April 24, 2006

Box Score

Garden City, N.Y. - Sixth ranked NYIT scored eight straight goals during a stretch that ran from the end of the second quarter to the beginning of the third, taking an 8-3 lead that Adelphi was never able to cut to less then five, falling 12-7. With the loss the fifth ranked Panthers fall to 7-3 overall and 1-2 in the NYCAC, while the Bears improve to 7-2 overall and 1-2 in conference action.

Adelphi jumped on NYIT early, dominating action in the first 14 minutes their way to a 3-0 lead thanks to two goals from Michael Gongas (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) and one from Stephen Mortimer (Adelaide, Australia). But the Bears responded by reeling off eight straight goals during a stretch that spanned parts of three quarters, starting with goals from Matt Miller (Mastic, N.Y.) and Joe Droge (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) in the last minute of the first quarter.

Trailing by just one goal, 3-2, entering the second quarter the Bears ripped off five unanswered goals to pull ahead 7-3 at the half. NYIT got a goal from Droge to open the quarter and then Keith Henderson (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.) scored the next four goals in a row.

The Panthers showed signs of life in the third quarter, as Gongas's third goal of the game broke an Adelphi drought that lasted 20:58 and closed the gap to 8-4. A minute after Gongas scored Dale Pescitelli (Shoreham, N.Y.) sprinted out of Adelphi's defensive third and went straight to the NYIT goal, notching his first goal of the game and bringing Adelphi within three goals, 8-5.

However, NYIT answered back with two of the next three goals to end the third quarter of action with a comfortable 10-6 lead. The Bears put the game out of reach in the fourth, scoring the quarters first two goals to push their cushion to 12-6.

Brian Volpi (Lawrence, N.Y.) made eight saves in the loss, while Matt Billia (Baldwin, N.Y.) picked up two saves. Dan Goosk (Oceanside, N.Y.) collected 11 saves and the win for NYIT.

Adelphi returns to action on Wednesday, April 26 when they travel to Pleasantville, New York for a 4:00 pm meeting with Pace University.