NGU edges UMO in final minutes of semifinal game

MOUNT OLIVE – In a Conference Carolinas Championship semifinal match under the lights, the No. 3 seeded University of Mount Olive men’s lacrosse team fell 17-15 to No. 2 seeded North Greenville on April 27 at the Ray McDonald Sr. Sports Complex. With the loss, the Trojans completed their season at 7-8 overall.

Mount Olive was first to score as junior Chapman Parker ripped a goal into the cage at the 11:02 mark, 1-0. On a man-up opportunity, Parker found freshman Benjamin Vanderkley to score the second goal of the game, 2-0. Given another man-up opportunity, senior Chaz Goodman found graduate student Braydon Hickey for a goal, 3-0. At the 7:05 mark, NGU netted its first goal, 3-1. In response, Parker scored his second goal of the game, 4-1. With back-to-back goals by the Crusaders, the score was within one, at the end of the first quarter, 4-3.

The second quarter continued to be a battle as both teams scored one after the other. The Trojans scored the initial two goals from Goodman and Vanderkley, 6-3. North Greenville then scored two more in response, 6-5. At the 6:34 mark, junior Jack Lewis put one past the keeper, 7-5. With two more goals by the Crusaders, the game was tied 7-7. Junior Aidan Lalonde found the net as he scored to put Mount Olive in the lead. NGU then tied the game with 49 seconds left on the clock, 8-8. With a perfect pass from Goodman, Parker cradled the ball with his back turned toward the cage. Having no room to turn, he shot between his legs, scoring his third goal of the game, 9-8.

At the start of the second half, the Crusaders scored at the 12:55 mark, 9-9. With back-to-back goals by senior Samuel Skousen and Hickey, the Trojans were up by two, 11-9. Leveling the match, NGU scored two more goals, 11-11. Closing the third quarter, goals from Parker and Lalonde put Mount Olive up by two, 13-11.

In the last frame, North Greenville was able to score six goals. With only two goals by the Trojans, made by Parker and Lalonde, the Crusaders edged UMO in the final minutes of the game, 17-15.

Parker finished the game with five goals, two assists and a groundball. Lalonde recorded a hat trick and Goodman finished the game with five assists and one goal.

Goalkeepers Jacob Brown and Kurtis Lensing finished the game with a total of nine saves will facing 26 shots on goal.

— From University of Mount Olive Athletics