ROCHESTER, N.Y. - The 11th-ranked Dickinson men's lacrosse team continued its historic run on Saturday as they got hat tricks from both
Ramsey Huggins and
Landen Hyatt en route to an 11-9 win over the ninth-ranked Engineers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Divison III Tournament at Tiger Stadium on the campus of the Rochester Institute of Technology. With the win, the Red and White advance to Sunday's semifinal for the first time in program history to take on the host and third-ranked Tigers of RIT.
- After needing just eight-seconds to cash in last game against Salisbury University, the Red and White got a faceoff win from Ben Trucksess and got the rock up to Hyatt who beat Joseph Perry only six-seconds in. A minute later Rocco Bognet shutdown Erik Ojert allowing Charlie Baughan to strike at the 2:17 mark.
- The two sides split the ensuing eight shots with the Engineers not able to test Bognet, while Perry turned away Carter Wilmot as Luke Whalen, Baughan and Huggins missed the target.
- RPI would answer the bell during the final five minutes with Ojert getting them on the board, before Cooper Manzi tallied following a stop for Perry on Whalen making it 2-2 with one in the books.
- For the second consecutive period it was DC on the early attack as Trucksess won the faceoff to Capp Reynolds leading to a shot for Ethan Gess that was stopped. However, Whalen cleaned up the loose ball and stashed it by Perry to reclaim the lead at 3-2 with 1:23 off the clock.
- A minute later RPI attempted to equalize, but Ryan Sweet hit the post and Bognet denied Evan Whatley. That would provide the Devils the opportunity to add onto their lead with five minutes gone when Jack Deady popped the ball free from Gavin Cousineau to Reynolds who got out in transition and found Hyatt for the missile past Perry (4-2).
- Just two minutes after that a giveaway from Sweet resulted in Whalen finding Huggins for the 5-2 edge. Then, Trucksess claimed the ensuing faceoff and struck on the breakaway pushing the gap to 6-2 only six seconds later.
- The Engineers would keep on fighting though as they rode a stop by Perry on Whalen to markers for Cooper Roman and Tyler Ruffini cutting the margin to 6-4 with 4:50 left.
- However, Dickinson add the edge to 7-4 going into halftime when a shot from Preston Boyd was denied by Perry, but Hyatt claimed the groundball and finished his hat trick.
- Both defenses were on lock early in the frame as the trio of Ethan Ferrant, Evan Karetsos and Deady each forced a turnover inside the first three-plus minutes.
- The duo of Wilmot and Matt Thurston were unable to bother Perry, but Huggins was able to get one by to double-up the DC edge to 8-4 with 10:34 to go.
- Three of the next four shots went the way of RPI with Bognet notching one more stop.
- After Ethan Ackerman and Karetsos each caused turnovers in addition to Bognet recording another save, Thurston cashed in unassisted opening it up to 9-4 at the 11:58 mark.
- Sean Smith knocked one off with 2:05 left, while at the other end Perry shutdown Huggins twice to leave the score 9-5 heading to the fourth.
- After both keepers grabbed a save in the first two minutes, the Red and White went to work getting shots off from Ackerman, Gess, Reynolds, Thurston and Whalen, unfortunately, none of them got by Perry.
- That set the stage for Easton Morse to score making it 9-6. Then, following four shots for the Devils that yielded nothing Ojert buried the rock again to make it 9-7 at the 8:49 mark.
- A save from Bognet on Zach Swanson gave the Red and White the chance to put things away with Whalen scoring man-down and Huggins cashing in 1:13 later to extend the margin to 11-7 with 4:10 left.
- Late tallies from Angelo Venuto and Swanson would not be enough as the final horn sounded allowing the Devils to make program history.
- Goals - Huggins and Hyatt (3), Whalen (2), Baughan, Thurston and Trucksess (1)
- Assists - Boyd, Reynolds, Trucksess and Whalen (1)
- Groundballs - Trucksess (8), Karetsos and Reynolds (5), Bognet (3)
- Caused Turnovers - Deady and Karetsos (3), Jamie Book (2)
- Faceoffs - Trucksess (12-22)
- Saves - Bognet (9)
- Goals - Ojert (2)
- Assists - Ruffini (3), Swanson (2)
- Groundballs - Venuto (5), Biava (4)
- Caused Turnovers - Nine players tied (1)
- Faceoffs - Venuto (8-19), Shocket (2-3)
- Saves - Perry (13)
- Dickinson (16-5) will attempt to add another rung to the historical season on Sunday evening when they battle the host RIT Tigers with a spot in the National Championship on the line! The Devils will have revenge on their minds after dropping a 24-7 decision to RIT on Day One of the Mustang Classic at Stevenson University on March 14th.
