Men's Lacrosse | 3/26/2022 2:30:00 PM
PITTSFORD, NY – Nicholas Miller of the nationally-ranked St. John Fisher College men's lacrosse team made history on Saturday afternoon as the attackman scored his 200th career goal, but it would be his 201st that proved the difference maker as the No. 5 Cardinals held on to defeat No. 11 Amherst College, 14-13, in overtime inside Growney Stadium. With the win, Fisher improved to 6-1 while the Mammoths slipped to 3-3 on the year. The win marked the fourth victory for head coach
Dave Dobbins' squad over a nationally-ranked opponent this season.
Miller, who is already the program's all-time leading scorer, finished with five goals and three assists to go along with 10 shots and three ground balls. Ian Evans contributed seven points including four scores along with a career-high seven ground balls and four caused turnovers. Jordan Leuze found the back of the net twice and handed out two assists while Tucker O'Donnell distributed three helpers in the win. Jordan Depetres, Roger Panara and Jack Mulvihill each scored one goal.
With 45 minutes in the books, neither team was able to gain a clear advantage as the score remained deadlocked at 11-11 heading into the fourth period.
Amherst would win the opening faceoff and fired the quarter's first shot, but Ben Hammond came up with one of his 12 saves and started the Fisher clear before Miller found Mulvihill on the wing to stake the home team to a one-goal advantage.
The lead would be short-lived, however, as Amherst countered one minute later to tie the game and scored the go-ahead mark late in the fourth to hold a 13-12 edge.
Facing a one-goal gap and with time wearing thin, Fisher turned to Joe Post at the faceoff X as the graduate student won the ensuing draw to give Fisher a chance on the offensive end of the field. The Cardinals worked the ball around the field before it settled in Evans' stick as the Lafayette native threaded a pass to Leuze who uncorked a shot into the back of the net to level the game at 13 goals aside.
With under a minute to play, Fisher gained control and called a timeout to draw up a final play. As regulation ticked down, Jacob Gallina made his move from 25 yards out and found space as the midfielder fired a shot that pegged the far post as the horn sounded.
With the contest still knotted up after 60 minutes, both teams readied for overtime. Fisher would seize the momentum as the Cardinals peppered the Mammoths with two shots over the first two minutes, but Amherst would get the benefit of a late penalty as Fisher was forced to play man-down for one minute.
Playing with five defenders, the Cardinals limited Amherst's opportunities as the Mammoths got off two shots, both of which were turned aside by Hammond. After killing the penalty, Fisher took the ball the other way as Leuze Found Miller in front for the game-winning goal.
Hammond moved to 6-1 in goal after the sophomore allowed 13 goals over 64 minutes of action.
At X, Post was 15-of-29 with 10 ground balls.
Fisher will return to action at 7 p.m. on Wednesday when it travels to SUNY Geneseo for another tough non-conference battle.