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Loyola Men's Lacrosse News |
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February 14, 2009 |
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Finnerty Scores Four, But Loyola Lacrosse Falls In Season Opener, 10-9, To Notre Dame
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Powder Springs, Ga.- Loyola attackman Collin Finnerty scored a career-high four
goals and assisted on another but Notre Dame's Ryan Hoff scored the game-winner with
5:24 remaining to break the tie and the ninth-ranked Irish held on for a 10-9
victory over the No. 17 Greyhounds in the team's season opener at McEachern High
School.
With Loyola trailing by a goal in the final minutes, Notre Dame goalkeeper Scott
Rodgers denied multiple opportunities over the last 1:30 to preserve the win. Loyola
midfielder Jimmy Daly had three good looks at the goal-the first being sent wide
left- and the other two snatched up by Rodgers. Daly's last effort came with 15
ticks remaining.
Trailing by a goal going into the final quarter, Loyola evened the game at 8-8 on
Finnerty's fourth goal of the day just 1:30 into the period. Attackman Matt Langan
found himself positioned behind the Notre Dame goal and passed it to Finnerty from
10 yards out, who buried his attempt.
The Irish would reclaim the lead, 9-8, on Grant Krebs' second goal of the day with
9:19 left. The Greyhounds, though, would again claw back two minutes later on Daly's
second of the afternoon, with the assist coming from midfielder Chris Hurst, to knot
the action at 9 apiece.
But Hoff's goal with five and a half minutes remaining--assisted by
Krebbs--ultimately proved to be the difference in a see-saw afternoon of
non-conference action.
"I liked our kid's effort out there today," Loyola Head Coach Charley Toomey said.
"We made a few too many mental mistakes but we competed and played hard, and we look
forward to hosting Towson next week."
A Hicks goal put Notre Dame up, 1-0, 6:12 into the game. The Greyhounds would
quickly respond, though, as Daly made a nice move in the open field to beat Rodgers
low and even the game at 1-1, two minutes later.
The Irish would take a 2-1 lead with 2:26 remaining in the first on a tally by
Hoff-- with the second assist coming from Duncan Swezey-- and David Earl would
quickly make it a two-goal deficit with an unassisted goal less than a minute later.
Loyola, though, proceeded with a 4-0 spurt over the next five minutes to claim a 5-3
lead. First, Eric Lusby received a feed from Finnerty to find the net with 0:25
seconds left in the first to trim the lead to Irish lead to 3-2.
Then, Finnerty opened the second with a goal of his own at the 13:43 mark. He
collected a groundball on a shot at the left side of the field and beat Rodgers high
to tie the game, 3-3.
Two minutes later, P.T. Ricci picked up a groundball in Loyola territory and raced
upfield, finding Cooper MacDonnell, who beat the keeper for a one-goal advantage.
On the ensuing face-off, John Schiavone controlled the draw and pushed toward the
goal, finding Finnerty for his second goal of the day to give Loyola a two-goal
cushion, 5-3.
Schiavone won 14-of-20 face-offs and Loyola won 16-of-22 chances for the game.
The Irish proceeded with three straight goals of their own over the next three-plus
minutes, with a pair of goals coming from Neil Hicks, to give the team a 6-5 lead
with 8:45 left in the half.
After nearly eight minutes of scoreless action, Loyola's Jake Willcox scored an
unassisted goal with 0:37 seconds remaining to even the teams at 6-6 going into
intermission.
Notre Dame's Grant Krebs opened up the third quarter with a goal just 13 seconds
into the period.
A goal by Finnerty--his third of the game--tied the match at 7-7 with 9:23 remaining
in the third. Midfielder Taylor Ebsary provided the assist.
The teams would go scoreless for the next nine minutes, before Notre Dame's David
Earl found the net with 21 seconds remaining for the 8-7 advantage going into the
final period.
Loyola goalkeeper Jake Hagelin started and played all 60 minutes, making 15 saves.
The Greyhounds picked up 26 groundballs for the game, with a team-high six from
Ricci and four from Taylor Ebsary.
Four players provided the scoring for Notre Dame, with Hicks and Krebs scoring three
each and Earl and Hoff adding a pair.
The Greyhounds return to action on Saturday when they host neighbor Towson at 1 p.m.
on ESPNU at Diane Geppi-Aikens Field.
Source: Loyola Athletic Communications
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