Jon Knapp at Gettysburg 5/9/18
Patrick Blain
3
Elizabethtown ETOWN 10-10
15
Winner Gettysburg GC 17-2
Elizabethtown ETOWN
10-10
3
Final
15
Gettysburg GC
17-2
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Elizabethtown ETOWN 0 0 1 2 3
Gettysburg GC 4 2 6 3 15

Game Recap: Men's Lacrosse |

Jays' historic season ends with NCAA Second Round loss to #3 Gettysburg

GETTYSBURG, Pa. -- Twenty-four hours after achieving its first NCAA DIII Championship tournament victory, Elizabethtown was back in Gettysburg to take on the hosts in a Second Round game at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium, Wednesday.

The third-ranked and well-rested Bullets were relentless on defense and efficient on offense to eliminate the Blue Jays, 15-3.

Gettysburg scored goals in the first and last minutes of the first quarter while adding two more for a 4-0 lead after one. The Bullets' lead grew to 6-0 at the half before Mike Scrafano broke through with the Blue Jays' (10-10) first goal two minutes into the third.

Scrafano, a sophomore from Easton, Pennsylvania, joined elite company by producing just the seventh 40-goal season in team history. Scott Nizolak assisted on the goal.

Elizabethtown could never gain momentum against the Centennial Conference runners-up, though.

The Blue Jays' defense, led by senior Kyle Coats and juniors Jeff Bloom and Jeremy Klipple, did its best to try and hold Gettysburg's (17-2) attack at bay.

With the help of All-Landmark short stick defensive middie Jon Knapp (two caused turnovers), E-town forced a number of empty possessions, but the Bullets continued to push.

Gettysburg followed Scrafano's goal with seven in a row to break the game open.

Thomas Palen tallied a man-up goal in the fourth off a pass from Andrew Watts and Mike DiGenova also scored for the Blue and Gray with help from Scrafano.

Brian Kolen and Michael McCormick each had four goals to lead the Bullets. Will DeMartin contributed three goals and Mike Risser three points (two goals, assist) as Gettysburg held a 30-25 edge in shots and 34-26 advantage in ground balls.

When the Blue Jays did have opportunities on offense, GC goalie Tim Brady stood tall. The senior made nine saves, including a few in tight around the crease.

Brady also got strong play from the defense in front of him, primarily Nick Hill. Hill caused a game-high five turnovers and also led the way with nine ground balls. Teammate Ryan Kelly was credited with three caused turnovers.

Kyle Pienik won 9-of-17 face-offs and Michael Hofstedt was 2-of-4, helping the Jays to an even 11-11 split.

Alec Leslie grabbed four ground balls, Klipple and Scrafano each had three, and eight Blue Jays finished with more than one.

In the E-town cage, Tom Mahoney stopped five shots.

The Blue Jays received an automatic berth to the national tournament as champions of the Landmark Conference for the second year in a row and collected double-digit victories for the fourth consecutive season.

Gettysburg moves on to face Rhodes College, a 14-1 winner over Huntingdon College, in a third round game this weekend.

Wednesday's defeat marked the final game in Blue and Gray for seniors Coats, Hofstedt, Jon Jones, Christian Neelon, Jens Stadeli.
 
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