GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Junior
Jack Harvey (New Providence, N.J./New Providence) scooped up a loose ball and fired in the game-winning goal with 1:09 left in the second overtime, sending the 13th-ranked Gettysburg College men's lacrosse team to an 11-10 upset over No. 1-ranked and two-time defending Division III national champion Salisbury on Saturday afternoon at a wet Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium.
The win was Gettysburg's first over a No. 1-ranked team since its 7-5 victory over Cortland on March 6, 2010. It was also the Bullets' first home victory over Salisbury since a 7-5 win in the 2002 NCAA Division III quarterfinals.
Junior
Tommy Heller (Livingston, N.J./Livingston) initiated the game-winner with a pass from X that was deflected to Harvey on the right wing. Harvey pounced on the ball before taking a quick step and rifling in a low shot from 12 yards out, setting off a wild Gettysburg celebration on the field.
Heller finished with seven points and three goals and a career-high-tying four assists. Sophomore
Brian Kolen (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) added two goals and two assists while Harvey netted two goals and one helper to go with a big caused turnover that helped set up his go-ahead tally. Freshman
Jack Fletcher (Charlotte, N.C./Providence Day School) also scored twice.
Senior
Tim Brady (Charlotte, N.C./Providence) made 10 saves in goal for the Bullets (3-0), including a clutch stop from point-blank range in the closing seconds of regulation. He also came up with a big caused turnover in the final minute of the first overtime.
Senior
Geoff Fulgione (North Andover, Mass./Brooks School) won 13-of-23 face-offs for Gettysburg while sophomore defenseman
Mitch Wykoff (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe) posted five ground balls.
Zach Pompea posted two goals and two assists to lead Salisbury (3-1) while Anthony Stavrakis stopped 11 shots.
Neither side led by more than a goal until the Sea Gulls put together a 3-0 run late in the third quarter to go up 8-5. However, Fletcher reversed the momentum with a goal in the closing seconds of the quarter to make it a two-goal game heading into the final stanza.
Fletcher's goal was the start of a 5-0 Gettysburg run that handed the Bullets a 10-8 lead with 9:03 remaining. Kolen scored before Heller tied it up with a man-up tally with 11:40 on the clock. Fulgione then scored off the ensuing face-off to hand his team a 9-8 lead with 11:32 showing. Kolen scored again to give the Bullets their two-goal lead.
Salisbury would rally, however, scoring twice to pull even with 3:59 remaining. The Sea Gulls gained possession with 1:34 left before Brady denied Griffin Maroney with a spectacular stop, picking a potential game-winning shot out of midair from the left doorstep.
Gettysburg came up with a pair of big stops in the first overtime, first forcing a turnover that junior defensive midfielder
Ryan Kelly (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) scooped up. Brady then intercepted a pass from X before leading a successful Gettysburg clear. Salisbury was whistled for a penalty with nine seconds left, and Gettysburg ran out the rest of the clock.
The Bullets held the ball for nearly the entire second overtime. Stavrakis made a tremendous save less than a minute into the period, but Heller chased down the ground ball. Stavrakis turned aside another shot with 2:18 showing, before Harvey stole the clearing pass to hand possession back to Gettysburg, setting up his game-winner.
A nip-and-tuck first half featured five ties, although Gettysburg didn't lead until Fletcher scored with 9:51 left in the second quarter to make it 4-3. But the Sea Gulls scored with 2:33 left to deadlock the score at 4-4 heading into the intermission.
Salisbury went up 5-4 with 10:23 left in the third quarter. Harvey struck for a man-up goal with 7:55 showing before the Sea Gulls' 3-0 run.
Salisbury outshot the Bullets 33-28, but the Bullets owned a 32-25 ground-ball advantage.
Gettysburg returns to action next Saturday, when it visits No. 15 Stevenson at 7 p.m. in another non-conference clash.
