SALISBURY, Md. - Sophomore
Luke Whalen scored just 40-seconds into the overtime period to cap off his five-point game and lift the Dickinson men's lacrosse team past Denison University by a score of 8-7 on Saturday night in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament at Sea Gull Stadium on the campus of Salisbury University.
- The defenses were sharp early as both Andrew Albert and Rocco Bognet recorded a stop for their respective sides inside the first three minutes.
- However, it would be the bad guys that struck first with Liam Gillard finding Kevin Berutich for the finish. Dickinson answered right back though with Ramsey Huggins coming up from behind the net and stashing the rock by Albert.
- The Red and White needed just a minute to get their first lead as Whalen stepped into a strike from the right-wing (Tommy Baldini assist).
- Bognet was then tested twice by the duo of Tommy Quinson and Collin Murphy, but he was up to the task. Unfortunately, at the 9:50 mark Quinson had his revenge with an unassisted marker.
- Over the final five minutes the teams combined for six turnovers and only three shots with all of them coming from Denison with Bognet notching two more stops to keep it tied.
- Dickinson finally recorded their first shot since 9:12 left in the opening frame when Preston Boyd skipped one wide of cage with 14:28 remaining. Mac Childs and Huggins each added a chance with Albert turning aside one.
- The Devils kept on firing away as Ethan Gess, Boyd and Whalen combined for four shots with Albert notching two more stops.
- After Denison tallied two consecutive shots, Bognet get the rock up to Matt Thurston who struck, before off the ensuing faceoff win by Ben Trucksess the ball made its way to Whalen who linked up with Landen Hyatt to make it 4-2 with just under six minutes left.
- Following a pair of Albert saves on Charlie Baughan and Hyatt, the Red and White took advantage of a man-up opportunity with Ben Monroe finding Gess in the middle of the defense for the finish (5-2).
- The teams traded goals prior to the end of the frame with Quinson and Huggins collecting the markers to leave DC up 6-3 at the break.
- The teams split the opening four chances with Albert being the only keeper that was called into action denying Gess.
- Over the next five minutes the defense for sides continued to play strong forcing four turnovers, until Denison settled down and tested Bognet on a shot by Quinson.
- On the Devils ensuing offensive possession, Brady Monturio was boxed for unnecessary roughness leading to a score from Whalen for the 7-3 advantage with 7:20 to play.
- Despite DC recording the next five shots they could not solve Albert again which set the stage for Macky Peck to pull one back for Denison at the 10:04 mark.
- After Sam Bunten popped the ball free from AJ Boxler, Dickinson went on a three minute possession, but it yielded no results as Huggins and Hyatt each hit a post before Albert turned away the same duo to end the period.
- Albert continued to keep the Big Red in the game early in the fourth denying both Baldini and Boyd over the first three minutes.
- Denison then posted three straight shots with Liam Gillard and Quinson going wide, before Monturio hacked one off the margin making it 7-5 with just over five minutes off the clock.
- After Bognet stopped Peter Tyack, the Big Red were given a man-up opportunity thanks to a cross check foul and they took full advantage of it with another strike for Quinson pulling them within one (7-6) still with six minutes left.
- With Dickinson's offense not able to get back on track going over five minutes without a shot, Denison finally got themselves all the way back to level when Gillard found Peck at the end of the shot clock and he beat Bognet low.
- Each team got a chance inside the last minute, but both attackers stepped into the crease resulting in the bonus lacrosse.
- The Devils needed just one possession to book their spot in Sunday's third round matchup as Trucksess won the opening draw. He was able to advance the ball into the box allowing coach Dave Webster to get a timeout.
- Out of the break, the ball was in the stick of Baughan he would run around behind the net and find Whalen at the top of the box for a step down missle past Albert for the 8-7 win.
- Goals - Whalen (3), Huggins, (2), Gess, Hyatt and Thurston (1)
- Assists - Whalen (2), Baldini, Baughan and Monroe (1)
- Groundballs - Trucksess (11), Hyatt (4), Boyd and Gess (3)
- Caused Turnovers - Jack Deady (2)
- Faceoffs - Trucksess (15-18)
- Saves - Bognet (8)
- Goals - Quinson (3), Peck (2)
- Assists - Gillard and Murphy (2)
- Groundballs - Albert and Pellegrino (5), Holder (4)
- Caused Turnovers - Freeman (3), Haight, Holder and Swanson (2)
- Faceoffs - MacLean (3-8), Larson (0-7), Marascio (0-3)
- Saves - Albert (13)
- Dickinson (14-5) now advances to Sunday's Third Round matchup against the host Salisbury University at 6:30pm back inside of Sea Gull Stadium. The Sea Gulls are coming off a 17-5 win on Saturday over St. Mary's (Md.). Sunday will mark the fourth matchup between Dickinson and Salisbury and the first since the 2018 season a 9-7 victory by SU.
