PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Senior midfielder Myles Gillespie (Rye, N.Y.) scored a goal with 2:26 remaining in the fourth quarter, to break an 8-8 tie and lift the Holy Cross men's lacrosse team to a 9-8 victory over Rutgers at the Rutgers Turf Field. Senior midfielder John Hannan (Manhasset, N.Y.) also had an outstanding afternoon, leading the Crusaders with three goals scored. Holy Cross improves to 3-2 on the season with the win, while the Scarlet Knights fall to 2-4 overall.
Rutgers looked to be in control of the game early on, jumping out to an early 4-0 lead in the first eight minutes of the first quarter. Senior attackman James Kennedy (Summit, N.J.) put the Crusaders on the board with 1:34 to go in the quarter, then Holy Cross scored three unanswered goals in the second quarter to tie up the contest at 4-4 heading into halftime. Senior midfielder Jack Curran (Verona, N.J.), junior midfielder Kyle Kadlick (West Roxbury, Mass.) and junior midfielder Matt Smith (North Bethesda, Md.) each netted a goal during that run.
Holy Cross claimed its first lead of the day on a goal by Hannan early in the third quarter, before Rutgers netted the next two goals to claim a 6-5 advantage. The Crusaders responded by scoring three straight goals, two from Hannan and one by sophomore midfielder Terry McKenna (Summit, N.J.), to pull back in front 8-6 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Scarlet Knights would get a pair of goals from Scott Klimchak in the final period, tying the score back up at 8-8 with 3:49 left to play. But Gillespie scored off a pass from McKenna with 2:26 remaining, to give Holy Cross the lead for good. Freshman goaltender Michael Ortlieb (Newport Beach, Calif.) then made a pair of saves in the closing minutes as the Crusaders held on for the win.
Ortlieb finished the day with 13 saves and only eight goals allowed in 60 minutes of action, to earn his first career victory. Kris Alleyne took the loss for Rutgers, allowing nine goals while making 12 saves.
The Crusaders return to action on Saturday, March 9, when they travel to Hamilton, N.Y., to start Patriot League play against No. 16 Colgate at 2:00 p.m.
