Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (March 7, 2009) – After seeing an early lead disappear in its season opener, the Vassar College men's lacrosse team refused to do the same against Keuka College. The Brewers maintained their lead the entire game as they netted three fourth-period goals to pull out a 9-7 win at Weinberg Field on Saturday. Junior Nick Cardillo (Honeoye Falls, NY/McQuaid Jesuit) poured in four goals to lead Vassar to its first win of the season.

With their first win ever over Keuka, the Brewers improve to 1-1 and head to Newport News, Virginia for their Spring Break trip. Vassar will face Kean University, Christopher Newport College and Neumann College during the trip. The Storm drop to 0-1.

The Brewers took a 6-4 lead into the second half and held their two goal advantage for most of the third period. However, with 3:54 remaining in the period, Storm senior Drew Kunda (Syracuse, NY/Syracuse) brought Keuka within one goal, recovering a ground ball after his own shot ricocheted off the post and then firing it in for his second goal of the game.

After seeing a lead disappear in a loss to Manhattanville last weekend, the Brewers would not allow a repeat performance, scoring three straight goals in the final period. Sophomore Sam Thypin-Bermeo (Princeton, NJ/Hun School) gave Vassar some breathing room less than a minute into the fourth period, coming around the side of the net to fire in his second goal of the game to give the Brewers a 7-5 lead. Cardillo followed that up with a long-range laser for his third goal of the game, appearing to catch the Keuka defense off guard with a long-distance shot that gave the Brewers a three-goal lead. Cardillo capped his scoring with 4:14 to play, giving Vassar a 9-5 lead. Two Keuka goals from senior Adam Farrell (Hamburg, NY/Frontier) in the final three minutes made things interesting, but the Brewers held on for the win.

Vassar goalies Alex Tice (Oakland, CA/St. Ignatius Prep) and Ed Pappo (Malvern, PA/Conestoga) split time in goal, both giving impressive performances between the pipes. Tice had nine saves in the first half, including a point blank stuff on a Kunda shot in the second period. Pappo played the second half, recording seven saves, and coming up with a big stop after Farrell beat his defender to fire off a close-range shot with 9:40 to play. Providing impressive defense for his goalies throughout the game was sophomore Zach Beauchamp (Tempe, AZ/Brophy Prep). In the midfield, senior Ross MacKenzie (Hewlett, NY/Lynbrook) anchored the Vassar transition, helping the Brewers to 31-35 successful clears.

Freshman Jack Gross (Yarmouth, ME/Yarmouth) got his team on the board early in the first period, coming around the back of the net to fire in his second goal of the season. Although Keuka quickly answered, Vassar regained the lead and never relinquished it as Gross laid a pass off to a wide open Thypin-Bermeo who immediately fired in the shot. Gross netted his second goal of the day with a diving shot, tucking the ball between Keuka goalie Brett Leonard (Syracuse, NY/Westhill) and the post, giving Vassar a 3-1 lead with 7:10 to play in the period. Also scoring in the first half were sophomore Ryan Hart (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown West) and Cardillo, who notched two impressive goals in similar fashion. In both cases, Cardillo drew two Storm defenders, beating them and Leonard with well-placed shots. Leonard had 15 saves on the day.

The Brewers held a 46-32 advantage in ground balls, while Keuka outshot Vassar, 38-32.