Buckwalter Enjoys Career Day to Lead Men's Lacrosse Past Wildcats

BALTIMORE, Md. – The Frostburg State Men's Lacrosse team held on late to defeat Wilmington at Homewood Field on Wednesday night by a final score of 13-12. 
 
Both teams traded shots in the first period, as WILMU wasn't able to find the target, while FSU forced a save from their keeper. The Bobcats finally got over the board just under five minutes in, as graduate Chase Buckwalter got a pair of solo goals just over a minute apart. Momentum stayed with Frostburg with just over eight on the clock with senior Austin Sipes receiving a pass from junior Blaine Karotko and firing low, then Buckwalter getting his hat trick for a quick 4-0 lead. The Wildcats finally got on the board with just over five minutes til the end of the frame, making it back-to-back within the minute to pull back within 4-2. Before the end of the quarter, Wilmington made it three unanswered to take the score to 4-3 at the end of one.
 
Continuing their momentum, WILMU got the scoring going in the second period to tie the game at 4-4. The Bobcats immediately responded, with Buckwalter feeding graduate Owen McCallum for a rip into the low corner, regaining the lead 5-4. Once again, Wilmington answered to tie the game at five apiece, but junior Seamus Kearney used a caused turnover to get the ball down the field to graduate Bubba Love, passing to a wide open Sipes in front of an empty net to go up 6-5. McCallum then passed in front to Buckwalter to make it back-to-back scores and a two-goal lead, which was almost immediately cut in half with a Wildcat goal. Inside the final two minutes, Buckwalter nabbed a deflected pass out of the air and fired home for his fifth of the game and an 8-6 lead at the half.
 
Just over a minute into the third, each team traded scores, with WILMU kicking it off and the combination of senior Brady Crumbacker to freshman Luke Roach putting the score at 9-7. Over the next several minutes, junior Nate Jones made five consecutive saves in net to preserve the lead, which was padded when Roach scored his second on a feed from McCallum. Frostburg's defense continued to stay locked in, with Kearney causing another turnover leading to Buckwalter's sixth score. Senior Luke McCullough got in on the defensive action with a CT of his own, as graduate Justin Hulse finished the period with his first of the night for a 12-7 lead.
 
Senior Nick Agresta caused a turnover to begin the fourth to deny Wilmington's first possession, then Buckwalter passed up high to Karotko for a rip into the net and a six-goal advantage. The Wildcats got an answer, then a penalty on FSU gave WILMU a man-up goal to pull within 13-9. After getting multiple defensive stops, Wilmington kept their momentum going with yet another score to get the deficit to three, then another just over a minute later brought them within two. As the clock ticked inside three minutes, the Wildcats had possession and looked for their fifth unanswered, but Kearney shut the door with his fifth CT of the game. WILMU did get the score they were looking for, pulling within 13-12 with 1:07 on the clock. On the resulting face-off, junior Gregg Dort, Jr. got the important win, as FSU was able to run down the clock for the narrow victory.
 
Buckwalter was the driving force offensively, pouring in six goals and a pair of assists for eight total points. Kearney led the defense with his five caused turnovers, also picking up a whopping seven groundballs, while Jones made eight saves in net.
 
With the win, Frostburg improves to 5-2 overall, while Wilmington falls to 2-3. FSU hits the road for their next contest, as they face Molloy on Saturday, March 23 at 12 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.