Close game for Geneseo men's lacrosse against Nazareth University

Photo courtesy of the Geneseo Website

On Saturday, Apr. 12, the men’s lacrosse team traveled to Nazareth University to play in another Empire 8 tournament game. Although the Knights returned home without a win, the match was an exciting and close one. 

With a quick faceoff from junior face-off specialist (FOS) Jake Starkey, the ball was lost to Nazareth, who immediately attempted to shoot on goal. Senior goalkeeper Andrew Tittmann denied the attempt at a goal. Subsequently, Tittmann kept Nazareth at bay for the first few minutes of the game, making save after save, blocking each of Nazareth’s unsuccessful shots at goal. 

After two successful attempts at the goal, it was Geneseo’s time to gain possession of the ball at the face-off. Starkey successfully and quickly won the face-off, grabbed the ball from the ground, and got it out to his midfielders to bring it up the field. Defensively, Geneseo pressured Nazareth enough for them to drop the ball and attempt passes that resulted in incompletes. Nazareth began to panic and was given penalties for being offside in an effort to get the ball back. 

With about three minutes left in the first quarter, sophomore midfielder Jake Perinchief gave a quick side pass to sophomore attackman Alex Johnson for a strong snap to hit the pack of the net for Geneseo’s first, but not last, goal of the day. The rest of the first quarter was uneventful. With a few unsuccessful shots on goal and ground ball grabs, Geneseo was ready to come back in full swing for the second quarter. 

This quarter’s first point on the board was proudly awarded to Geneseo with a burst up the field from senior attackman Riley Henselder, who had a powerful shot on the edge of the crease through the goalie's stick. Nazareth grew worried as Geneseo came into the second quarter with a full head of steam; it paid off, as a few minutes later, after both sides had attempted goals on the shot, Henselder had another good run resulting in another point. 

Geneseo lost possession of the ball during the faceoff but quickly got it back with a turnover from a ground ball picked by junior defender Josh Knapp. Knapp got it out of center field and sent it to freshman attackman Aksel Stanat for an overhead corner shot to tie the game and end the second quarter. With a quick face-off win in favor of Geneseo, the second quarter was on the way, but Geneseo quickly lost possession. 

Nazareth had missed goal after missed goal thanks to Geneseo’s strong defense and last-line defense, Tittman, who successfully blocked most of the shots on goal. After a successful face-off, Knapp was able to get the ball past the defense for a middle shot with a sidearm before the start of the game’s last quarter. 

Another faceoff win by Starkey to get Geneseo possession of the ball occurred before it was sent out to midfield for Heselder to score for a hat trick with an assist from Perinchief. Geneseo and Henselder were on fire as he scored again, slowly but surely catching up to the competition. 

With a quick turnover from a ground ball, the Knights brought the ball up to the field, setting up Junior midfielder Max Esposito for a goal with some help from sophomore Midfielder Colin Cahill. 

With one more goal from Nazareth, Geneseo responded with the last goal of the day. Stanat stole a ground ball, took it up the field, and gave it to junior attackman Ryan Trebing, who took control of the crease side shot through the cage. 

Unfortunately, Geneseo left Nazareth with a close score of 10-9 in favor of the opposition, though the Knights put on a good show. The lacrosse team plays another Empire 8 game on Apr. 19, against SUNY Polytechnic Institute at home in the College Stadium at 1:00 PM.