Colby senior Whit McCarthy scored four goals and dished out two assists as a talented Mules squad downed USM 13-7 in a non-conference men’s lacrosse match-up at Paula D. Hodgdon Field in Gorham on Wednesday.
The two teams came out with intensity in the air and it took about five minutes and several quality scoring attempts by both sides before the first goal was scored. Colby broke the ice and kept it rolling for the first four goals of the competition. A few penalties on the Huskies’ side led to golden opportunities for the Mules.
The Huskies got on the scoreboard in the second quarter after a pass from freshman Mark White (Oakville, ONT) left one side of the net wide open for sophomore Kale Hamilton (Buxton). This loosened up the attackers for Southern Maine who sent two more shots ringing off the posts of the Colby net in the next five minutes. Two more USM goals late in the second quarter made the score 8-3 in Colby’s favor at the half.
The two teams started the second half similar to the beginning of the game as strong defensive presences by both sides led to only one goal apiece by both teams. Going into the fourth quarter still down by five goals, the Huskies came out in the final quarter with a sense of urgency. An early goal by Colby and then another only thirty seconds later put a slight damper on their spirits but USM shook it off and continued their tough play. A transition goal by freshman Derek Beaulieu (Brunswick) that was set into motion by an aggressive strip by the defense got the USM attackers back into action. Colby was able to manage one more goal in the final period but an immediate answer came from USM nine seconds later. With three minutes remaining, Colby put the final touches on a hard fought contest.
Despite the goal count, 18 saves by sophomore goalie Kyle Dussault (Lewiston) marks his best performance thus far.
“Communication between Kyle and the rest of the defense was something we focused on today,” said USM Head Coach Malcolm Chase. “We didn’t see a lot of picks on the ball either, which was something we expected.”
Junior Tim Bryant (Petersborough, N.H.) continued his scoring trend with three goals on the night, while White and sophomore Dan Thomas (Shrewsbury, Mass.) pitched in with two assists each. Southern Maine will head to Plymouth State University on Tuesday and will look to continue their defensive intensity for Little East Conference play looking ahead.