Buffalo, N.Y. ?“ Senior attack Jason Werner scored four goals as second-seeded Mount St. Mary?™s University earned a 13-9 victory over #3 Canisius College in the second semifinal game of the 2006 MAAC Men?™s Lacrosse Championship presented by Greater Buffalo Savings Bank at the Demske Sports Complex on Canisius?™ campus.
Tom Hensel began the scoring offense for the Golden Griffins with his unassisted goal 26 seconds in the first quarter. Michael Blocho added another unassisted goal for the Griffs with just less than 11 minutes left in the stanza. The Mount opened up their scoring effort less than a minute later as Werner netted a pass from Matt Warner. The Mountaineers then tied it up at 2-2 as Tilghman Herring scored an unassisted goal at the 1:24 mark in the first quarter.
Midway through the second quarter, Canisius scored three goals in a row to jump ahead, 5-2. Reed Peterson would give Mount St. Mary?™s one more goal off a shot from Kevin Ross to make the score, 5-3, going in halftime.
Canisius was the first to score again in the second half as Phil Riggi found the back of the net at the 9:06 mark in the third quarter. But the Mount scored the next four goals, including two by Dave Orban, to go ahead, 7-6, after three quarters.
The Mountaineers continued their offensive effort, scoring back-to-back goals less than three minutes in the fourth quarter (9-6). But the Griffs would not back down without a fight, scoring two more goals of their own to close within one (9-8). Werner then took things in his own hands with goals at the 6:57 mark and 5:16 mark to put the Mount back up, 11-8. Less than two minutes later, Kiel Illg scored a shot, with help from Stephen Ola, to give Canisius another goal on the scoreboard (11-9). But Mount St. Mary?™s scored two more goals to close out the final stanza and seal the victory.
Chris Channing posted for five stops for Mount St. Mary?™s, while Angus Dineley recorded eight saves for Canisius.
Mount St. Mary?™s will play Providence College in the championship game on Sunday, May 8, at noon. The winner of the championship game will earn the league?™s automatic bid to the 2006 NCAA Division I Men?™s Lacrosse Championship. The NCAA bracket will be announced exclusively on ESPNews on Sunday, May 7, with the 16-team bracket revealed between 8:30 and 9:00 p.m. Eastern time.
Recap:Canisius (7-7, 6-2 MAAC) 2 3 1 3 -- 9Mount St. Mary?™s (6-8, 6-2 MAAC) 2 1 4 6 -- 13
Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists):
Mount St. Mary?™s ?“ Jason Werner (4-0), Matt Warner (2-2), Benjamin Mundorf (2-1), Dave Orban (2-0), Tilghman Herring (1-1), Peter Kerwin (1-1), Eric Seifert (1-0), Joseph Derwent (0-1), Adam Sharretts (0-1), Charles White (0-1)Canisius ?“ Kevin Ross (2-1), Phil Riggi (2-0), Reed Peterson (1-1), Stephen Ola (1-1), Michael Blocho (1-0), Tom Hensel (1-0), Kiel Illg (1-0), Dave Schaefer (0-1)
Saves: Mount St. Mary?™s ?“ Chris Channing 5; Canisius ?“ Angus Dineley 8
Shots: Mount St. Mary?™s 35, Canisius 33
Groundballs: Mount St. Mary?™s 37, Canisius 23