Box Score

Hamilton College 10, Utica College 5 - Men's Lacrosse Final - 3rd Annual Contineer Cup

Utica, NY (4/24/2013) – The Utica College men's lacrosse team led 5-3 late in the third quarter but visiting Hamilton College rallied with seven unanswered goals in the third and fourth quarters to earn a 10-5 victory in the third annual Contineer Cup on Wednesday night.  UC senior Ben Winkler (Rodman, NY/IHC) netted a team-high three goals to pace the Pioneers.  Utica (8-6, 3-3 Empire 8) will take on St. John Fisher College in Empire 8 Conference action on Saturday with a bid into the coveted conference tournament hanging in the balance. 

Utica's Justin Edelstein (Hartsdale, NY/Harvey School) and Trent Jacobs (Akwesasne/Brewster Academy) also added two goals for the Pioneers, who are just one win shy of setting a new program record for wins in a single season. 

Hamilton improved to 9-6 overall as three different Continentals netted at least two goals. Connor Morgan led the way with three goals, while Bryan Hopper and Luke Walsh each tallied a pair.  All three of Morgan's goals came consecutively, as he netted the Continentals final goal of the third quarter as well as their first two goals of the fourth. 

The Pioneers led 5-3 after Winkler scored his 37th of the season with 2:41 left in the third quarter, but just ten seconds later Morgan put the Continentals on his back to guide them to victory. All three of Morgan's goals came in a span of 8:33 to give Hamilton a 6-5 lead with 8:57 to go in the contest. 

The visitors never looked back from that point forward as Hopper, Walsh, John Zimmerman and Ryan McCausland each scored in the fourth quarter to help the Continentals earn the five goal victory. 

With the score knotted at 3-3 in the third quarter, UC's Trent Jacobs (Akwesasne/Brewster Academy) and Winkler score back-to-back goals in a span of 20 seconds to put the Pioneers' in the driver's seat, 5-3.

UC led 2-1 at the end of the first quarter and maintained a 3-2 lead at the half, after both teams exchanged second quarter goals. 

Hamilton controlled possession in the fourth quarter and outshot the Pioneers 16-2 in the 15 minute stretch. 

Hamilton reserve goalie Barrett Meister, who entered the game having played in just two contests all year, came on early in the second quarter and shined for the Continentals after an injury to starting netminder Will Driscoll.  Meister finished the day with five saves to earn his first win of the year.

Utica sophomore goalie Andrew DiOrio (Greenlawn, NY/CW Post) stopped ten shots in the loss.  David Craig (Brewerton, NY/Paul V. Moore) and Zach Stevenson each registered five ground balls for UC and Stevenson also won 10-of-19 face-offs.  Sean Flanagan (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) caused three turnovers for the Pioneers. 

Utica will wrap up regular season play against the Cardinals of St. John Fisher on Saturday at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium.  The first face-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.