FRANKLIN, Mass. (April 14, 2018) – While victories have been of the essence for SUNY Delhi men's lacrosse this year, the Broncos' 7-5 victory Saturday over Alfred State at Dean College's Bulldog Classic showed the team's ability to win at the right time. Aided by Luke Anderson scoring the team's last three goals of the game and two goals and two assists from Jeremy Leary, the win over the Pioneers thrusted Coach Sam Miller's squad into the tournament championship against SUNY Canton on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.
Delhi took control from the outset Saturday, scoring the first four goals, including holding a 3-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. John Rohan III got the first goal of the day with 6:43 to go in the period, while Leary got the team's second score shortly after on a man-up opportunity. Ross Cange delivered the third scoring strike before the end of the quarter on a feed from Leary. The second quarter was mostly quiet, until things got interesting towards the end. Leary broke the silence with a goal from a Cange feed, but Pioneer Joe Johnson almost single-handedly got Alfred State back in the game with three straight goals to cut the Broncos' lead to 4-3 at the half.
Alfred State's AJ Soto tied the game up at 4-4 in the third with 9:09 left in the period, but Anderson responded for Delhi by scoring each of the team's three remaining goals. The senior connected for two straight scores on assists from Malik Talbert and Leary, respectively, to put the Broncos ahead, 6-4, after three period. Though Johnson scored for the Pioneers on a man-up chance to cut Delhi's lead to 6-5 with 13:42 left, Anderson stepped up again to boost the Broncos' lead back up to two goals with 10:07. And thanks to stellar defense, including goalie Eric Morse's seven saves on the evening, the Broncos shut Alfred State out the rest of the way.
SUNY Delhi outshot Alfred State by a 37-32 margin, and forced the Pioneers into 15 turnovers. The Broncos also converted on 7-of-9 clears and cashed in on 1-of-5 man-up chances. Mitch Spaziani won one faceoff.
The Broncos will square off against the SUNY Canton for the Bulldog Classic Finals Sunday at 2:00 p.m. Delhi fell to the Roos in their first meeting this season, 16-3, on March 17 at Canton.
