Ricci nets overtime game-winner as Wheaton downs Western Connecticut

March 17, 2006

DANBURY, CT- Junior Markus Ricci (Wayland, MA/Wayland) netted the game-winning goal with 35 seconds remaining in overtime as the Wheaton College men's lacrosse team knocked off Western Connecticut State University, 9-8 on Friday evening at the Westside Athletic Complex. Now 1-2, the Lyons earned head coach Peter Toner his first college coaching victory. Western Connecticut State fell to 1-3.

The teams traded the first 11 goals of the evening, and the Lyons took the game's largest lead at 8-5 with 7:18 remaining in regulation when Ricci assisted junior Trey Helms' (Cockeysville, MD/Saint Paul's School) tally. However, the Pioneers scored three times during a 4:57 span to knot the score and force overtime. In the extra frame, Ricci converted senior Ellis Reavey's (Longmeadow, MA/Longmeadow) crossing pass with Wheaton playing a man up.

Wheaton held a 4-3 edge at the half despite being outshot, 19-16. For the game, the Pioneers recorded a 40-35 advantage in shots. The Lyons were 3-of-8 on extra-man opportunities.

Sophomore goaltender Jeremy Beech (West Newbury, MA/Governor Dummer Academy) picked up his second collegiate victory behind 14 saves. Junior Andrew Rohan (South Hadley, MA/Avon Old Farms) paced Wheaton's offense with a hat trick and an assist, while Helms had two goals and a helper. Ricci and senior Adam Cohen (Montpelier, VT/Montpelier) each turned in a goal and two assists.

For Western Connecticut State, freshman goalie Kyle Wood (Hyde Park, NY/F.D. Roosevelt) turned aside nine shots, while junior John Stashenko (Norwalk, CT/Brien McMahon) and sophomores Brendan Phillips (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) and Dennis Skarda (Danbury, CT/Danbury) each scored twice.

Wheaton continues its season-opening five-game road trip at Colby College on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.

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