JUPITER, Fla. –– In a last moment effort, No. 18 U.S. Coast Guard scored with 0:51 remaining to stun Palm Beach Atlantic, 15-14. The Bears (2-0) trailed 12-8 with under ten minutes to play in the game, but were able to mount a comeback to knock off the Sailfish (4-2).
After a goal in the opening minute by Coast Guard, Palm Beach Atlantic’s Colin Price (Fairfax Station, Va./Lake Braddock) netted two goals to gave PBA the lead. USCG’s Paul Dellisola scored unassisted at 4:26 to leave the game tied after one quarter.
In the second, the Bears kept the momentum rolling on goals at 12:59 and 11:57 to take a 4-2 lead. Senior Bobby Hantske (Annapolis, Md./Southern) and Price again would tie the score at four, both assisted by Joe Ciringione (Merrick, N.Y./Sanford H. Calhoun). A man-up goal from the Coast Guard put the Bears in the lead, 5-4, at halftime.
Following another early quarter goal by the Coast Guard, Palm Beach Atlantic began to make a run. Ciringione notched his first goal of the game (from Hantske) at 10:57, while Hantske would score fourteen seconds later from freshman Joey Mazzola (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Jupiter Christian). The Sailfish took a 7-6 lead on an unassisted goal by Ciringione, before seeing the score tied at 5:52 of the third quarter.
PBA regained the lead at 2:37 on another Hantske goal from Ciringione, followed by a nice crease finish from Colin Price, ballooning the lead to 9-7. A goal from Dave Schultz (Annapolis, Md./St. Mary’s), assisted by Ciringione, came with :22 remaining in the third quarter. With :02 on the clock, Ciringione scored his third of the game from freshman Dan Barry (Whitesboro, N.Y./Whitesboro), giving the Sailfish an 11-8 lead going into the fourth.
At 12:41 of the fourth quarter, junior Dennis Koleda (Huntington, N.Y./Harborfields) gave PBA their largest lead of the game, 12-8. The Bears, however, scored five consecutive goals midway through the fourth, grabbing a one goal lead, 13-12. Over a two minute span, both teams would score reciprocating goals and the score was tied at 14-14 with 2:35 remaining. With :51 on the clock, the Bears netted the final goal and were able to snuff a last ditch Sailfish effort in the dying seconds to secure the win.
Joe Ciringione led PBA in points scored with three goals and five assists. Bobby Hantske finished with four goals, one assist; Colin Price finished with four goals. Senior goalkeeper Ryan Talks (Palm Beach, Fla./St. Andrew’s) was excellent in goal, stopping nineteen shots.
The Sailfish return to action on Sunday, March 4 at 7 p.m. against the No. 4 Grand Valley State (1-0), in the 2012 Sailfish Shootout. PBA will also host No. 5 St. John’s (1-0) on Tuesday night (7 p.m.). Follow Palm Beach Atlantic men’s lacrosse on Twitter (@PBALacrosse) for more details and live-score updates of all Sailfish Shootout games.
Game Notes:
–With the 15-14 loss, Palm Beach Atlantic is now 1-1 all-time versus the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.
–Senior attackman Joe Ciringione leads all Sailfish in points scored with forty (40). Sophomore attackman Colin Price leads in goals scored with twenty-eight (28).
–Palm Beach Atlantic was 3-for-7 on extra-man opportunities (43%).
–Palm Beach Atlantic finished 21/28 on clears (75%).
–Palm Beach Atlantic finished 18/31 on face-offs (58%).
