Wednesday, April 25, 2012 (Newton, Massachusetts) - Freshman attacker Michael Trocchi (Danvers, MA/Danvers) had a career day recording three goals and four assists to lead the Mount Ida College men's lacrosse team past visiting Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) member Emmanuel College 10-3 Wednesday afternoon in the opening round of the league post-season tournament.
The Mustangs continue on to semifinal action Friday afternoon and will host the winner of Becker College versus Anna Maria College being played this evening with the hosts improving to an overall record of 13-4, 9-1 in league play. The visiting Saints end their season with a 7-9 yearly slate going 3-7 in the conference.
Senior's Brendan Hylan (Clinton, CT/The Morgan School), Zach Jacobson (Shoreview, MN/Moundsview) and Sean Slattery (South Burlington, VT/South Burlington), junior's Gilson Fernandes (Saugus, MA/Saugus), Nick Yacuzzi (Oakham, MA/St. John's-Shrewsbury) and Jake Davis (Chester, NH/Pinkerton Academy) and sophomore Zach Rosen (East Greenwich, RI/St. Andrew's School) all added a score each for Mount Ida. Fernandes, Hylan, Jacobson and sophomore long pole Corey Gelbstein (Greenwich, CT/Forman) all added a dish respectively.
The visitors, who did not net a goal until the third quarter, saw one score a piece from freshmen Joel Berger (Cape Neddick, ME/York), Josh Condry (Upton, MA/Nipmuc Regional) and Evan Dolber (Malden, MA/Mystic Valley Regional).
The Mustangs were outshot by the Saints (34-25), but their strong defensive pressure and solid goaltending by senior netminder Jimmy McAllister (Smithfield, RI/LaSalle Academy) stymied the visitors solidifying the win. Mount Ida led the ground game snatching 31 ground balls to the Saints 28 and controlled the middle circle out dueling Emmanuel winning 11-of-17 face-offs.
The hosts led 3-0 at halftime locking up the defensive end on their opponents but struggled to convert key opportunities on offense keeping the score close. Emmanuel made it 3-1 game scoring their first tally of the contest to start the second half. But the Mustangs unloaded the next seven goals to deflate any chance for the Saints to mount a comeback eventually capturing the 10-3 win. Emmanuel would score the final two goals of the contest late in fourth quarter.
Sophomore face-off specialist Kyle Danehy (Marlborough, MA/Marlborough) was outstanding in the middle circle going 11-14 with a game-high nine pick-ups.
McAllister saw all 60 minutes between the pipes for the Mustangs notching 14 saves with seven ground balls while visiting goaltender, freshman Austin Lauzier (Bedford, NH/Bedford), recorded eight stops.