JSC Moves to 2-0 With Win at MMA
Sophomore Mike Murphy scored the game-winner in the Badgers come-from-behind 11-10 double overtime win at Maine Maritime on Saturday
Castine, Maine (March 29, 2008)
Johnson State erased a five-goal deficit in the second half and Mike Murphy (So., Woodstock, Vt./Woodstock) scored the game-winner in the second overtime to lift the Badgers to a thrilling 11-10 North Atlantic Conference lacrosse win. With the victory the Badgers move to 2-0 (2-0 NAC) and sit in an early first place tie with Mount Ida atop the NAC standings.
The Badgers came out of the gate slowly committing numerous early penalties which led to a 3-0 Maine Maritme lead in the first period.
JSC would cut the lead to 5-3 in the second period on a goal by Billy Noyes (So., Boston, Mass./Northeast Metro Tech), his second of the game. MMA responded with three quick goals to push the margin to 8-3. Noyes scored his third goal and which was followed by a goal by Matt Martin (Sr., Vergennes, Vt./Middlebury) to cut the lead to 8-5 headed into the half.
The Mariners would score the first two goals of the second half to create a 10-5 score with 5:08 to play in the third. This set the stage for JSC comeback.
Noyes netted his fourth score of the day with 2:10 left in the third period to start the JSC surge. A Kegan Pettit (Sr., South Freeport, Maine/Freeport) goal followed by a score by Erik Tillberg (So., Randolph, Vt./Randolph) made the tally 10-8 and had the Badgers feeling energized.
Steve Noyes (So., Barre, Vt./Spaulding) scored with 3:12 to cut the lead to one and then Billy Noyes tied it, Noyes' fifth score in the contest, with 1:26 left in the game.
The end of regulation would come and the first overtime would pass with the score tied at 10-10. The Badgers dominated possession throughout the first overtime minus one MMA breakout during which goalkeeper Evan Pestone (Sr., Cohasset, Mass./Cohasset) made a tremendous save and preserve the tie.
Into the second overtime the teams would go with Johnson State continuing to possess the ball. With 1:06 remaining Murphy drove from behind the net to his right hand and fired from 15 feet to beat MMA goalie Patrick Jones and give the Badgers the big win.
Pestone was outstanding throughout the contest making 15 saves and get the win while Jones made 10 stops for MMA (2-2, 2-1 NAC) in the loss.
B. Noyes added an assist and seven groundballs to his five goals on the day while Tillberg scored two goals and had two assists as well as eight groundballs. S. Noyes led the Badgers in groundballs on the day with nine and had a goal and two assists. Martin finished with a goal and an assist while Pettit and Murphy finished with a goal apiece.
Johnson State will travel to Daniel Webster on Thursday, April 3rd in the next contest at 3:00 pm in Nashua, N.H.