Colby upsets 5th-ranked Endicott, 12-7
March 26, 2009
BEVERLY, Mass. - Colby College scored seven goals in the third quarter, including three in a span of less than two minutes, as the Mules knocked off previously unbeaten and fifth-ranked Endicott, 12-7, on Thursday afternoon in Beverly, Massachusetts. The win improves Colby to 5-2 overall (2-1 NESCAC) while the Gulls suffer their first setback, falling to 7-1 (2-0 TCCC).
A low scoring first half saw the visitors carry a slight 2-1 lead into the intermission. Colby opened the scoring with just 2:01 remaining in the first quarter as Mark Squicciarino (Titusville, N.J.) took a feed from Whit McCarthy (Darien, Conn.) from behind the goal and buried a shot from 10-yards out to take a 1-0 lead.
Endicott responded as Dan Cain (Billerica, Mass.) stuck a bid under the crossbar just 3:28 into the second quarter to knot the game a 1-1. Colby's Stew Brown (Wilton, Conn.) regained the Mules' lead with less than six minutes left in the half as he took a nice pass from Caddy Brooks (Darien, Conn.) and beat Eric Hagarty (Sudbury, Mass.) with a bounce shot to give the guests a 2-1 lead at the break.
A pair of Endicott penalties - a slash and a bench foul for unsportsmanlike conduct - opened the flood gates for the Mules as Colby poured in two man-up goals in 42 seconds to take a 4-1 lead. The visitors kept the pressure on as Whit McCarthy made it a four goal game as he beat Hagarty off hip exactly a minute later. Colby would lead 9-4 after three.
In the fourth, the Mules put the game away for good as Patrick Briody (Hopewell, N.J.) and Craig Bunker (Topsfield, Mass.) scored at the 11:34 and 11:16 marks, making it an 11-4 game. Despite three late goals by the Gulls, the comeback would fall short as Colby ran the clock out to take the 12-7 win.
Whit McCarthy scored a game-high three goals and two assists, while fellow attackman Caddy Brooks had a goal and three helpers. Craig Bunker played a pivotal role in the win, as the sophomore went 16-of-22 from the face-off X, beating the reigning TCCC Defensive Player of the Week Joe Gugino (West Hartford, Conn.) on all six occasions that they squared off. Senior goalkeeper Alex Farmer (Madison, Conn.) backstopped the Mules with eight saves.
Endicott was paced by Nick Cosco's (Londonderry, N.H.) two goals and two assists. Eddie O'Reilly (Beverly, Mass.) also scored twice while Brandon Dube (Danvers, Mass.) had a goal and an assist. Eric Hagarty suffered his first loss of the year as he surrendered 12 goals and made seven saves for the Blue and Green.
Colby held a 36-26 shots advantage and dominated the ground ball game, scooping up 36 compared to just 21 by the Gulls.
Endicott returns to action on Saturday afternoon as the Gulls host Roger Williams University in a crucial TCCC contest at 1:30 p.m. Colby College continues its make-or-break road trip as the Mules meet Middlebury in a NESCAC showdown at noon on the same day.