Sacred Heart
5-6
Hartford
7-5
Rigor's Game-Winner In Third Overtime Powers Pioneers To 9-8 Win At Hartford
4/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Sophomore attack Jerome Rigor (Pleasanton, Calif.) scored 1:26 into the third overtime Tuesday night to give the Sacred Heart men's lacrosse team a 9-8 win over the Hartford Hawks at Al-Marzook Field. The win snaps the Pioneers' three-game losing streak.
Tuesday night's win was Sacred Heart's first multiple-overtime win since the Pioneers beat Villanova 9-8 in five overtimes on March 28, 2009. Rigor had three points in the game on a goal and two assists. Julian Garritano (Markham, Ont.) had a career-high four goals and five points. Brian Masi (Smithtown, N.Y.) had four points on two goals and two assists. Jon Flood (Bay Shore, N.Y.) made 11 saves in goal.
Both goalies – Flood for Sacred Heart (5-6) and Ryan Vanderford for Hartford – were on point in the first quarter with each making four saves. It was Sacred Heart that was able to score the only goal of the opening period, as Masi fired a Bryce Jurk (Burlington, Ont.) feed past Vanderford to give the Pioneers the lead. Hartford (7-5) responded with a three-goal run to start the second quarter. Griffin Feiner scored two of the three goals, as Justin Huggins' tally at the 8:54 mark put the Hawks ahead 3-1. Sacred Heart closed to within a goal with 5:35 remaining in the half on a goal by Alex Dodge (Smithtown, N.Y.). Mike Calvagna (Holbrook, N.Y.) won the next faceoff, and nearly one minute later Jurk almost tied the game but Vanderford stopped his shot. Flood did his part to keep the deficit at one, making two saves in the final three minutes to keep the score 3-2 heading into halftime.
Sacred Heart tied the game at the 11:26 mark of the third quarter. Masi found Garritano for his first goal of the game, making the score 3-3. Just over three minutes later, Garritano put the Pioneers ahead 4-3 with his second straight goal at the 8:20 mark. The Hawks tied the game with 7:13 to play in the third on a goal by Kevin O'Shea. Garritano scored again at the 6:06 mark to put Sacred Heart ahead 5-4, cutting to the crease to score a quick-stick goal with an assist from Rigor. Hartford responded to Garritano's third goal with back-to-back goals, as another O'Shea tally gave the Hawks a 6-5 advantage with 3:07 left in the quarter. Sacred Heart had three chances to tie the game in the final minute of the third, but Vanderford made two saves as Dodge hit the crossbar.
The Pioneers tied the game, 6-6, 50 seconds into the fourth quarter as Garritano found Masi for his second goal of the game. Hartford took back the lead with 10:45 to play on a Trevor O'Brien goal, making the score 7-6. Sacred Heart took advantage of a Hartford turnover to tie the game 7-7 with 8:23 remaining. Reed Avveduti (Niskayuna, N.Y.) found a cutting Ian Farley (Camillus, N.Y.) right in front of the Hawks' net for the tying goal. Sacred Heart then took an 8-7 lead with 4:37 to play when Rigor found Garritano for his fourth goal of the game. Hartford tied the game with 2:55 left in regulation as Kevin O'Shea fired home an Alec Brown pass to make the score 8-8. Hartford had the last shot in regulation, but Justin Huggins fired it wide to send the game to overtime.
Sacred Heart had the first possession of overtime, with Masi firing a shot with 2:24 to play that was saved by Vanderford. Hartford then went down the field, only to have Flood stop a shot by Feiner. The Pioneers turned the ball over on their next possession, but kept Hartford from getting a shot in the final seconds of overtime to force a second extra period. The two teams traded turnovers to start the second overtime. Hartford had the first shot of the period with 1:36 remaining, as Matt Carroll had a shot saved by Flood. The Pioneers held for the last shot of the second overtime, but a turnover in the final 30 seconds sent the game to a third overtime.
After trading quick turnovers to start the third overtime, the Pioneers had the first possession of the period. Masi found a cutting Rigor with 2:34 remaining, with Rigor burying the game-winning goal to give Sacred Heart the 9-8 win.
Hartford outshot Sacred Heart 33-28 for the game. Each team collected 25 groundballs, with the Hawks holding a 12-11 edge in faceoffs. O'Shea led Hartford with three goals and two assists. Vanderford made a game-high 14 saves in goal.
The Pioneers wrap up their current three-game road swing Saturday with a 1 p.m. game at Wagner.
