JSC Lax Opens Season with Win
Boston, Mass. (March 22, 2008) - *Portions of this article courtesy of Emerson College Sports Information
The Johnson State College men's lacrosse team opened their 2008 season with a big North Atlantic Conference road win over Emerson College 9-5 on Saturday. JSC received three goals from Erik Tillberg (So., Randolph, Vt./Randolph) to lead the way.
Johnson State opened the scoring just 55 seconds into the game on a goal by Billy Noyes (So., Boston, Mass./Northeast Metro Tech) on an assist from Kegan Pettit (Sr., South Freeport, Maine/Freeport). A Bo Dietrick (Fr., Indianapolis, Ind.) goal at the 7:19 mark on an assist by Joe Greaney (Jr., Medfield, Mass.) tied the score, but the Badgers scored the next four goals to take a 5-1 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Badgers added two more in the second stanza while holding Emerson to one shot, a goal by Josh Anderson (Fr., Underhill Center, Vt.), in the 15 minute session.
The teams traded third period markers with Austin Ahlborg (So., North Kingstown, R.I.) pulling Emerson to within three goals, but Steve Noyes (So., Barre, Vt./Spaulding) answering for the Badgers 6:19 later. Emerson scored the first two goals of the fourth quarter in extra man situations with Greaney getting the first and Zach D'Agostino (Fr., Sandy Hook, Conn.) netting the second to pull the Lions to within 8-5 with 10:41 remaining. Tillberg scored the third of his three goals with 31 seconds remaining to ice the game for Johnson State.
JSC outshot Emerson 42-28 and won the groundball battle with a significant 44-26 margin.
Evan Pestone (Sr., Cohasset, Mass./Cohasset) had a strong effort in net for JSC making 10 saves for the Badgers while Braden Campbell (Fr., Northfield, N.J.) had 16 saves for the Lions.
Billy Noyes finished the day with four points with two goals and two assists while Matt Riani (Jr., Jericho, Vt./Mount Mansfield) had a goal and two assists. Pettit had a goal and an assist , Branden Sawyer (So., East Greenwich, R.I./East Greenwich) scored a goal, and Matt Martin (Sr., Vergennes, Vt./Middlebury) had an assist to help propel a balanced JSC offensive attack.
Johnson State next travels to Maine Maritime Academy Saturday, March 29, for a 1:00 pm face-off. Emerson next faces Mount Ida College on Tuesday at 5:00 pm in a home game.