Monks Outscore Banged up AMCATS

Monks Outscore Banged up AMCATS

PAXTON, Mass – Last Saturday, the AMCATS were upset by Emmanuel College in conference play in Boston, 13-4. On Wednesday evening, the AMCATS hosted a streaking St. Joe's Monks in GNAC action. With no Cameron Perry or Jake Klemba on the field and an injured Brandon Pavoni, the AMCATS offense was lacking and because of that they fell 6-2 to their guests.

The 'Cats got their goals from two unlikely players, Isaiah Hicks who netted just his third goal of the season in the first quarter, and Jame Wieliczko who scored his first goal of the season in the fourth. Freshman Colton Layman had the only assist in the game, on Hickes' goal. Sophomore Kyle Benning continued his defensive dominance, causing three turnovers in the game. He has now caused 20 on the season. Goalie Paul Schwarz saw 30 shots come his way and saved 24 of them, allowing six goals.

For the Monks, two players had two-goal games, Michael Finn and Dan Cunningham. Cunningham added an assist to his score line. Matt Donnell and Tyler Retalic netter the fifth and sixth goals for the Monks, Retalic also had an assist. Glenn Dion didn't score but he did assist his teammates on two occasions. Goalie Connor Trainor faced just 13 shots, saving 11 of them.

In one of the lower scores in an AMCAT lacrosse game this season, the Monks broke the scoreless tie a minute and a half in on a Donnell goal, from Retalic. Less than four minutes later Anna Maria tied the game at one apiece on Hickes' goal, from Layman. Nine minutes passed with no more scoring and that is how the first would end, 1-1 headed to the second.

The second quarter had even less scoring than the first. Cunningham scored his first of the contest to give the Monks a 2-1 lead at the 11:15 mark of the second and that was it for scoring as both defenses and goalies came up big for each team. At the half, the visitors held a 2-1 advantage over Anna Maria.

The second half started the same way the second quarter started, with a Monks goal from Cunningham. This time two minutes and fifteen seconds in, assisted by Shane Puleo and giving St. Joe's a two-goal, 3-1 lead. Less than two minutes later, Finn added another, his first of the game, sending the Monks on a three goal unanswered run and giving them a 4-1 lead. Once again, all of the scoring happening early in the period as that 4-1 Monk lead was carried in to the final period.

Anna Maria squashed the unanswered run by their guests two minutes in to the final period when Wieliczko charged down the right side of the field, going end to end, and scoring his first goal of the season, unassisted, to pull the 'Cats back within two. It took nearly eight minutes after that goal but, the Monks shut the door on an possibility of a comeback by AMC, scoring a man-up goal from the stick of Finn, his second, at the 5:30 mark of the fourth to retake the three goal lead, 5-2. It was also the latest in to any period that either team had scored. The goal was followed up by Retalic's lone goal with just under four minutes remaining, giving his team the commanding, and final, 6-2 score over host Anna Maria.

The AMCATS are off until Saturday when they will resume GNAC play with a road contest against Mount Ida College in Newton, Mass at 1pm.