Game statistics
LEWISTON, Maine -- Down for the first time in the game at 5-4 in the third period, the Bates College men's lacrosse team scored nine unanswered goals to defeat ranked NESCAC opponent Amherst College 13-6 on Saturday afternoon.
Bates junior Matt Erisman (Nantucket, Mass.) had three goals and two assists, while sophomore Brent Morin (Hanover, N.H.) contributed two goals and three assists for the Bobcats (2-0). Morin fed Erisman to tie the game at 5-5 and had a goal and two more assists in the Bates run, while Erisman had a goal and an assist over that period.
Amherst first-year Brett Miller (Wantagh, N.Y.) scored twice for the Lord Jeffs (0-1), who entered the game ranked No. 19 in Division III by LaxPower.com and No. 11 by InsideLacrosse.com. Junior Chris Hofmann (New Canaan, Conn.) had a goal and an assist.
Both goalkeepers had busy days. Bates senior Paul Kazarian (Providence, R.I.) stopped 20 shots on net, while Amherst first-year goalie Matt Pietroforte (Brooklyn, N.Y.) notched 15 saves.
Bates got out to early leads of 2-0 and 4-2, but Amherst retied the game both times.
The Bobcats scored their first two goals, from senior Brenton Pitt (Duxbury, Mass.) and Morin, without ever relinquishing possession over the first 3 minutes 44 seconds of the game. But Amherst junior Rob Madden (New Haven, Conn.) scored on an unassisted charge from the left wing, and senior Sean Murray (Madison, N.J.) scored unassisted to tie it before the first period concluded.
The Lord Jeffs dominated possession over the first half of the second quarter, but Bates regained the lead with 7:20 left as Erisman scored unassisted out of a scramble in front of the Amherst net. Bates sophomore Mike Medeiros (Concord, Mass.) made it 4-2 with 3:37 left in the half when he scored off a Gabriel Belsky (Avon, Conn.) assist while getting knocked over.
But Miller closed the gap to 3-2 with 2:09 left in the second quarter, and Hofmann evened the game with 5.1 seconds left in the half on a tremendous lefthanded shot after his charge from the right wing.
Amherst took its first lead on Miller's second goal with a man-up advantage five minutes into the third period. But the Bobcats evened the game back up less than two minutes later, as Morin sprinted from the sideline at midfield inside the circle, and fed the waiting Erisman for the goal.
Bates retook the lead for good with 5:14 left in the third quarter, as sophomore Justin Simon (Canaan, N.H.) scored on a tremendous play, getting low and pivoting around a defender, then launching a shot past Piermonte's far reach as he came out of his crouch.
Despite the final score, Bates didn't enjoy any vast statistical advantages. The Bobcats outshot the Lord Jeffs 36-32, took 36 ground balls to the Lord Jeffs' 35, and won 12 of 21 faceoffs.
Medeiros and Simon each scored twice for Bates, with Ithai Schori, Craig Blake, Pitt and Bryan Frates each notching goals. Pitt came up with two assists; Medeiros and Wes Couture had one apiece.
Murray, Madden and Caleb Deats all had goals for Amherst.
Amherst College (0-1) vs. Bates College (2-0)
SCORE BY PERIOD 1 2 OT O2 Tot
-------------------------------------
AMH................. 2 2 1 1 - 6
Bates College....... 2 2 4 5 - 13
AMH SCORING: GOALS: Brett Miller 2; Chris Hofmann 1; Sean Murray 1; Caleb Deats 1; Rob Madden 1.
ASSISTS: Chris Hofmann 1.
Bates College SCORING: GOALS: Matt Erisman 3; Brent Morin 2; Mike Medeiros 2; Justin Simon 2; Brenton Pitt 1; Bryan Frates 1; Ithai Schori 1; Craig Blake 1.
ASSISTS: Brent Morin 3; Matt Erisman 2; Brenton Pitt 2; Wes Couture 1; Mike Medeiros 1.
AMH GROUND BALLS: Andrew Wilcox 6; Chris Hofmann 4; Brett Miller 4; Owen Neill 3; Caleb Deats 2; Nick Gilligan 2; Rob Madden 2; Sean Murray 2; David Beck 1; Mike Donovan 1; Chris Fitzpatrick 1; T.J. Jackson 1; Clint Marchese 1; Chris Mottau 1; Matt Pietroforte 1; Joaquin Walker 1.
Bates College GROUND BALLS: Gabriel Belsky 5; Brenton Pitt 5; Mike Medeiros 4; Matt Erisman 3; Brent Morin 3; Ithai Schori 3; Craig Blake 2; Wes Couture 2; Paul Kazarian 2; John Adams 1; Amadi Cisse 1; B.J.
Majeski 1; Nathan Kellogg 1; Jon Kinnane 1; Ryan O'Connor 1; Justin Simon 1.
AMH TURNOVERS CAUSED: None.
Bates College TURNOVERS CAUSED: None.
SHOTS - AMH 32; Bates College 36.
SHOTS ON GOAL - AMH 0; Bates College 0.
PENALTIES - AMH 0/0:00; Bates College 0/0:00.
MAN-UP OPPORTUNITIES - AMH 1-5; Bates College 3-4.
TURNOVERS - AMH 0; Bates College 0.
FACEOFFS - AMH 9-21; Bates College 12-21.
CLEARS - AMH 12-14; Bates College 12-18.
GOALIES - AMH: Matt Pietroforte 0-1 (60:00 minutes, 28 shots-15 saves,
13 GA); BAT: Paul Kazarian 2-0 (60:00, 26-20, 6).
Start time: 1 p.m. Finish time: 3:05 pm Length of game: 2:05
A-502 T-2:05
