CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – After a closely played opening 34 minutes that saw six ties and three lead changes, MIT put together a 13-3 run that resulted in a 21-11 victory over Massachusetts Maritime Academy in NEWMAC men’s lacrosse action on Saturday. Junior Harris Stolzenberg (Weston, Fla.) led the way for the Engineers (11-3, 4-1 NEWMAC) with five goals and three assists. Senior Reed McLean (Wilbraham, Mass.) powered the Buccaneers (5-10, 1-4 NEWMAC) with seven goals and an assist.
Massachusetts Maritime inched out to a 2-1 lead after almost seven minutes expired in the opening quarter. The score remained unchanged until McLean buried a man-up goal at the 12:32 mark of the second stanza. MIT chipped away at the deficit, evening the score at four after senior Chris McPherson’s (Gaithersburg, Md.) strike midway through the frame. The visitors went on to score three of the next five goals as they entered the intermission ahead, 7-6. McLean produced two goals during the spurt and then set up freshman Cody Livermore (Ludlow, Mass.) inside the final minute.
The Engineers wasted little time in reclaiming the lead as blasts by sophomore Graham Davis (Crofton, Md.) and senior Paul Orrson (Baltimore, Md.) shifted the score to 8-7. Livermore countered with a goal of his own for what proved to be the final deadlock with 11:13 on the clock. Midway through the third quarter, a solo effort by MIT senior Jonah Hessels (Laytonsville, Md.) sparked a string of eight unanswered goals that created a 16-8 advantage at the 11:21 mark of the fourth quarter. Back-to-back markers from McLean broke up the run; however, the Engineers outscored Massachusetts Maritime, 5-1, down the stretch.
Hessels and sophomore Mitch Turley (Westfield, Ind.) both finished with three goals and an assist while Orrson posted two goals and an assist. Davis and sophomore Jack Kelly (Milford, Del.) both scored twice as senior Luke Verdi (Middletown, Md.) earned three assists. Freshman Mitchell Galer (Westlake Village, Calif.) was 26-of-35 in faceoffs and collected a game-high 10 groundballs as senior John Kramer (Glastonbury, Conn.) registered nine groundballs and three caused turnovers. Sophomore David Klee (East Greenbush, N.Y.) bolstered the defense with five groundballs while senior goalie Eric Bartell (San Diego, Calif.) came up with 10 saves.
Livermore contributed two goals and two assists to the Buccaneers’ attack as senior Anthony Kurylak (Exeter, N.H.) tacked on one goal and one assist. Junior Patrick Kearney (Scituate, Mass.) gathered a team-high five groundballs while sophomore Bobby Macarthy (Winchester, Mass.) generated two caused turnovers. In net, senior James Klose (Ellicott City, Md.) tallied 11 saves.
Both teams continue conference play on Wednesday, April 27. MIT will visit Wheaton College while Massachusetts Maritime will host the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.