Men's Lacrosse Falls in OT 7-6

NORTH ANDOVER, MASS. – Freshman attack Chris Elia broke a double team and beat Bryant University senior goaltender Matt Lovejoy with a shot to the near post 52 seconds into overtime to lead the Merrimack College men’s lacrosse team to a 7-6 win over Bulldogs in a Northeast-10 game on Warrior Field on Thursday afternoon.

Merrimack, which has won four overtime games this season including two in the last three days, improved to 5-4 overall, 4-1 in the Northeast-10. Bryant, ranked eighth nationally in the most recent United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association national poll, fell to 3-3, 2-2.

Elia’s goal completed a comeback from a three-goal deficit, as Merrimack held the Bulldogs scoreless over the game’s final 17:39.
Elia (East Lyme, Conn) led the Warriors with three goals and an assist, starting the comeback with a man-down goal with less than two minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Sophomore Andy Teeling (Annapolis, Md.) cut the lead with a dazzling goal, scooping the ball off the ground backwards between his legs and into the top right corner less than four minutes into the fourth quarter.

Senior Kurt Carlson (Lynn, Mass.) tied the game less than two minutes later, finishing a feed from Elia with a low shot. Carlson finished with two goals for the Warriors.

Senior Brian Healy (Lynbrook, N.Y.), sophomore Adam Smith (Bainbridge Is., Wash.) and freshman Craig Buckhout (South Salem, N.Y.) each scored two goals for Bryant, while senior Andrew Serge (Albany, N.Y.) had three assists.

Merrimack freshman goaltender Eric Tompkins (Newington, Conn.) made 16 saves, including several during the closing minutes of regulation, to win his second consecutive start. Lovejoy (Thorton, Pa.) stopped four shots for Bryant, which held a 46-20 shot advantage over the Warriors.

Senior Nolan Godfrey (Haverhill, Mass.) won 7-of-12 faceoffs, including the faceoff in overtime to set up Merrimack’s final possession.

Bryant hosts C.W. Post in a non-league game on Saturday.