by Chris Detwiler
GARDEN CITY, NY – A stunning, commanding 17-8 win for No. 3 Adelphi University men’s lacrosse team over No. 2 Merrimack College puts the Panthers in a three-way tie for first place in the Northeast 10 (NE-10) with one game to go on the schedule.
The showdown between Adelphi and the reigning national champions went down on Saturday April 20 at Motamed Field on Adelphi’s campus.
“We played really well as a team,” Adelphi head coach Gordon Purdie said. “That was the hope and the message pregame, and we were able to go out and get it done.”
Saturday’s loss marks Merrimack’s worst loss since 2010 – a 10-goal loss to Le Moyne on April 10, 2010.
The Panthers (14-1, 9-1 NE-10) dominated from start to finish, using strong defense and phenomenal goalie play to keep Merrimack (11-2, 9-1 NE-10) from gaining any momentum throughout the entire game.
“Both the offense and the defense worked extremely hard all week,” Purdie said. “I’m really proud of the effort that we had.”
Adelphi senior Ian Kirby and junior Nicolas Racalbuto both scored four goals in the win.
“What I saw was a great week of practice and an ability to share the ball,” Purdie said. “It happened to be Kirby and [Racalbuto] at the end of that, but it could’ve been anybody.”
Senior goalie Brendan McDougal recorded 10 saves for the Panthers, including some unbelievable saves that helped keep Merrimack’s potent offense at bay.
Faceoff dominance was the story for Adelphi, as senior faceoff specialist Mark Andrejack won 26 of the 28 faceoffs.
“When you have stats like [Andrejack] had today – we’ve got so many more chances than they do and with so many more chances it gives us opportunity,” Purdie said.
Merrimack was led by junior Charlie Bertrand who scored three goals in the loss. Junior netminder Nick Ponte finished with 17 saves, although he recorded his first loss of the season.
The first quarter was dominated by the Panthers, scoring five unanswered goals in the last 10 minutes to take a 5-1 lead into the second quarter. Defensive stops led to offensive opportunities which propelled Adelphi to the big first quarter lead.
The second quarter was even in goals between the two teams and Adelphi took a 9-5 lead at halftime.
Adelphi essentially put the game away in the third quarter, outscoring Merrimack 5-1 in the period. Racalbuto scored three goals in the first seven minutes of the third quarter.
The Panthers scored the last three goals of the game in the final 11 minutes of the fourth quarter to officially seal the deal.
“It’s a good win for us,” Racalbuto said. “Always a big rivalry with Merrimack. Can’t do it without our teammates. We’re going to enjoy it and we’re going to get ready for the next game.”
Saturday also marked Senior Day for the Panthers. Nine seniors were recognized in a pregame ceremony, including Kirby, McDougal and Andrejack.
This senior class led the Panthers to a 51-14 record and three NE-10 conference tournaments, including two trips to the NCAA Division II tournament.
“These guys have been here before,” Purdie said. “They’ve had so many practices on this field. It’s been such a joy to watch that four-year process.”
“I’ve been emotional all week about it,” Kirby said after his final home regular season game for the Panthers. “I don’t want this stuff to end. I love my team. I love my brothers. I’m just happy it’s this way.”
Adelphi ends their regular season against Franklin Pierce University on Tuesday April 23 in New Hampshire while Merrimack rounds off their regular season against Saint Michael’s, also on Tuesday, in Virginia.
