Box Score Clearwater, Fla. – Will Mandracchia (Melrose, Mass.) sent a low, bouncing shot through traffic and into the back of the net with 3:02 left in the second overtime to give Clark University an improbable, 10-9 win over DeSales University in non-league lacrosse action on Tuesday evening at Philip Jones Stadium.
The goal for Mandracchia was his fourth of the night and sends the Scarlet and White to 3-0 for the second straight season. For the Bulldogs, meanwhile, their fate in this contest was eerily similar to last year where they lost a 9-7 decision to Clark and a 2014 matchup that saw them fall, 10-9 as well.
DeSales actually had possession in the opening moments of the second overtime but couldn't capitalize and the ball found its way to Cougar netminder Drew Riopelle-Tyrrell (Northville, Mich.). Riopelle-Tyrrell, with all of the DeSales players pushing up, launched a field length perfect pass to a wide open Nick Johnson (Amherst, Mass.) in the far right corner. Johnson then quickly moved the ball to the opposite side of the field and behind the cage where Rob Holden (East Longmeadow, Mass.) found Mandracchia for the game-winning marker 58 seconds into the second extra session.
That combination of Holden and Mandracchia was clicking all night with Mandracchia finishing with ease off of Holden's passes.
After the Bulldogs went up 1-0 on a Ryan Loughlin score less than two minutes into the game, Holden setup Mandracchia for a pair of goals a little more than a minute apart.
Those two goals were followed up by another tally from freshman Jack Pierce (Westborough, Mass.), upping the Clark advantage to 3-1.
DeSales answered back, recording four straight goals – the final two of the first by Josh Harriman and then two more to begin the second quarter, including Loughlin's second of the night.
Now down 5-3, the Cougars found the back of the net twice in the final five minutes to even the score heading into halftime. First Isaac Bass (Amherst, Mass.) registered an unassisted score and then Pierce potted one on the man-advantage with 48 seconds left in the half.
Loughlin put the Bulldogs back in front early in the third quarter with his third of the night but Jack Goracy (Lumberton, N.J.) got help from Mandracchia to even the score.
Loughlin and Joe Neggia gave DeSales their first two-goal advantage when they both found the back of the net but Mandracchia's score with four seconds left in the frame got Clark closer.
Johnson then setup Holden on the man-advantage to tie the score again less than four minutes into the fourth. The Bulldogs had an answer in the form of Justin Wilson, who gave the lead back to DeSales at 9-8.
Clark looked to be in trouble down a goal and playing a man-down, but they were able to kill off the penalty and then Bass found Andrew Myhre (Middlebury, Vt.) for the game-tying goal with 2:05 left in regulation.
In the first overtime DeSales controlled the play, outshooting the Cougars 5-1 but they couldn't break through as Riopelle-Tyrrell made two of his saves in the quarter.
Even after the Bulldogs won the faceoff to begin the second extra period, they were unable to end the contest and committed a costly turnover that led to the game-ending homerun play finished by Mandracchia.
DeSales held a 43-36 edge in shots and they were effective on clears, going 15-for-17. For the Cougars, meanwhile, they were 2-for-5 on man-advantages and held a 36-29 bulge in groundballs.
Mandracchia added an assist to his four goals, while Holden handed out a career-best four assists and a goal.
Alex Turgeon (Paxton, Mass.) finished with a team-best seven groundballs, while Will Roberts (Paxton, Mass.) forced four turnovers.
The Cougars are back in action on Thursday when they face Cazenovia at 6:00 p.m.
