Loyola defeats Towson 15-7

Mark Bloomquist

	1	2	3	4	F
Loyola	6	4	2	3	15
Towson	4	2	0	1	7

(click on player names & thumbnails to display enlargements)

By from press releases

(3/30/2002 TOWSON, Md.)  Michael Sullivan and Grant Halford each scored three goals and Loyola used  first-half scoring runs of 5-0 and 4-0 to take control as the Greyhounds defeated rival Towson, 15-7, in a Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) men's lacrosse game at Minnegan Stadium Saturday afternoon.

The fourth-ranked Greyhounds (7-0, 4-0 CAA) trailed just once (2-1 early in the first quarter) in handing the Tigers (3-3, 1-1 CAA) their worst defeat in the long-time series between the two teams since the 1997 season. Loyola led 10-6 at halftime, then held the powerful Towson offense to just one goal, a Colin Meerholz score early in the fourth quarter, in the entire second half.

Trailing by one early, Loyola scored five consecutive goals in a six-minute span of the first quarter, including goals by freshmen Halford and Matt White, to take a 6-2 lead. Towson then cut the Greyhound lead back to one thanks to consecutive goals by Peyton Chane and an early-second quarter score from Brad Reppert, but the Greyhounds then scored the next four goals in a five-minute span to reestablish a big lead. Parker Adams, Sullivan, Halford and Stephen Brundage had the goals in that stretch late in the second quarter.

The Greyhound defense then held strong in the third quarter, staving off three Towson extra-man opportunities early and holding an opponent scoreless in a quarter for the eighth time in seven games this season. Loyola then got big goals from Sullivan and Halford midway through the quarter to lead 12-6 after three, and Meerholz's goal early in the fourth brought Towson as close as it would get.

Jim Fink, Brundage and Summers each added two goals for the Greyhounds, who connected on 15 of their 39 shots (38 percent) against three different Tiger goalies. Seven different Loyola players recorded an assist, led by three from Summers, as the Greyhounds had an assist on 12 of their 15 goals.

Ryan Obloj and Chane each had two goals for Towson, which has seen all three of its losses this year come to Top 5 teams. The Tigers' two leading scorers, Reppert and Kyle Campbell, entered the game with a combined 33 goals but had just two against the Greyhounds. Campbell took a few heavy checks early in the game and played intermittently thereafter. One of those checks left him prone in his offensive end while play headed back up field, causing much concern on the Towson bench.

Loyola goalie Mark Bloomquist also recorded a career-high 18 saves despite a dislocated finger on his right hand sustained in practice Thursday. The Greyhounds also held Towson team that entered the game with a 50 percent efficiency rating on man-up offense to an 0-for-5 performance on extra-man situations.

Chris Summers & Adam Baxter

GOALS: LC - Grant Halford 3, Michael Sullivan 3, Stephen Brundage 2, Jim Fink 2, Chris Summers 2, Joey Case, Parker Adams, Matt White. TU - Ryan Obloj 2, Peyton Chane 2, Kyle Campbell, Brad Reppert, Collin Meerholz.

ASSISTS: LC - Chris Summers 3, Parker Adams 2, Stephen Brundage 2, Michael Sullivan, Ryan Fisher, Joey Case, Kevin Roy. TU - Brian Myers, Brad Monaco.

 

SAVES: LC - Mark Bloomquist 18 saves, 7 goals allowed (59:30), Mike Fretwell 1 save, allowed 0 goals (0:30) .TU - John Hunt 3 saves, 8 goals (25:00), Reed Sothoron 7 saves, 7 goals allowed (34:00), Joe Smith 0 saves, 0 goals allowed (1:00). 

 

SHOTS: LC 39, TU 35. 

GROUND BALLS: LC 40, TU 40. 

FACEOFFS: LC 14, TU 11. 

PENALTIES: LC 5 for 3:00, TU 3 for 3:00. 

EXTRA MAN GOALS: LC 1 of 3, TU 0 of 5. 

CLEARS/FAILED: LC 19/2, TU 13/2.

 TURNOVERS: LC 16, TU 16. 

RECORDS: Loyola 7-0 (4-0), Towson 3-3 (1-1). 

ATTENDANCE: 2,054