Men's Lacrosse: Defense Clamps Down in Second Half as Warriors Pull Away

3/5/2021 8:56:00 PM

Grant Spencer and the Eastern defense cracked down on USJ in the second half, shutting down the hosts without a goal in Eastern's 8-2 win Friday night at the USJ Lacrosse Field.

Eastern holds Blue Jays scoreless over final 33 minutes

Box Score

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. -- Sophomore attack Shane Haggerty (Stamford) scored the eventual game-winner on the team's only extra-man goal in the final minute of the first half and the Eastern Connecticut State University men's lacrosse team shut out the University of Saint Joseph over the final 33 minutes in a 8-2 non-conference win Friday evening at the USJ Lacrosse Field.

After Saint Joseph freshman midfielder Samuel Baretti was penalized for tripping Haggerty with a minute left in the first half, Haggerty broke a 2-2 tie out of a timeout on a feed from senior midfielder Kyle Cardoza (Waterford) to give Eastern (2-0) the lead for good en route to its victory over the second-year program.

Content to maintain possession and take time off the clock in taking a 2-0 first period lead, the Warriors allowed two second-period goals five minutes apart, but held the Blue Jays scoreless and to only 13 shots -- only four of them on goal -- over the final 33 minutes.

Eastern dominated the third quarter with a 12-4 advantage in shots, and senior attack Jake Liebowitz (Trumbull) and senior midfielder Tyler Stein (Milford) each connected on unassisted goals as the Warriors opened up a 5-2 lead through three quarters. Freshman attack Zacharie Appolon (Stamford), Liebowitz and Haggerty added insurance markers in the fourth, Haggerty assisting on the first two before scoring the wrapup goal with ten minutes left.

Four Eastern faceoff men combined to win eight of 12 faceoffs and the Warriors successfully killed off USJ's six extra-man tries. Eastern's opponents are 1-for-13 this year with the man advantage.

Haggerty led Eastern with two goals, three assists and five ground balls, Liebowitz totalling three goals and four ground balls. In addition to winning three of five faceoffs, Stein had two goals, an assist and four ground balls.

In goal, graduate student Jack Farrell (Stratford) made ten saves -- seven in the first half -- to record his second win this year in his 20th consecutive start over three seasons.

Eastern opens Little East Conference play March 27 at Castleton University at 2 p.m.

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