Photo Courtesy of ASC Sports Information Desk: Anthony Damico scored five goals for the Grizzlies.
Scott Kretzmann
ASC Sports
Information Director
ST. CHARLES, Mo. – Four first half goals from sophomore Anthony Damico (Littleton, Colo.) helped the Adams State men’s lacrosse team race out to a 8-3 halftime lead over Shorter (Ga.) University in a neutral site match-up on the campus of Lindenwood Tuesday morning, and the Grizzlies managed to hold off a comeback attempt from the Hawks who scored five man-up goals in the fourth quarter for a 15-12 victory.
Tuesday morning’s match-up kicked off a 3-game, 4-day Midwest road trip for Adams State. ASC improved to 5-5 overall on the season with the ‘W’, and is now 2-2 in non-conference games. For Shorter, the contest was its season finale, and the Hawks dropped to 8-9 for the season after dropping their final three games of the year against Western Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (WILA) competition.
Shorter began its comeback bid with a 3-2 scoring advantage in the third quarter, and continued to dig into the lead with the help of seven minutes worth of Adams State penalties in the fourth quarter.
Over the first five minutes of the final period the Hawks brought the game to within two goals, 11-9, thanks to a trio of extra-man goals. Scott Dangel struck for Shorter at the 13:36 and 10:26 marks, and Kyle Van Kauwenberg scored his fourth of five goals in the game with 9:59 to play.
But freshmen Parker Smith (Centennial, Colo.) and Josh Peterman (Santa Ana, Calif.) would lead the Grizzlies to breathing room, each scoring twice as Adams State scored four unanswered goals. Smith scored his sixth and seventh goals of the season, while Peterman moved into a tie for the team lead with his 15th of the season, assisted by freshman Conor McLaughlin (Phoenix, Ariz.) with 1:18 to play while the Grizzlies were a man up.
The Hawks scored three goals in the final minute of play to bring the game to its final tally of 15-12.
Damico, who upped his season point total to a team-best 27 with his five goals as well as two assists, did most of his damage in the first half. A slow start to the game saw Damico score the first two, giving ASC a 2-0 lead with 5:15 left in the first quarter. He would score a third goal with just 13 ticks left in the opening quarter, and one goal in each the second and third.
Damico’s seven total points were one shy of his season-best, while his five goals matched the Grizzlies’ individual season-high, a feat he also accomplished on March 15 against Notre Dame de Namur (Calif.). Tuesday was also his fourth time dishing out multiple assists this season, and raised his season tally to 14 helpers.
Sophomore Jordan Stillwagon (Littleton, Colo.) also got in on the scoring early, tallying a strike in the first quarter.
Peterman scored four in the game, while Smith and sophomore Bryden Pelletier (Lantzville, B.C., Canada) each had two. Pelletier’s two goals keep him tied with Peterman for the team lead of 15 goals.
Penalties were nearly the undoing of the Grizzlies. ASC served 11 penalties totaling 12 minutes and Shorter managed to capitalize on 7-of-10 man-up opportunities. Adams State was able to take advantage just twice on six extra-man chances.
ASC held a vast advantage in shots, 53-26, and won 18-of-28 face-offs Tuesday morning. ASC’s 53 shots were a season high.
The Grizzlies will return to action in St. Charles on Wednesday morning for a match-up with WILA newcomer Lindenwood at 10 a.m. Mountain Time. The Grizzlies fell to the Lions, 9-12, at ASC Lacrosse Field on March 25, and have won four of their last five including that match-up.
Lindenwood owns a 6-5 overall record this season and is currently 3-4 in the WILA, but has won three straight against Notre Dame de Namur (11-8 on March 29), Colorado Mesa (5-4 on April 12) and Shorter (15-7 on April 15).
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