Bison too Much in the End for the AMCATS

PAXTON, Mass – Saturday afternoon, the AMCATS men's lacrosse team hosted the 2-0 Nichols College Bison at AMCAT field in a non-conference matchup. Though the teams played a competitive game through three quarters, the Bison controlled the fourth and grabbed their third win of the season.

For the AMCATS, freshman attacker Jake Klemba (South Windsor, Conn) led the way with two goals, now six on the season, on just two shots on goal. Sophomore midfielder Brady Seymour (Chicopee, Mass) scored a goal of his own to run his season tally to five. Seymour also added an assist. The other goal scorers for AMC were freshman attacker Cameron Perry (Coventry, R.I.) and sophomore attacker Kyle Benning (Puyallup, Wash). It was Benning's first goal of the season. On the five goals for the 'Cats there were only two assists. The other coming from freshman middy Colton Layman (Williston, Vt). Goalie Paul Schwarz (Staten Island, N.Y) faced 42 shots on the afternoon and saved 32 of them.

The Bison were led by senior attacker Mackenzie Martin (Merrimack, N.H.) and junior midfielder Jack Campanale (Shrewsbury, Mass) who each scored three goals in the game. Martin also added three assists to his score line. Senior midfielder Jack Zaremski (Dorchester, Mass) added two goals to the Bison tally. The other two Nichols goal were scored by graduate student attacker Reece O'Connor (North Grafton, Mass) and junior midfielder Casey Campanale (Shrewsbury, Mass). O'Connor also added an assist.

The first period opened with the Bison scoring four goals in a matter of five minutes, two coming from Jack Campanale. The AMCATS were in a hole early but they wouldn't let the game get away. Late in the period the 'Cats grabbed a goal back as Klemba scored his first of the day to get the AMCATS back within three.

In the second quarter, the scoring was quiet as both defenses played exceptionally well. But, Klemba gave the crowd something to cheer about as he scored the only goal of the period to go in to the half with the score 4-2 in favor of the Bison.

The AMCATS would open the second half scoring with a goal from Seymour a man up as the Bison had a man in the penalty box. The 'Cats would make it five unassisted goal since the first quarter as Benning netted his first of the season at the 9:07 mark of the third and then Perry would score 40 seconds later, again up a man, to give Anna Maria a 5-4 lead. That was a lead that would last until the 2:40 mark of the period. At that point, the AMCATS committed three penalties in a matter of seconds. Three men down, the host defense had to fend off a disciplined Bison attack. At first they were able to do so, blocking the first attempt on goal and then getting a great save from Schwarz on the second attempt. Third time was a charm for the visitors as the Bison would tie the game, three men up, on a goal from O'Connor. With a minute left in the third, Martin would score his second and give Nichols a 6-5 lead heading in to the fourth.

The fourth quarter was all Bison as the AMCATS offense were unable to break through and watched Nichols score four unanswered goals in the final fifteen minutes. By then end of it all, the AMCATS having played three good quarters of lacrosse, the Bison headed back to Dudley with the 10-5 victory.

The AMCATS will be back in action on March 15^th at 5pm when they will host Lyndon State at AMCATS Field.