Comeback Against Albion Falls Short for MLAX

Comeback Against Albion Falls Short for MLAX

ANGOLA, IND.  --  After falling behind, 4-0, the Trine University men's lacrosse team tallied five unanswered goals, but would ultimately fall short in a 6-5 decision against Albion (Mich.) College in a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association matchup at Fred Zollner Athletic Stadium.

Albion (4-6, 2-0 MIAA) took control early, scoring two goals in the first 2:08 of the first quarter.  The two scores by the Britons were the only points scored the rest of the opening period and led, 2-0, after the first 15 minutes.

The second quarter began in similar fashion as the first with Albion scoring two quick goals to increase the margin to 4-0.  Trine (5-5, 0-2 MIAA) then began its run with its first goal of the game coming at the 11:23 mark when sophomore Tyler Klima (Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg) found the back of the net to make the score, 4-1.  Just before the end of the half, the Thunder struck again when junior Neil Orr (Lombard, Ill./Montini Catholic) struck for a goal with 22 seconds to cut the deficit to 4-2 at the intermission.

Trine continued to chip away at the deficit in the third quarter and pulled to within a goal at the 12:02 mark when Orr got his second shot of the game past the Albion netminder to make the score, 4-3.  The Thunder then tallied two more goals just over a minute apart, beginning with the game-tying score by junior Conner Putman (Ridgefield, Conn./Ridgefield) on a man-up advantage with 8:49 left in the period.  The Putman goal was followed by the go-ahead score by senior Jordan Lelito (West Chicago, Ill./West Chicago) with under eight minutes to go that put the Thunder in front, 5-4.  The Albion offense ended the scoring streak with a marker at the 2:09 mark and then regained the lead with nine seconds to go in the quarter to take a 6-5 advantage into the final period.

Despite a combined nine-goal outburst by the two teams in the second and third quarters, neither team would score any additional goals in the fourth as solid goaltending by both goalkeepers kept each team scoreless in the final 15 minutes and gave the Britons the one-goal victory, 6-5.

Orr led all Trine players in goals scored with two and tied him for the team lead in overall points with Putman and Lelito who both recorded a goal and an assist for two points.  Klima finished with one point with one goal scored and sophomore Justin Gearig (Vicksburg, Mich./Vicksburg) rounded out the point scorers with an assist.

In net, sophomore Joseph Steigmeyer (Fort Wayne, Ind./Bishop Dwenger) played all 60 minutes and made 12 saves.

Trine will remain at home and host Adrian (Mich.) College on Saturday, Apr. 14 at Zollner Stadium.  The MIAA contest is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.