No. 1 Gettysburg Averts Upset with Four in Fourth

from press release

Gettysburg goalie John LeClerc made a season-high 15 saves, with the top-ranked Bullets blanking No. 19 Cabrini for the final 13 minutes of a 12-9 win. © Kevin P. Tucker

RADNOR, Pa. – Sophomore goalie John LeClerc made a season-high 15 saves and top-ranked Gettysburg outscored No. 19 Cabrini College 4-1 in the fourth quarter en route to a 12-9 non-conference men’s lacrosse victory Wednesday afternoon.

The Bullets (7-0) trailed 9-8 after Cabrini (3-3) scored with 13:09 left in the game, but Gettysburg’s defense blanked the Cavaliers the rest of the way. Senior Joe Brody tied it just over a minute later before classmate Josh Reichert scored what held up as the game-winner with 5:44 showing. Junior J.C. Ward provided an insurance tally with 3:15 left, and senior Patrick Koehl set the final score with 26 seconds to go.

Cabrini, which led just twice in the game, outshot the Bullets 41-27 but was held to three second-half goals, thanks in large part to LeClerc, who made six more saves than his previous career-best.

Offensively, Gettysburg received an incredibly balanced attack, getting goals from 10 different players. Sophomore Pat Sartory and Ward led the way with two goals apiece while junior Chris Cahill had one goal and two assists. Junior Danno Lynch and Koehl each had one goal and one assist.

Casey Grugan led Cabrini with four goals and one assist while Steve Kapp posted two goals. Erick Zarzecki stopped eight shots for the Cavaliers, who won 18-of-24 face-offs.

Sartory scored two of Gettysburg’s first three goals as the Bullets jumped to an early 3-1 lead. The Bullets held a 6-3 advantage midway through the second quarter before Cabrini closed the half on a 3-0 run to forge a 6-6 tie heading into the locker room. Grugan, a 2009 Second Team All-American, scored the first and last goals of the run and finished with three goals in the quarter.

After junior Andrew Ryan scored just over four minutes into the second half, the Cavaliers answered with a pair of tallies to take their first lead (8-7) since it was 1-0. Freshman Evan Thomas pulled Gettysburg even when he converted a man-up goal with 4:52 left in the third quarter.

Bobby Thorp scored Cabrini’s final goal before the Bullets game-ending run.

Gettysburg continues its season on Saturday, when it hosts Muhlenberg College at 1 p.m. in a Centennial Conference match-up.