Drexel University Athletics
Drexel University
Albany
No. 14 Men's Lax Downs Albany, 7-6, for Sixth Straight Win
3/15/2008 3:35:52 PM | Men's Lacrosse
Andrew Chapman scored three times, including what proved to be the game winner with 2:18 to play, as 14th-ranked Drexel defeated Albany on the road, 7-6. It was the sixth straight win for the Dragons, who are now 6-1 on the season.
Drexel and Albany were tied at 5-5 entering the final period, but with 6:42 to play Ron Garling took a feed from Joe Wojciechowski to give the Dragons a 6-5 lead. Wojciechowski then set up Chapman's third goal of the game to put Drexel up by a pair in the final minutes. The Great Danes, who have now lost four straight one-goal games to nationally ranked opponents, cut the lead to one in the final seconds when Mike Ammann scored an unassisted goal. The Dragons sent preseason All-American Steve Grossi, a long stick middie, out to take the final face off and he was able to contain the man and Albany was unable to get a shot off.
The Great Danes (0-5) scored the final two goals of the half to take a lead into intermission. Brian Caufield beat Bruce Bickford with just 27 seconds left to make it a 4-3 game. The lead didn't last long as Colin Ambler and Kevin Dart scored goals within 23 seconds in the early stages of the third quarter. That lead held up until the 5:41 mark of the third, when Albany's Kyle Crotty tied it at 5-5.
Albany had its chances early and had a three-man advantage at one point in the first quarter but was unable to score. The teams ended the first period tied at 1-1.
As has been the story all year, the Drexel defense was again the story. Albany was held to just 25 shots and Bickford made nine saves in the cage for the Dragons. The Great Danes scored on just one of their six man-up opportunities in the contest. The defensive unit, led by Grossi, Brian Neary, Brian McWilliams, Matt McCormick, Dart and Brendan Baker played one of its best games of the young season.
Ambler added a pair of goals for Drexel, while Steve Ammann had two goals and an assist for the Great Danes. The teams split the 16 face-offs taken in the game. Albany keeper Brett Queener had seven saves in just under 58 minutes. Jordan Levine, Albany's Preseason All-America midfielder, was held to just two shots as Grossi played an outstanding game on him defensively.
