PENALTIES DOOM EXPRESS

(Aurora, N.Y.)─ The Wells College men's lacrosse team fell to the visiting Cazenovia College Wildcats 22-10 in North Eastern Athletic Conference action on Saturday afternoon in Aurora, N.Y. The Wildcats took advantage of 16 Express penalties, scoring seven extra-man goals to earn the conference victory. With the loss the Express fall to 3-4 (1-2 NEAC), while the Wildcats improve to 4-5 (1-2 NEAC).
 
Jonathan Mulcahey (Fulton, N.Y./Fulton) paced the Express with four goals and one assist, while Forrest Lambert (Aurora, Colo./Overland) added one goal, two assists, a team leading eight groundballs. Kyle Brimm (Geneva, N.Y./Geneva) split time in net with Chris Green (Williamstown, N.J./Washington TWP). Brimm finished with 11 saves, while Green finished with four.
 
Cory Tilton (Central Square, N.Y./Paul V. Moore) had an impressive day for the Wildcats, tallying ten points on four goals and six assists, while scooping up a team leading eight groundballs. Teammate Jamil Mardaffari (Penn Yan, N.Y./Penn Yan) added five goals and one assist, while goalie Alex Iannicello (Warners, N.Y./West Genesee) earned the win in net with 12 saves.
 
Kylan Hallett (Basom, N.Y./Akron) put the Express on the board first, scoring an unassisted goal just one minute into play for the 1-0 lead. The Wildcats responded with goals by Modaffari and TJ Shaw (Tully, N.Y./Tully), taking a 2-1 lead. Mulcahey tied things up (2-2) on his own unassisted goal as both team continued to play neck and neck through the first eight minutes. However, the Wildcats closed the quarter with two straight goals to take a 4-2 lead.
 
The second quarter would be one to forget for the Express. Cazenovia outscored Wells 8-0, capitalizing on eight Express penalties totaling seven minutes of man down action, sending the Wildcats into the break with a 12-2 lead. Although the two squads played evenly throughout the second half, the Express were never able to battle back from their first half deficit as Cazenovia held on for the win.
 
The Express did mount a small rally late in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Wildcats 4-1 over the final eight minutes but the flurry would be too little too late for an Express squad that struggled to find an offensive rhythm for much of the game.
 
Cazenovia held the advantage in shots on goals (37-22) and ground balls (38-30), while finishing a perfect 15 for 15 on the clears. The Express finished 8 of 14 on the clear, while finishing 15-33 on the face-off.
 
Wells returns to action next on Tuesday, April 12 against Hilbert College at 4 p.m. in Aurora, N.Y.