Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
0-1
University of Massachusetts
1-0
Men's Lacrosse Falls Short in Opener at UMass, 10-8
February 12, 2023 | Men's Lacrosse
AMHERST, MA - Army West Point men's lacrosse (0-1, 0-0 PL) fell on the road in its season opener by a score of 10-8 to UMass (1-0, 0-0 CAA). Army scored just once in the first half, falling behind 4-1 as the second half comeback effort came up just short.
UMass got out to an early 3-1 lead at the end of the first quarter. Jacob Morin scored Army's first goal of the season, which knotted the game at 1-1 with 10 minutes left in the frame. The Minutemen scored the next three goals to take the 4-1 lead into the half. Knox Dent helped keep UMass from extending its lead with seven saves in the first 30 minutes.
The Black Knights found the net quick into the second half to get within one with Reese Burek getting in the score column, followed by a quick faceoff win and tally from Will Coletti and with 12:33 left in the third it was a one-goal game. UMass answered to go up by two again, and then Evan Plunkett tallied his first of his Army career to cut the lead to one again at 5-4 at the end of the third.
Jacob Morin started the scoring in the fourth to tie the game for the second time at 5-5 with a rocket from the outside, but the Minutemen scored three of the next four goals to increase its lead back to two goals with 7:24 remaining.
However, the Black Knights didn't go away with Burek finding the back of the net again at the 7:18 mark and then Avi Mehl put home the first of his career to tie the game for the third time with just over six minutes remaining.
The Minutemen answered with two late goal from Tim Hoynes and Mike Tobin and stopped a late push by the Black Knights to earn the 10-8 victory.
UMass goalie Matt Knote was the story in this one with 19 saves in the cage for the Minutemen including two in the final two minutes to hang on to the victory for the home squad.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Reese Burek scored three goals to go along with an assist to lead the Black Knights attack, also collecting three ground balls.
- Jacob Morin logged a pair of goals and ground balls.
- Avi Mehl and Evan Plunkett each secured their first career goals.
- Will Coletti went 12-9 in the faceoff circle.
- Knox Dent made nine saves in the cage for the Black Knights
Army will host Rutgers on Saturday for the home opener at 12:00 p.m. from Michie Stadium.
