Strong second half lifts Hawks past Pilgrims
Roger Williams University men’s lacrosse scored the final five goals of the game lifting the visiting Hawks past the New England College Pilgrims 9-5 Tuesday afternoon in Manchester. With the win the Hawks improve to 5-1 overall and capture their first conference win of the season improving to 1-0 in TCCC play. The loss drops the Pilgrims to 1-3 overall and 0-2 in the TCCC.
The Pilgrims would open the scoring as Matt Vozzolo (Somers, Conn.) would score his team-high sixth goal of the season just over ten minutes into the open half. The Hawks would respond as Dom Celeste (Jupiter, Fla.) would net an unassisted goal with just 1:25 remaining in the quarter knotting the game at 1-1.
The two teams would continue to battle evenly through the second half of play exchanging goals throughout but it would be the Hawks who would strike last as Joe Healy (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.) would score with one second on the clock sending Roger Williams into halftime with the 4-3 lead.
The Pilgrims would regain the lead early in the third quarter as John Gabriel (West Nyack, Mass.) would score back-to-back goals just six minutes in. The Hawks would battle back as they would score three goals in the final six minutes of the quarter and head into the fourth up 7-5. Roger Williams would tack on two goals in the final quarter and hold the NEC offense to just four shots as the Hawks would go on to capture the 9-5 victory.
Leading the way for Hawks was Jim Turenne (Bristol, R.I.) who finished with two goals and an assist. Roger Williams’ Beaver Barone (Weymouth, Mass.) and Joe Healy each netted a goal and dished out an assist for the Hawks.
Leading the way for NEC was Jon Gabriel who netted two goals and Matt Carey (Medford, N.Y.) who scored a goal and had an assist for the Pilgrims.
Picking up the win in goal for Roger Williams was Tyler Roebuck (Montgomery, N.Y.) who finished with five saves. In goal for NEC was Nick Acquaviva (Syracuse, N.Y.) who stopped 15 shots on the afternoon.
