ELKINS, W.Va. (March 27) – The Wheeling Jesuit University men's lacrosse team scored th game's final three goals to come away team to come away with a 14-13 win over Davis & Elkins in league match Wednesday night.
The Cardinals improve to 2-7 overall, 1-1 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) with the win. The Senators drop to 0-2 in the G-MAC, 0-7 on the season with the loss.
WJU trailed 13-11 with just over 12 minutes left in the game. Senior midfielder
Phillip Burns (Springboro, Ohio/Springboro) drew the Cardinals within one with 8:41 remaining in the contest. Wheeling Jesuit drew a penalty near the five-minute mark and took advantage when senior midfielder
Michael Schonhiutt (Westerville, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) scored a man-up goal to tie the game with 4:49 to play.
Less than 30 seconds later, freshman attack
Connor O'Brien (New Albany, Ohio/St. Francis DeSales) completed the rally and scored to give the Cardinals a 14-13 lead.
Sophomore goalkeeper
PJ Campion (McLean, Va./McLean) was tested three times in the final four minutes of the game, but came up with saves each time to preserve the victory for Wheeling Jesuit.
Senior attack
Jamison Smith (Butler, Pa./Butler) posted a game-high four goals and scooped up five ground balls. Freshman attack
Colton Abate (Pittsburgh, Pa/ Peters Township) and Schonhiutt each scored three goals in the winning effort. O'Brien scored the game-winner to go along with a game-high three assists.
DEC seized a 5-3 lead with just over one minute remaining in the first quarter. Sophomore attack
Andrew Rini (Cleveland, Ohio/Benedictine) fired a shot past the opposing goalkeeper with 11 seconds left in the opening period to bring WJU back within one goal, 5-4.
Davis & Elkins scored three consecutive goals to start the second quarter, putting the Senators up 8-4. Abate picked up the slack by scoring three goals in succession to end the half with Wheeling Jesuit down by one score, 8-7.
The third quarter went 5-3 in favor of DEC, allowing Davis & Elkins to take a 12-10 lead going in to the final quarter.
Each team scored once in the opening five minutes of the fourth quarter, allowing the Senators to keep their two-goal advantage going into the final 10 minutes of the contest. The Cardinals came up with three unanswered goals to clinch the win.
Campion finished the game with eight saves to pick up the win in net.
Wheeling Jesuit out-shot Davis & Elkins 56-29. WJU was also able to win the face-off battle against DEC, 19-12.
The Cardinals will travel to Dominican College (N.Y.) on Sunday, March 31 for a noon non-conference match.
