DRENNER AND THE DEFENSE LIFT #15 TOWSON OVER THE MOUNT 2/20/16
TOWSON, Md. – Another week into the season and another hat trick for a Towson men’s lacrosse player the No. 15/No. 17 Tigers took down in-state foe Mount St. Mary’s 9-5 Saturday afternoon.
After enduring bitter temperature’s last week at Johnny Unitas ® Stadium, the Tigers (2-0) enjoyed 60 degree weather for game two of a three-game homestand. Ryan Drenner paced Towson with a four-point, three goal and one assist effort. Thanks to another stout effort from the defense, Towson held its second-straight opponent to single digits.
How it Happened
• Near the midway point of the first quarter, Towson junior Mike Lynch bulleted home his first goal of the season, beating Mount keeper Matt Vierheller to the top pipe. Four minutes later, and under the duress of the shot clock, Mount St. Mary’s tied the game on a Chris DiPretoro goal. Mark Hojnoski had the assist.
• Towson jumped out to a 5-1 lead thanks to a four-goal burst in the second quarter. Drenner bookended the scoring with Ian Kirby and Joe Seider adding in tallies. Tyler Konen and Spencer Parks assisted the middle two goals, respectively.
• An illegal crosse penalty against Towson’s Ben McCarty gave the Mount (1-1) a three-minute window to score on the extra man. Hojnoski took advantage, striking twice to pull The Mount within two, 5-3, at the end of the first half. Ryan Lamon assisted the first extra-man goal.
• The Tigers scored twice in the third quarter, holding Mount St. Mary’s to just one goal in that period. Kirby popped in his second extra-man goal of the day, and third of the season, with Drenner on the backend. Hojnoski split the Tiger goals with Evan Gormley on the assist, followed by a Tyler Young goal for the Tigers.
• Mount St. Mary’s made it a two-goal game again, 7-5, to start the final stanza. But a second Lynch goal, followed by Drenner depositing a shot in the empty Mount goal, pushed the Tiger advantage out of reach.
• Vierheller had another standout day in goal for The Mount, making 15 saves. Last season, the same keeper made 17 saves in a 7-4 Tiger win in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
• Towson’s keeper, Tyler White, stopped eight shots in his second win of the season.
By the Numbers
• Drenner tallied the second hat trick of his career and first since March 21, 2015 in a 9-8 win at Binghamton.
• Over the last six home regular season games, the Tigers have held opponents to single-digit goals. Towson has not allowed 10 total goals on the year, including just two last week against Mercer.
• Three Tigers have logged hat tricks in 2016. In addition to Drenner, Seider and Parks each scored three goals in last week’s season opener.
• Towson took 43 shots, the first 40-plus shooting day at home since taking 45 attempts against Loyola (Feb. 18, 2015).
• The Tigers improved to 2-0 on the young season, the first time Towson is unbeaten in the first two games since the 2007 season. The Tigers improved to 20-12 at Unitas ® Stadium under head coach Shawn Nadelen.
• Towson is now 11-1 all-time against Mount St. Mary’s, dating back to the 1970 campaign. The Tigers have reeled off 10-straight wins over The Mount, a run dating back to a 19-11 win on May 4, 1976.
• Quick starts have helped Towson get to 2-0, out-scoring opponents 12-4 in the first half this season, including 5-1 in the opening 15 minutes.
Up Next for Towson
• The Tigers face a tough test next Saturday at Johnny Unitas ® Stadium as No. 13/No.14 Georgetown comes to town.
• Opening faceoff is set for noon.
• Last season, Towson topped the Hoyas 9-6 in Washington, D.C. This weekend, Georgetown faltered 12-7 against No. 1 Notre Dame in the Cobb County Classic in Kennesaw, Georgia.