Red Foxes Win 2015 Men's Lacrosse Championship
MAAC Sports
Poughkeepsie, N.Y. – The top seeded Marist College Red Foxes defeated the second seeded Quinnipiac University Bobcats, 16-14, in the 2015 Men's Lacrosse Championship Final at Tenney Stadium at Leonidoff Field on the campus of Marist College. The win would mark Marist’s first men’s lacrosse championship in 10 years.
In one of the highest scoring first halves in MAAC memory, 12-8, the game ended as the highest scoring MAAC Championship Final in MAAC Men’s Lacrosse history. Marist came out of the gate red hot scoring eight goals in the first period on 18 shots. The scoring began just over two minutes into the game as Mike Begley took an unassisted shot to the back of the net to give the Red Foxes an early 1-0 lead. Marist would not be caught for the remainder of the game. At the 9:07 mark, Colin Joka received a pass from Begley and fired a shot into the goal for an early 2-0 advantage. Quinnipiac would quickly respond on the next possession as Mike Sagl fired a shot 16 seconds later that slipped past the Red Foxes goalie for a 2-1 score. This would be the closest that the Bobcats would get to catching Marist throughout the game. The Red Foxes would turn on the jets, scoring seven consecutive goals including two by sophomore attack JD Recor. Marist continued scoring in the second period on a goal just one minute after play resumed on a goal by Joseph Radin, his second of the day. The Bobcats Matt Kycia would turn around to score on a man-up opportunity three minutes later to bring the Bobcats within seven. The Red Foxes would score on the following possession to bring the lead back up to eight on a Radin unassisted goal, which gave him the Marist all-time single season scoring record. Quinnipiac would continue to pressure Marist as Matt Diehl scored with seven minutes remaining in the first half. Begley would score another goal for the Red Foxes before Quinnipiac would start their comeback attempt. Quinnipiac would score five goals, four consecutive, before the half including another goal by Sagl to bring Marists lead to just four after a score by Red Fox freshman Gannon Morrison. Heading into the locker rooms, Marist would have a 12-8 advantage.
With some momentum behind the Bobcats in the second half, the third period would see Quinnipiac score four more goals where Sagl would score his third and fourth goals of the game. Marist attempted a goal for goal scenario, racking up three of their own including Radin’s third of the day. The fourth quarter would find both teams playing stellar defense as only three goals made it into net during the final 15 minutes. Recor would score at the 11:54 mark to give Marist a 16-12 lead on a pass from Radin. Quinnipiac would not slow down as Ryan Keenan sprinted towards the net two minutes later as he wound up and fired one past Dave Scarcello for his second of the day. Bobcat senior captain Sagl would score one final time with just over a minute and a half to play to lead all scorers in the match with five goals. Although the Bobcats kept up the pressure, Scarcello and the Red Fox defense would not allow the Bobcats to get within a goal before the final horn.
Recor would lead all scorers in the game with six points on three goals and three assists for Marist. Begley, Joka and Radin would all also record a hat trick each. Morrison and Dominic Montemurro would add two goals each to the Red Foxes tally. Scarcello, who was named the 2015 MAAC Men’s Lacrosse Championship Most Outstanding Player, would end the day with nine saves between the poles and four ground balls making him 13-3 on the year.
Quinnipiac, making their first trip to the championship final since joining the MAAC, was led by All-Tournament Team member Mike Sagl who netted fives goals and caused turnover in the game. Also making the All-Tournament Team was goalkeeper Jack Brust who finished the day with 19 saves.
Rounding out the All-Tournament Team for Marist would be senior Karl Kreshpane, Begley and Radin. Detroit’s Shayne Adams and Brandon Beauregard would join Monmouth’s John Castellano and Ryan Horsch on the team.
Marist will find out its NCAA Tournament fate on Sunday, May 3rd. The Red Foxes will learn who they will face and when they play during the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse selection show, which will air at 9 p.m. on ESPNU.
2015 MAAC Men’s Lacrosse All-Tournament Team:
Shayne Adams, Detroit
Brandon Beauregard, Detroit
John Castellano, Monmouth
Ryan Horsch, Monmouth
Jack Brust, Quinnipiac
Mike Sagl, Quinnipiac
Mike Begley, Marist
Karl Kreshpane, Marist
Joseph Radin, Marist
Most Outstanding Player:
Dave Scarcello, Marist
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Recap
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1st
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2nd
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3rd
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4th
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Final
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#2 Quinnipiac
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1
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7
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4
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2
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14
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#1 Marist
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8
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4
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3
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1
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16
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Goals:
Marist: Mike Begley 3; Colin Joka 3; Joseph Radin 3; JD Recor 3; Gannon Morrison 2; Drew Nesmith 2
Quinnipiac: Mike Sagl 5; Matt Diehl 2; Connor Meth 2; Ryan Keenan 2; Pat Corcoran 1; Matt Kycia 1; Nate Nibbelink 1
Assists:
Marist: JD Recor 3, Mike Begley 2; Drew Nesmith 2; Joseph Radin 2; Colin Joka 1; Dominic Montemurro 1
Quinnipiac: Ryan Keenan 2; Steve Bryant 1; Pat Corcoran 1; Kevin Diehl 1; Carmen French 1