CASTINE — Chris Pelletier (Rome) picked the top left corner of the net with 58 seconds left in the game to deliver Husson an 8-7 win over Maine Maritime in North Atlantic Conference (NAC) lacrosse at Ritchie Field Wednesday evening. It was the only time the Eagles (9-6, 5-1 NAC) struck in the fourth quarter, and the fifth time in the game that Husson lit the scoreboard in the final minute of a quarter. Pelletier's goal answered a Mariners' (4-7, 4-3 NAC) three-goal spurt early in the final quarter that evened the game at 7-7.
Pelletier's goal was his only point on the night. He rolled out from behind the cage to the left goalline extended, about 10-yards from Erik Milles' (Bangor) cage. His game-winning shot from an impossible angle caught just about everyone at Ritchie Field by surprise. It also spoiled a furious comeback by Maine Maritime, which reeled off three-straight in the opening minutes of the fourth, closing the 7-4 gap after three quarters.
Husson led by one, 5-4, heading into the final minute of the third quarter, when Wayne Stubbs (Keene, N.H.) and Ben Potter (Chula Vista, Calif.) conspired to make it a 6-4 game. Precisely 40 seconds later, Nick Brown (Waterford, Conn.) dumped in an unassisted goal to give Husson the widest margin in the game. Potter had scored a goal with 52 seconds left in the first quarter, while Brown assisted Mitch Heaps (York, Pa.) with 14 ticks left in the first half. Brown had a goal and two assists on the night. Heaps scored a pair, while Potter posted a goal and an assist.
Maine Maritime seemed to be down for the count when a golden opportunity on the goalmouth ended with the ball shanking off of the orange iron, but on the ensuing scramble, an Eagle was flagged for a cross check to the head of Andrew DiSalvo (Glastonbury, Conn.). The Mariners took advantage of the two-minute, non-releasable penalty with Brian Corain (Berwick) feeding Tom Houle (Manchester, N.H.) on the left-hand side. DiSalvo delivered a beautiful feed to Nick Betti (Upper Saddle River, N.J.) 1:20 later. Betti buried the shot to complete his second collegiate hat trick and get his team back within a goal. Betti has scored at least a pair in each of his last six games.
Maine Maritime tied it up 24 seconds later when Corain fed DiSalvo his 21st of the season with 12:13 remaining. The next 11:15 were scoreless until Pelletier struck. Husson's Eric Lund (Mansfield, Mass.) made four of his 10 saves in the final period. Milles, making his first start since an injury in early March, turned away eight and came up with four ground balls.
Maine Maritime's special teams were critical. Besides the 2-for-4 effort with the extra-man, the man-down unit killed off nine of the 11 Mariners' penalties on the night.
Maine Maritime owned a 41-32 advantage in shots, while Husson dominated the faceoffs taking 12-of-18. The Eagles turned the ball over 28 times, while MMA gave it up on 19 occasions.
The Mariners return to action on Saturday at Gordon. Opening faceoff is set for 3:00 p.m.
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1 |
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2 |
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3 |
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4 |
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Tot |
| Husson |
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2 |
|
2 |
|
3 |
|
1 |
|
8 |
| Maine Maritime |
|
1 |
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2 |
|
1 |
|
3 |
|
7 |
Husson SCORING
GOALS: Mitch Heaps 2; Nick Brown 1; Ben Potter 1; Ben Landry 1; Chris Pelletier 1; Mike Craig 1; Wayne Stubbs 1.
ASSISTS: Nick Brown 2; Ben Potter 1; Alex Ryan 1.
Maine Maritime SCORING
GOALS: Nicholas Betti 3; Andrew DiSalvo 1; Tom Houle 1; Alex Hermes 1; Bronson Guimond 1.
ASSISTS: Brian Corain 2; Andrew DiSalvo 1; Nick Snelling 1.
GOALIES
HUSM: Eric Lund 9-6 (60:00 minutes, 17 shots-10 saves, 7 GA);
MMA: Erik Milles 0-3 (60:00, 16-8, 8).
SHOTS - Husson 32; Maine Maritime 41.
SHOTS ON GOAL - Husson 16; Maine Maritime 17.
Penalties - Husson 4/3:30; Maine Maritime 11/10:00.
MAN-UP OPPORTUNITIES - Husson 2-11; Maine Maritime 2-4.
TURNOVERS - Husson 28; Maine Maritime 19.
FACEOFFS - Husson 12-18; Maine Maritime 6-18.
CLEARS - Husson 16-23; Maine Maritime 18-22.
Husson GROUND BALLS 33: Eric Lund 5; Vincent Visconti 4; Nick Brown 3; Chris DelGiudice 3; Dillon Shaw 3; Matt Tabler 3; Mike Craig 2; Ben Landry 2; Mark Nardelli 2; Jon Sullivan 2; Dustin Brett 1; Mitch Heaps 1; Chris Lloyd 1; Wayne Stubbs 1.
Maine Maritime GROUND BALLS 30: Nicholas Betti 4; Alex Hermes 4; Erik Milles 4; Emmett Huber 3; Scot Baribeau 2; Brian Corain 2; Andrew DiSalvo 2; Alex Grant 2; Bronson Guimond 1; Brady Harrison 1; Tom Houle 1; Ian Larcom 1; Jason Smith 1; Nick Snelling 1; Jack Tragert 1.
Husson TURNOVERS CAUSED 7: Mark Nardelli 3; Matt Tabler 2; Ben Landry 1; Wayne Stubbs 1.
Maine Maritime TURNOVERS CAUSED 14: Alex Grant 2; Jason Smith 2; Nicholas Betti 1; Brian Corain 1; Bronson Guimond 1; Brady Harrison 1; Alex Hermes 1; Tom Houle 1; Emmett Huber 1; Ian Larcom 1; A.J. Larrabee 1; Nick Snelling 1.
