SELINSGROVE, PA - Pitted against a high-scoring Goucher team Wednesday afternoon, Susquehanna men's lacrosse was up to the test, going out in front 8-2 after the first quarter and carrying that energy towards a 14-8 victory. The River Hawks clinched a berth in the Landmark Conference Tournament, with the bracket set to be announced Wednesday evening per the conference.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- It took the opening faceoff for Susquehanna to plot its attack, scoring on its first possession courtesy of Jimmy Maro from Nick Remund.
- The River Hawks won the next faceoff and scored again. First-year scoring phenom Matt Chubenko scored the first of his four goals Wednesday on a Reese Ackerman assist.
- Goucher made a move on the game as Jacob Morgan scored shortly after to make it 2-1. Chubenko answered with another goal to raise the lead back to two, only for Gopher Gianni Karam to score from Morgan to make it 3-2.
- Calamity ensued as Susquehanna reeled off five straight goals to close out the period leading 8-2. This run was capped by Chubenko getting a hat trick before the end of the opening period. Ackerman scored two in this stretch, while two more came from Pat McDermott and Gabe Broome.
- Chubenko kept his hot streak going opening the second with his fourth and final goal of the day for Susquehanna's largest lead at 9-2.
- The Gophers got back on the board with four straight goals across the second and third quarters to make it close again at 9-6.
- The River Hawks answered with five straight from a variety of faces. Maro led this charge with the last two of his three goals and one each from Remund and Kieran Koenke.
- McDermott had two assists during this run, giving him four points on the day which was all the junior needed to amass 100 career points off an even 50 goals and 50 assists.
- Usual faceoff man Brendan Gleason capped off Susquehanna's last goal on Sassafras Field this spring in tremendous fashion. Goalie Will Harcourt saved a ball and found an open, sprinting Gleason up the field. Gleason got the ball and ran the length of the field to score, offering Harcourt a rare goalie assist.
- Susquehanna won 20 faceoffs to Goucher's six. Gleason won all three of his changes, while Brandon Cash won 17.
- Both sides shared plenty of scoring chances, though Susquehanna outshot its opposition 59-28 and 29-13 in shots in goal.
- Harcourt presided in net for all 60 minutes, finishing with five saves. Goucher's Josh Steinmiller recorded 15 saves in a busy day between the pipes.
- Maro led with five points on three goals and two assists. Chubenko's four goals led the game, giving him a season total of 43 points on 36 goals and seven assists. McDermott's season total gives him 58 points on 26 goals and 32 assists.
LANDMARK TOURNAMENT BOUND!
- Susquehanna locks down a Landmark Tournament spot, earning the fifth seed with a 5-4 Landmark record.
- Official announcement from the Landmark Conference will be made following the conclusion of all regular season games Wednesday night.
