Mailman and Blumenthal Help Lead Drexel Past No. 11 Villanova

Sunday, March 10

Vidas Field

12 p.m.

Drexel University

3-3

#11 Villanova

3-3

Villanova

Drexel

Mailman and Blumenthal Help Lead Drexel Past No. 11 Villanova

3/10/2019 2:02:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA – Collin Mailman had a career-high four goals as Drexel rallied from a three-goal deficit to defeat No. 11 Villanova, 15-10. The Dragons scored eight straight goals after falling behind 6-3 and never looked back. Ross Blumenthal made a career-high 13 saves, including six in the third quarter, and Jimmeh Koita won 13 of the final 17 face offs as the Dragons improved their record to 3-3.

Villanova (3-3) opened up a 5-2 lead in the first quarter. Connor Kirst scored four of those goals as the Wildcats were able to dominate possession in the early going. The 'Cats won the first eight face-offs of the contest and appeared to control the game. Matt Varian's unassisted goal with 1:51 to play gave the Dragons some momentum at the end of the quarter. Varian extended his streak of games with a goal to 19, the fifth longest streak in the nation.

Kirst was at it again to start quarter number two as he scored his fifth goal of the day just 38 seconds in. That would be the last goal for the visitors for a stretch of 19:40. Drexel's defense clamped down and the offense started getting possession. The Dragons scored the final six goals of the quarter, by six different players, to take a 9-6 lead at intermission. Reid Bowering started the Dragons run and Mailman scored his second with 11:24 to go in the second. He was hit late, resulting in a penalty, and the Dragons took advantage. Marshal King made a nifty feed to Matt Soran at the top of the crease and the senior tied the game. Ryan Genord was the next Dragon to score when he found himself open on the left side. He took two steps in and fired a rocket past Will Vitton, putting the Dragons ahead for good. Minutes later, Villanova had what looked like a good opportunity deep in Drexel's end. However, Will Stabbert caused a turnover and it led to a transition goal by long-pole Nolan Fox. It would be the first of two goals on the day from Fox. Cam Harris concluded the first half scoring with a left-handed score from about 12 yards out, giving the Dragons a 9-6 lead.

The Wildcats couldn't get any closer than four goals the rest of the way as face-off man Jimmeh Koita bounced back from a tough start to control the game the rest of the way. He won nine of the first 11 face-off in the second half and Drexel capitalized with six second-half goals. Freshman Jack Mulcahy and Mailman each found the cage in the opening five minutes of the third. Villanova's Eric Overbay finally snapped the 'Cats scoreless streak midway through the third to make it an 11-7 game. Soran increased the lead to five with another man-up goal, his fifth extra man score of the season. The teams would swap the final six goals of the game as the Dragons snapped a five-game losing streak to their rivals from the Main Line.

Blumenthal, in just his second career game, started off slow, but frustrated the Wildcats with some big saves down the stretch. He turned aside nine shots in the second half and picked up his second win of the weekend. Koita finished the game 13-for-25 and had a game-high 10 ground balls. Drexel's high-scoring trio of King, Bowering and Varian were each held to just one goals, but the Dragons balanced attack had 10 players scored at least one goal in the game. King did hand out three assists and finished with four points.

Kirst led Villanova with five goals. Overbay added two, while Matt Campbell had a goal and an assist. Villanova outshot Drexel, 41-32.

The Dragons will have another tough test next weekend when they travel to Washington, D.C. to face No. 18 Georgetown.