With the sun shining and a crispy spring breeze blowing the University of Southern Maine men’s lacrosse team kicked off the 2012 season playing their first game on the newly constructed Hannaford Field in Gorham Tuesday afternoon. In what turned out to be quite a heated contest despite the chilly weather, the Huskies dropped the game 5-7 to the University of New England Nor’Easters, bringing UNE’s win streak to three.
The Huskies took off with an early first quarter lead with goals from Steve Ribero, junior midfielder, Jeremy Parmley, senior midfielder, and Nate Prince, senior attack, and held the Nor’Easters to only one score. The Huskies’ junior goaltender Kyle Dussault, or “Deuce” as his teammates shouted from the sidelines, was able to hold UNE scoreless throughout the second with some spectacular saves, but UNE’s Nate Porter, a senior, accomplished the same feat.
With the scoreless quarter, the game turned into a defensive struggle with both sides chomping at the bit for the next score or chance for a little body contact. The Huskies spent total four minutes in the penalty box during the second quarter compared to UNE’s single, one-minute penalty.
The Nor’Easters charged out of the gates in the third period scoring five points while holding the Huskies scoreless. Of the five goals scored, three came against a Huskies’ man-down squad — squad who saw the plenty of the field with the five minutes of penalty time the Huskies accrued during the third.
Goals from senior midfielder Willie Joy and junior midfielder Steve Ribero brought the match to 5-6 late in the fourth, and it seemed like the Huskies were poised to tie the game. But UNE nailed the coffin lid shut with a well placed shot from UNE’s junior captain Tyler Thomas assisted by senior attack Dylan Thomas.
“We essentially shot ourselves in the foot with all our penalties. It’s something we’ll be focusing on during our pre-game practice and during in our next game,” said Head Coach Sam Lane, who is in his first year coaching at USM.
The Huskies take the field today at Memorial Field in Portland, looking to bring the same energy to every game and sustain it through all four periods.