PAXTON, Mass. (04.19.11) – The Curry College men’s lacrosse team built a three-goal first half lead and held on for a 10-7 victory over Anna Maria College in a The Commonwealth Coast Conference matchup at AMCAT Field on Tuesday evening. The Colonels improve to 5-9 (2-7 TCCC) with the win, while the AMCATS fall to 5-11 (1-8 TCCC).

Senior Michael Snyder (Lee, Mass.) paced the Colonels’ offensive attack, leading all players with three goals, while sophomore Joseph Natale (Haverhill, Mass.) had three points on two goals and one assist. Senior John O’Donnell (Middleton, Mass.) added a pair of goals while also compiling a team-high seven ground balls and three caused turnovers in the win. Senior Kyle Abbott (Ashland, Mass.) and junior Sean Gallagher (Topsfield, Mass.) each dished-out a pair of assists, while junior Michael Hibbard (North Chelmsford, Mass.) made 16 saves to earn the victory in net for the Colonels.

Sophomore Rodrigo Henriques (Saugus, Mass.) led the AMCATS with a team-high three points on two goals and one assist while winning 11-of-17 faceoff attempts. Sophomore Chris Summers (Long Valley, N.J.) and junior Mike Saulnier (Wrentham, Mass.) added two goals apiece, while junior Brad Peterson (North Kingstown, R.I.) led all players with nine ground balls and six caused turnovers. Sophomore goalkeeper Andrew Ellis (Fitchburg, Mass.) also had a strong game while in net for the AMCATS, making a game-high 18 saves in a losing-effort.

The AMCATS came out strong in the opening quarter, as Summers scored the game’s first two goals to give the AMCATS the early 2-0 lead.

However, the Colonels responded with a 5-0 run, scoring the final three goals of the first quarter before Gallagher netted the only two tallies of the second quarter to send the Colonels into the break holding a 5-2 advantage.

Sophomore Alex Natterstad (Upton, Mass.) helped the AMCATS claw back with an unassisted tally in the opening minute of the second half to cut the CC lead to 5-3.

The Colonels bounced back with three unanswered goals to build their largest lead of the game at 8-3.

With the Colonels still leading by five, the AMCATS did their best to mount a fourth-quarter comeback. Anna Maria managed to outscore the Colonels 3-1 in the final frame, including a goal and an assist by Henriques and two goals by Saulnier, but ran out of time as the Colonels managed to hold on for a 10-7 win.

Both teams return to action on Thursday with the Colonels traveling to face UMass Boston at 3:00 pm, and the AMCATS celebrating Senior Day when they host Wentworth at 6:00 pm.

(Game Recap Courtesy of Anna Maria Sports Information)

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