Second Half Rally Propels No. 10 Towson Past Drexel, 11-7

Saturday, April 2

Towson, Md.

12:00

Drexel University

4-6, 0-1CAA

#10 Towson

9-1, 1-0CAA

Drexel

Towson

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Second Half Rally Propels No. 10 Towson Past Drexel, 11-7

4/2/2016 1:57:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score

Towson, Md. - The tenth-ranked Towson Tigers scored six straight goals in the second half to erase a two-goal deficit and defeated Drexel, 11-7, at Johnny Unitas Stadium. It was the Colonial Athletic Association opener for both teams. Will Manganiello and Matthew Varian each scored twice for the Dragons (4-6). Joe Seider had three goals for the Tigers, who improved to 9-1.

Drexel took a two-goal lead midway through the third quarter. Cole Shafer fired home a shot from a tough angle on the left side to give Drexel its first lead of the game. Manganiello made it 5-3 with 8:13 left to play in the quarter and the Dragons looked to be in good shape. However, that goal would be the last for the visitors for more than 17 minutes as the Tigers went on a 6-0 run to take control of the game. Mike Lynch scored on a rebound off the post and with less than two minutes to play, Spencer Parks evened the score at five. The fourth quarter was all Towson as Seider scored a pair of goals, while Ryan Drenner set up the next two to give the Tigers a commanding 9-5 lead. Tyler Young and Tyler Konen were the recipients of Drenner's assists. The Dragons finally broke the drought when Joseph Rainoldi scored to make it 9-6 with just under six minutes left in the game. Drexel wouldn't be able to get any closer the rest of the way.

The teams alternated scoring the first four goals of the game. Drenner opened the scoring at the 8:28 mark to give Towson the early lead. Manganiello answered a minute later to even the score. Towson took the lead late in the quarter when Jon Mazza shook a defender and walked in from straight on and beat Drexel keeper Jimmy Joe Granito. The Dragons' defense tightened after that as it held the Tigers scoreless for the next 15 minutes. During that time, Drexe's Varian scored twice to give the Dragons the lead. His first goal came on the extra man as Mason Pynn hit a cutting Varian him from behind the net. The Tigers were able to tie it right before intermission when Seider scored his first of the game in the final minute.

Granito kept the Dragons in the game with his play in the first half. He turned aside nine of his career-best 16 saves in the first half. Tyler White made five saves for the Tigers, who outshot Drexel, 46-24, in the game. The Tigers controlled possession throughout as they won 16 of the 21 face-offs in the game.

Drexel will return to CAA action next weekend. The Dragons will head to New England to face Fairfield on Saturday afternoon.