Villanova Comeback Stuns Dragons, 15-13

Tuesday, February 28

Vidas Field

5 p.m.

Drexel University

0-3

Villanova

1-3

Villanova

Drexel

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

2/28/2017 8:13:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score

Philadelphia - Villanova scored seven-straight second-half goals and came back from a five-goal deficit to defeat Drexel, 15-13, at Vidas Field on a rainy Tuesday night. The Dragons led 10-5 early in the third and then by four late in the quarter before the Wildcats' comeback handed Drexel its third-straight loss to start 2017.

Down by four late in the third, Villanova (1-3) scored two goals, the second coming with just 1.2 seconds to trim the lead to 12-10. Christian Cuccinello scored with the man advantage with :38 to go in the period and then Danny Seibel got on the board right before the end of the frame. That swung the momentum in favor of the Wildcats heading into the final 15. Neither team could score in the first five minutes of the fourth, but Villanova's Jake Froccaro scored two goals in a span of :19, the second coming on the man-up to even the score. It was the fourth man-up goal of the game for Villanova. Jack Curran would then put the 'Cats up for good at 13-12 with a goal at the 6:39 mark. Joey Froccaro got Villanova an insurance goal 4:25 to go and Connor Kirst iced it with his second of the day with just 1:39 on the clock. Drexel won the next face off and Cole Shafer scored his fourth of the day to cut it to 15-13, but that was as close as Drexel would get as Villanova earned the unlikely victory.

Drexel scored five-straight goals of its own over the final seven minutes of the first half and the first four of the third quarter to take what looked like a commanding five-goal lead at 10-5. Will Manganiello, Cole Shafer and Reid Bowering scored within four minutes of each other to make it 8-5 Drexel at the half. Cam Harris started the scoring in the second half at the 13:49 mark and Chris McLallen's third score of the year put Drexel up by five. However, the Wildcats got back in the game late in the half, due in part to Drexel penalties. Kirst and Curran each scored on the man-up and Jake Froccaro added an even strength goal as the Wildcats cut the deficit to two and got back in the game. Drexel responded with two man up goals of its own both set up by McLallen. Robert Frazee got the first score and Shafer got the second, putting DU up 12-8. However, that would be Drexel's last goal for a span of more than 15 minutes.

Shafer's four goals give him 91 in his career, tying Bob Paridis for 12^th on Drexel's career goal list. Frazee, Manganiello and Bowering each scored twice, while McLallen had a goal to go with his two assists. Jimmy Joe Granito made 10 saves for Drexel in the cage.

Seibel and Jake Frocarro each scored three goals, while Curran finished with a pair and three assists. Joey Frocarro scored twice and assisted on another as the 'Cats finished 4-for-8 with the man-up. The Wildcats outshot Drexel, 42-30, and won 17 of the 31 face-offs.

The Dragons will look to get into the win column on Saturday when they visit Marist in a non-league game at 1 p.m.