STA Defeats West Genesee

April 29, 2008

St. Albans traveled to upstate New York on Saturday, April 26 and returned with a 6-4 victory over national power West Genesee, which has been ranked Number 1 in the country by Inside Lacrosse for much of the season and is ranked 8th this week. The following game recap is provided courtesy of the West Genesee Wildcat website: View Game Photos
Bulldogs Take a Bite Out of Cats 6 - 4
The West Genesee Wildcats hosted the St. Alban’s Bulldogs, a prep school out of Washington D.C., on the carpet at West Genesee stadium on a brilliant Saturday morning and it was the guest Bulldog’s making the most of their visit with a 6-4 victory over the Cats. St. Alban’s struck early in the game 1-0 at 11:06 when senior midfielder Matt Miller backed in his defender and snuck a low shot past junior Wildcat goalie Steve Mahle. Less than a minute later at 10:15 it was sophomore midfielder Pat Dougherty wrapping around the right post adding an unassisted goal for a 2-0 lead.

Genny used a mini run of their own with 6:51 to go when senior attackman Matt Lebduska took a feed from junior midfielder Matt McCabe who was behind the St. Alban’s goal and redirected it past senior goalie Guy Van Syckle’s stick side.

Senior captain midfielder Luke Cometti knotted the score 2-2 with 6:29 remaining when he barreled toward the Bulldog’s net, withstood several hits, then used a one-handed backhand shot that eluded Van Syckle.The Bulldogs would waste little time with 6:18 to go regaining the lead when junior long-stick midfielder Roger Ferguson scooped up the ball off the ensuing face-off, ran unabated into the Cat’s end and fired a shot past Mahle for a 3-2 lead. Genny had several late opportunities for the tying goal but Van Syckle made two point blank stops to keep the Cats in check to end the first quarter.

The Wildcats opened the second quarter with a flurry of opportunities, the first when senior midfielder Tim Besio sped in uncovered from the sideline, took a pass in front while wide open, but lost the ball out of his stick in the act of shooting. At 10:19 Lebduska followed with a laser that beat Van Syckle but ricocheted off the left post. Lebduska followed with another near miss at 9:03, then it was junior midfielder Ryan McConnell who took a Lebduska pass with 6:30 to go and ripped it wide.

St. Alban’s returned the favor after the half with an offensive burst of their own but Mahle bailed the Cats out making three stops right on the doorstep to keep the Cats in the game. Genny did get an extra-man opportunity with 6:34 to go while St. Albans served a 30 second technical but couldn’t convert. The Bulldogs dodged the Cat’s man up attempt, then used a shot by senior midfielder Nick Dugan, whose shot dodged past Mahle on his stick side with 4:29 to go for a 4-2 lead. With only 2:58 to go in the half the Cats had another man-up advantage compliments of a 30 second push call and wasted little time converting at 2:42 as Cometti took a feed from senior attackman Ryan Garrett who was behind and ripped a shot past Van Syckle to cut the score to 4-3.

The Cats carried the momentum into the final quarter and tied the game at 4-4 with 9:21 to go when senior long-stick midfielder Jack Kennedy broke up a play at midfield, fed McCabe who found Lebduska who put a shot past Van Syckle.

But it was the Bulldog’s who answered back again at 9:14 on the ensuing face-off. Junior attackman Greg McKillop beat Mahle to put St.Alban’s ahead to stay 5-4.

West Genny’s last best chance came with two minutes left in the game as a double teamed Bulldog attackman lost his stick and the Cats advanced the ball into St. Alban’s end only to end the day with their 14th unforced turnover which in turn led to the Bulldog’s final goal with 38 seconds to go as senior midfielder and captain Matt Miller split a Cat’s double team and found senior attackman Bobby Kingsley wide open in front of Mahle for the final goal and a 6-4 win for the visitors from D.C.

1 2 3 4 Final
West Genesse 2 0 1 1 4
St. Albans 3 0 1 2 6