2-29-2024 4:24am

GOUCHER PREVAILS

Jeff Barto Editor

Gophers Climb Out of Early Hole, Top Hood on the Road

FREDERICK, Md. - Visiting Goucher College climbed out of a 5-1 second quarter hole as it downed Hood College 9-8 in non-conference men's lacrosse Wednesday evening at Thomas Athletic Field. Sophomore Jacob Morgan led the Gophers with three goals and a pair of assists in the win.

Hood (2-2) scored the game's first four goals and led 4-0 with 2:26 left in the opening quarter.
The Gophers (2-1) got on the board with 1:24 left in the frame as Morgan scored off a feed from Caelen Young.

Jay Lanigan upped Hood's lead to 5-1 39 seconds into the second.
Morgan scored his second goal of the night at the 12:11 mark, followed by a James Dugan tally assisted by Morgan at the 9:19 mark.
The Blazers scored at the 8:21 mark of the period to reclaim a three-goal lead.
The Gophers cashed in on two man-up opportunities to cut the lead to 6-5 at halftime.
Dugan scored a man-up goal at the 7:11 mark.
Jack McDermott's goal with just under four minutes to play made it 6-5. Holden Vance assisted on both man-up goals.

The hosts scored 3:40 into the second half to take a 7-5 lead.
Goucher scored three times in a span of 3:56 to take an 8-7 lead with 4:40 left in the third.
Morgan scored off a feed from Dugan at the 8:36 mark, followed by McDermott's second of the night with just under seven minutes on the clock. Tyler May assisted on the McDermott score.
At 4:40, Vance scored on a pass from Morgan.

May scored an unassisted goal with 5:32 on the clock to give Goucher its first two-goal lead of the night, 9-7.
The Blazers responded with a man-up goal with 4:05 to go.
Hood won the ensuing faceoff and had five shots the rest of the way. Goucher goalie Jack Smith made two saves, while another Blazer shot rang off the post.

Morgan led the Gophers with three goals and two assists. It marked his seventh career game with at least three goals and extended his goal-scoring streak to 11 games dating back to last season.
Dugan recorded two goals and an assist, while McDermott finished with a pair of goals.
Vance added a goal and two assists, while May recorded a goal and an assist.
Smith made 12 saves, while Calvin Morris and Alex Dudziak combined for eight saves.
DJ Barnes recorded four caused turnovers for Goucher, while Sean Nolan had two.
Cole Smith picked up four ground balls, while Nick Gambone had three.
Hood held a 34-31 shot advantage and cashed in both of its man-up opportunities. Goucher was 2-3 with the man advantage.
Goucher is 2-1 to start the season for the first time since 2016.

Goucher hits the road Saturday, traveling to Lebanon Valley for a 1 pm contest.
The Gophers open a four-game homestand next Wednesday, March 6, hosting Neumann at 7 pm at Beldon Field.