The Lees-McRae Bobcats lacrosse team dropped a hard fought 13-11
decision to the Presbyterian College Blue Hose Wednesday afternoon
at Tate Field. The Bobcats fall to 0-7, while the Blue Hose
improve to 3-6.
Presbyterian's Brian Foley opened the scoring for the Blue Hose
with an unassisted marker at 6:20 of the first quarter.
Controlling for much of the first quarter, the Bobcats finally
capitalized on an opportunity as Jason Schafhauser scored his team
leading tenth goal of the season with 0:41 to play in the first.
The Blue Hose responded quickly as Sean Mulford scored with eight
seconds remaining in the first to give the visitors the 2-1 edge
heading into the second stanza.
A slow start would cost the Bobcats as Presbyterian quickly
extended their lead to 4-1 with goals from Ben Ewing and Jeremy
Metcalfe just 1:10 into the quarter. Neil Sleight would draw the
Bobcats to within two off a feed from Kirk Rogers at 12:45 of the
second. Jordy McMann would restore the three goal cushion for the
visitors with an unassisted just over three minutes later.
Schafhauser would score his second of the game with 5:11 to play to
pull the home side back to within two before Chris Stieber and Kirk
Rogers would hook up for a pair of goals to knot the score at
five. Rogers, last season's leading goal scorer would continue to
play the role of playmaker with his second and third assists of the
game at 4:14 and 1:26.
Presbyterian would again start the third off with a pair of
quick goals as Ewing notched his second of the game just over two
minutes in and Walton Crosby would add another sixteen seconds
later. Tyler Stieber would get one back for the Bobcats but
Mulford would restore the two goal cushion with his second at
7:22. The Bobcats would respond with a man up tally from Rogers at
6:28, but Mulford would again restore the two goal lead with his
third of the game at 5:26. The resilient Bobcats would again claw
their way back as Schafhauser completed the hat trick with his CVAC
leading fifth man up goal of the season at 2:18. Jake White would
push the lead back to two for the Blue Hose in the see saw affair
with 3:06 to play in the quarter.
Rogers would set a new career high with his fourth assist of the
game feeding Kyle Ficken for his second of the season to cut the
score to 10-9 with 11:29 to play. Brandon Gilseth would add his
fourth goal in the past three games at 8:15 to tie things up for
the third time. Unfortunately, the Bobcats could not sustain the
momentum as Presbyterian rattled off three straight over the next
four minutes to pull away and clinch the win. Sleight would add
another for Lees-McRae with less than two minutes remaining, but
the Bobcats would run out of time and lose a heartbreaker to the
Blue Hose for the second year in a row.
Rogers, (pictured top left), had a career high five point game
with a goal and an assist while Schafhauser led the Bobcats with a
team high three goals. Sleight also added three points off a pair
of goals and an assist. Chris Stieber added a pair of goals to
improve his season total to five, all of which have come within the
last five games. Tyler Stieber and Kyle Ficken also had multi
point games registering a goal and an assist each.
Ewing led the Blue Hose with a game high four goals while
Metcalfe equaled that total in assists. Six players scored singles
for Presbyterian with Mulford's hat trick rounding out the
scoring.
The Bobcats will look to rebound this weekend hosting Mars Hill
College at 3:00pm.
