Frostburg State University Athletics

DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – The Frostburg State Men's Lacrosse team stunned two seed Mercy on the road in the ECC Tournament Semifinals, scoring a late fourth quarter goal before netting an overtime winner in a 9-8 classic.
 
The Bobcats entered the game as the conference's three seed, going 10-6 overall and 4-2 in conference play, while the Mavericks were 9-5, also with a 4-2 ECC mark, earning the tiebreaker over FSU and Roberts Wesleyan via goal difference. MU was looking to avenge their 13-12 regular season loss in Bobcat Stadium on March 14, their first-ever defeat against Frostburg.
 
Mercy won the opening face-off but before they could get a shot away, junior Ryder Walter caused a turnover, eventually leading to senior Sean Mullineaux finding freshman Keegan Green for the opening goal. In similar fashion, FSU then took the resulting FO before turning the ball over, as the Mavericks hit the post before netting a solo goal to tie things up. The Bobcats looked to hit right back but sophomore Jack Laye fired high before his second shot was saved by Cameron Dorfman in goal, as MU scored at the other end to lead 2-1 after five minutes.
 
Dorfman made another stop to deny Frostburg, as his offense picked up an insurance goal through Devon Duchnowski to establish a two-score lead. Seeking to further their advantage in another face-off win, the Mavericks were halted by sophomore Jackson Kanzer causing a turnover, as junior Henry Sykes went on a solo run to pull the Bobcats within 3-2. Through the final six minutes of the period, each side turned the ball over a combined six times, with FSU controlling the shot count, though Dorfman continued to keep them at bay. As the buzzer sounded, junior Jack Smith made a late save in net to preserve the one-goal deficit headed to the second frame.
 
Mercy needed just 60 seconds to open the second on the front foot, reestablishing their two-goal cushion. The sides traded turnovers back-and-forth, as Walter, freshman Ayden Viscount, and junior Mike Gloeckler caused three of them, while Smith produced a pair of saves in a four-minute span. FSU looked to pull closer through the next three minutes, as Sykes had a shot blocked while Green and junior Luke Roach both fired wide before junior Logan Yost was denied by Dorfman.
 
Having survived the offensive surge, MU took full advantage at the other end, with Duchnowski putting another one home to go up 5-2. Walter ensured that the lead wouldn't grow further, earning another CT as Mullineaux again was the provider on a goal, this time to junior Hayden Celio to get back within two. Over the next two minutes, senior Matt Williams amped up the defensive pressure with a pair of caused turnovers, as Frostburg wasn't able to take advantage of a man-up opportunity, with Celio's shot saved by Dorfman. Getting back even, Mercy put two shots wide of Smith's goal, as senior Dan Rafferty and Williams forced another pair of TO's, as neither team managed to get an effort on target for the remainder of the half, with the score remaining 5-3.
 
Viscount won the opening face-off in the third quarter, as Green saw a shot go wide before a Bobcat turnover allowed Cole Hunsberger to net an MU goal to go back up three. Frostburg continued to frustrate the Maverick attack, as Viscount, Walter, and sophomore Brody Monroe caused turnovers over a five-minute span, while Dorfman kept FSU out through saves on Yost and Laye. Mercy thought they had furthered their advantage at the midway point of the period, but saw a shot cannon off the post, as the Bobcats quickly got themselves back in the game through Sykes hitting back-to-back goals 24 seconds apart off feeds from Roach and Celio, suddenly pulling within 6-5.
 
Hoping to keep the momentum going, Smith made another stop 30 seconds later, however the Bobcats couldn't get out of their own half, with Hunsberger passing to Matthew Magyar for an insurance goal. As the game became a back-and-forth affair, Mullineaux drew a save from Dorfman while Green put an effort over the bar before Roach produced a rocketed shot in getting the deficit down to one. The Mavericks peppered Smith's goal through the final three minutes, as the Williamsburg, Va. native was up to the task, producing a trio of stops to keep the score at 7-6 going to the fourth period.
 
Both teams opened the next quarter with a turnover, as Smith was the first called into action to make a save. Through the next three minutes, the only FSU shot came from Celio putting one wide, as Mercy did the same before forcing Smith into another stop. With possession and looking to tie things up, head coach Steve Gartelman called a timeout and drew up a play on offense, which worked to perfection as senior Graham Allison had his number called, firing past Dorfman for a 7-7 game.
 
With neither side giving the other much room for mistake, the Mavericks put two efforts wide while Sykes had one blocked, Celio just missed the mark and was denied by Dorfman, and graduate Tyrin Long had a blast go off the post. A minute later, it would be the hosts to get the go-ahead score, as Hunsberger found Duchnowski to lead by a goal with just under four minutes to go. Frostburg was given a great chance to equalize after winning the next face-off, as MU was whistled for a slashing penalty and one-minute of man-down defense.
 
Dorfman made a save on Yost to start things out, then after Green fired high, a turnover gave the ball back to Mercy with just under two minutes left. Looking to run out the clock, a timeout was called by the Mavericks, however their plans were blown up by Walter forcing a turnover, as Williams picked up the loose ball and put the Bobcats on the clear. In a chaotic sequence, junior Chase Kelly reacted quickest to pick up a loose ball, as he somehow was able to find Celio one-on-one against Dorfman, putting home the equalizing goal with just seven seconds on the clock and taking the game into overtime at 8-8.
 
Hoping to end things swiftly, Mercy won the all-important face-off to start the extra period, however Smith extended his stick out to break up a play and get Frostburg possession. After Roach shot high, junior Jack Hooks looked for the winning score, but Dorfman reacted in time to produce a stop. A misplaced pass from the Mavericks meant they weren't able to test Smith, as Walter picked up the groundball and Coach Gartelman took his bonus timeout to settle the team. Passing around the top of the zone, the Bobcats looked to take the final shot of the first period and nearly gave it away, but Long kept possession and ran at a defender, knocking him to the ground and creating enough space to fire past Dorfman and send the sideline into a frenzy with one second on the clock and a 9-8 final.
 
Sykes and Celio drove the offense with three points apiece on five combined goals and an assist. Walter and Williams had nine caused turnovers and eight groundballs between the pair, as Smith made nine saves in net to secure the victory.
 
FSU held a 39-35 edge in total shots with a 23-17 advantage in efforts on goal while forcing 26 MU turnovers.
 
With the win, Frostburg improves to 11-6 on the year, while Mercy concludes their season at 9-6. The Bobcats next will head to the ECC Championship Game on Saturday, May 2, where they will face top-seeded Molloy at 12 p.m. from Rockville Centre, NY. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.