Dolphins Win Third NE10 Championship in Last Four Seasons.
GARDEN CITY, N.Y. - For the third time in the last four seasons, the Le Moyne men's lacrosse team became Northeast 10 Conference champions after a hardfought 11-9 victory over Adelphi in the championship game on Saturday afternoon at Motamed Field. The Dolphins were No. 3 in the USILA Poll entering the game, while the Panthers were ranked No. 2.
It was Adelphi (16-2) who held a 4-2 lead after the opening 12 minutes of action, but two late goals from the Dolphins (15-2) made it an even contest after the first quarter. Gordon Purdie Jr. got the Panthers on the board first but the home team fell victim to late turnovers, giving Le Moyne offensive opportunities down the stretch to make it four-all after 15 minutes of action.
The Dolphins held the Panthers scoreless for nearly ten minutes as they took hold of the lead in the second frame, going ahead by two tallies until Ian Kirby found the back of the net to cut the deficit in half. It was the game-high scorer Matt Hutchings who notched his hat trick goal before heading into the break, giving Le Moyne a two-goal advantage at halftime.
The 'Phins, who captured their 14th conference title this year, used their first half momentum to score the next four goals, padding their lead to make it an 11-5 game with under five left in the third quarter. Purdie Jr. and Kirby broke the silence for Adelphi, scoring the final two of the frame, but the home team still trailed by four with just one quarter of regulation remaining.
Adelphi rattled off four unanswered goals between the third and fourth quarters, all the while holding Le Moyne scoreless for the last quarter. Brendan McDougal came up with four big stops in 15 minutes, but the Dolphins were able to play keep-away for a period of time, not allowing the Panthers to have more chances on offense. Michael Paccione and John Arcidiacono scored the lone tallies in the final frame, but it was not enough to overcome the visitor lead.
The Panthers appeared in the finals for the sixth time in the 10-year history of being apart of the NE10, adding their third runner-up trophy to the cabinet. For the Dolphins, it is their 14th NE10 championship in 18 trips to the championship game.
Both teams await their fate in the NCAA Tournament, which will be determined Sunday evening with the NCAA Selection Show. The men's show will air at 7:30 p.m. with the women's show following at 8:30 p.m.
ON TOP AGAIN!
— The NE10 (@TheNortheast10) May 4, 2019
Intense game in Garden City goes to @LeMoyneDolphins! They win their third NE10 �� in the last four years. #NE10EMBRACE pic.twitter.com/ba1jXYhyJu
All-Championship Team
Riley Smith, Le Moyne - MVP
Andrew French, Le Moyne
Sam Kury, Le Moyne
Michael Papach, Adelphi
Gordon Purdie, Jr., Adelphi
Davis Cronin, Merrimack
Dan Keenan, Pace
NE10 Men's Lacrosse Championship
Saturday, April 27th
First Round
Game 1: #3 Merrimack 14, #6 Saint Anselm 8
Game 2: #4 Pace 16, #5 Bentley 10
Wednesday, May 1st
Semifinals
Game 3: #1 Adelphi 15, #4 Pace 12
Game 4: #2 Le Moyne 12, #3 Merrimack 11
Saturday, May 4th
Championship at Highest Remaining Seed
Game 5: #2 Le Moyne 11, #1 Adelphi 9
-Information for recap provided by Adelphi athletic communications staff-
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 15 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.