Drexel pulls away with a big final quarter, 12-11. The #18 UMass Minutemen (3-2, 3-1) went into University City to do battle with Conference rival The Drexel Dragons (4-2, 2-2). The offense for both squads took the first half to got untracked but, when they did, did they ever!
Aidan Coll (3g) scored just :33 in to boost the Dragons to a 1-0 lead. Neither team could hit paydirt for almost six minutes until Jeff Trainor (2g) beat Dragon netminder, Ross Blumenthal. Zack Hoffman (1g) secured the ensuing faceoff and rumbled down the turf to give UMass a 2-1 edge.
That would be the way the quarter would end. Another long goal-less streak ensued. 12:51 would pass after the Hoffman goal before Sean Donnelly assisted on a Luke Tomak (2g) goal that evened things up at 2-2. Another 5:25 of scoreless play before Ryan Genord (2g) closed the half with Drexel clutching a 3-2 lead.
We hear of a “back and forth” game and the second half was the epitome of just that. Billy Philpott set up Clayton Proctor (1g) on the man up with 14:44 on the clock. Tomak and Trainor exchanged scores to get it even at 4-4. Zach Augustine gave Drexel the 5-4 lead on the man advantage before Gabriel Procyk (3g) and Billy Philpott (2g,1a) scored two minutes apart changing the lead to 6-5 Minutemen.
Sean Donnelly once again played assist man, this time on Coll’s 12th to close the third quarter at 6-6. Both squads amped up their offense for the home stretch. Jack Mulcahy (1g,1a) at 14:28 followed by another man up from Augustine gave Drexel an 8-6 lead.
Procyk and Philpott answered to even it up again. With 7:07 left, Donnelly (2g,6a) made it 9-8 before Coll with help from Donnelly seemed to steal momentum.
Donnelly added his 12th of the season to make it a three-goal game in favor of Drexel. The final 1:26 was, to say the least, hectic…Mike Tobin (1g,1a) cut it to 11-9 but, at 1:07, Genord scored his 12th. Devin Spencer (1g,2a) at :13 followed by yet another man-advantage goal from Procyk with :03 left would close the curtain on the 12-11 Drexel win.
Oh By The Way
Sean Donnelly joined an exclusive club his 8 point day, 8 points ties the Drexel single-game record matching the 8 that Ben McIntosh posted against Penn State in 2014. Coll collected his fifth collegiate hat trick. Matt Knote made 9 saves in the UMass cage and Ross Blumenthal had 8 for the Dragons.
Shots favored Drexel, 38-36 as well as shots on goal, 21-19. The Dragons had 14 turnovers while UMass had an uncharacteristic, 21.
The Dragons also had the edge collecting 28 ground balls to 26. Extra Man Ops had UMass going 3 for 6 and Drexel nailing 2 of 3.
Zack Hoffman went 15 of 26 from the “x” for the Minutedudes. Drexel avenges an earlier defeat by UMass,13-7. Drexel pulls away with a big final quarter.
Kevin has followed and promoted the game of lacrosse since May 19, 1974.
The same day the Philadelphia Flyers won the Cup, the Philadelphia Wings were introduced to Neibauer and Philadelphia.
Kevin has covered many sports, including baseball, football, basketball, and.. lacrosse. A former licensed football referee and baseball umpire, Kevin brings a unique insight to his game coverage.
A published writer in JustHockey Magazine, Kevin covered the American Hockey League as well as a monthly story on a pugilist where Kevin used the pen name, The Rink Rat. Neibauer turned his attentions to lacrosse for a few years and does his part, whether podcasting or writing to grow the game. Kevin branched out to his roots and currently provides insight for all Philadelphia teams for Edge of Philly as well as his full-time duties with LaxPhilly.
