Box Score
MANSFIELD, Conn. – In men's lacrosse, the conversation traditionally centers around the offense, but on Saturday, the defense was the story of the day as Eastern Connecticut State University shut out Salem State University for nearly 43 minutes and posted a 13-5 Little East Conference victory at Rick McCarthy Field.
After Salem State (5-3, 0-2 LEC) scored the first goal of the match two minutes into action, Eastern (4-3, 1-1 LEC) did not allow another Viking goal until just 1.3 seconds remained in the third quarter. In between those two Salem goals, the Warriors reeled off 12 in a row on the way to their 22
nd consecutive win over the Vikings in the 22-game series dating back to 1997.
Eastern's defense – keyed by close defensemen senior
Sean Ventresca (Monville), junior
Jacob Shook (Wallingford) and sophomore
Erik Suzio (Meriden)-- allowed Salem only two extra-man opportunities and a total of only 26 shots, ten of which came when the visitors through for three of their goals after the Warriors had taken a 12-2 lead into the final 15 minutes.
Senior faceoff specialist
Rick O'Neal (East Hartford) equalled his season high by winning 11 faceoffs and recorded his second-best winning percentage (55.0) in a game this year while taking 20 of the game's 22 attempts. He won eight of the faceoffs with his own ground balls.
During the team's run of 12 straight goals which carried through the final three minutes of the third quarter, six different players contributed a goal or assist. Three times in that run, an Eastern player scored back-to-back goals.
First-year attack
Landon Mabb (Sun Prairie, WI) contributed to six of the dozen straight goals by scoring three and assisting on three, with junior attack
Warren Channing (Glastonbury) scoring four and assisting on one and sophomore attack
Tanner Drobish (Wallingford) connecting on three himself and assisting on two others.
Sophomore goalie
Gregory Hilinski (Shelton) made 11 saves for his fourth win in seven starts, while Salem freshman goalie Damian Biersteker stopped 15 shots over the first 45 minutes.
Eastern visits pre-season favorite and defending champion Plymouth State University (4-4, 0-2 LEC) in a conference match Saturday at Panther Field. Plymouth dropped a 13-7 home verdict to Massachusetts Boston Friday.
