame with 8:30 left and Zaylor scored a man-up goal from junior Ryan Natusch (Madison, Conn.) with 4:19 left to make it 4-1.
Sophomore Matthew Duggan (Weymouth, Mass.) pulled the Beacons within a pair with his goal with 6:02 left in the second quarter. Zaylor tallied twice in a span of 1:19 to make it a 6-2 game before Lee set up sophomore Jim Ganem (Medfield, Mass.) with 1:52 left and scored 27 seconds later from senior Michael Durocher (Marion, Mass.) to make it 6-4 at the half.
Lee set up sophomore Joseph Batista (Canton, Mass.) to make it a 6-5 game with 6:07 left in the third. Paradis set up Natusch two and a half minutes later on a man-up situation to make it a two-goal game, however freshman Michael Lund (Cohasset, Mass.) scored with six seconds left in the third to make it 7-6 and sophomore Conor Smith (Kingston, Mass.) tied the game at 7-all with 11:36 remaining.
Junior Mike Coakley (Flemington, N.J.) scored a man-up goal at 10:10, whihc was followed by Natusch's second of the game at 9:35 to put the hosts ahead 9-7, however Lee tallied twice in a span of 1:39 – including netting the game-tying goal with 47 seconds left – to send the game to overtime.
In overtime Wentworth won the opening faceoff, however Zaylor's shot was saved by senior Craig Frehill (Norwell, Mass.). On UMass Boston's ensuing possession, out of a time out, Batista was denied by sophomore Adam Dufault (Lexington, Mass.) and off the rebound Smith put a shot wide left. Wentworth gained possession and called a time out after a successful clear. A pass in front was picked off by Dillon who sprinted down the field and beat Dufault for the win.
Lee finished with six points coming on three goals and three assists to pace the Beacons while also scooping up five ground balls. Smith had a team-high seven ground balls and Dillon and Durocher caused three turnovers apiece.
Paradis finished with three goals and three assists while Natusch and Zaylor had three goals and an assist each. Senior Tim Parlato (Needham, Mass.) scooped up 10 ground balls and caused three turnovers. At the X, junior Ty Trebbe (Wilbraham, Mass.) was 10-of-18 while freshman Peter Andersson (Madison, N.J.) was 3-of-5.
Frehill made 12 saves for the Beacons while Dufault stopped 13 shots for the Leopards. UMass Boston held a 38-33 shot advantage while Wentworth held the edge in ground balls, 46-45. The Leopards were 3-for-7 on extra-man opportunities and killed off all five shorthanded situations.
Wentworth heads to California for spring break where the Leopards will play at Whittier on March 7 and against Aurora (at Whittier) on March 9. UMass Boston hosts Daniel Webster on Thursday.
