Men's Lacrosse Falls to No. 9 Bentley at Home

FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Men's Lacrosse team fell to No. 9 Bentley at home on Wednesday afternoon by a score of 12-6.

Frostburg opened the game with a successful clear attempt, as senior Austin Sipes held the ball while graduate Owen McCallum cut for the pass and a shot on goal for a 1-0 Bobcat lead. Junior Gregg Dort Jr. secured the ball off his face-off win but shot the ball high, awarding Bentley the ball. On the attack, the Falcons earned a successful clear attempt and a goal to see the game at 1-1. Four minutes blew by before Bentley took control of the ball and put their second goal in that back of the net for a 2-1 advantage. The remaining time of the first quarter was a scrum for both teams. During that duration, junior Nate Jones earned a few saves and Frostburg was able to get out of a man-down situation.

Within the first few minutes of the second quarter, the Falcons advanced the score to 3-1. The Bobcats had a few offensive opportunities, but in the sixth minute Bentley saw back-to-back scores for a 5-1 game. A ground ball scooped up by junior Seamus Kearney led to another shot on goal for graduate Bubba Love that was sent wide. The Falcons proceeded to cause a turnover on the defensive end, with Jones tallying another save. Junior Landon Bruce started the triumphant clear for FSU, as senior Brady Crumbacker found graduate Chase Buckwalter for the Bobcat's second goal of the game and a 5-2 score. Bentley answered back right away, ending the first half up 6-2.

Jones started the period with a save to award FSU an offensive chance. Bentley's defense then caused a turnover, allowing the Falcons to create a deficit of five for Frostburg with a 7-2 score. The next face-off win by Bentley allowed them to pass the ball around in their offensive box and through the defense for another score to increase their lead to 8-2. A failed clear attempt by the Falcons gave FSU the ball on offense, as Love fed Buckwalter making the score 8-3 with less than 10 minutes to play in the third. Moments later, a face-off win followed by a goal by Bentley saw their lead at 9-3.  A caused turnover by Buckwalter set him up for a hat-trick on the day, allowing the score to read 9-4. A solo goal the next play put Bentely in double-digits with a 10-4 score. Seven minutes wound down, as in the last five seconds of the quarter the Falcons sliced one more into the back of the net, leading 11-4 heading into the fourth.

Both teams battled in the first five minutes of the fourth, as goals were traded by Bentley and Dort Jr., with Dort Jr. picking up a face-off and marching down the field for a 12-5 game.  The Falcons fired away four shots over the next three and a half minutes, before the Bobcats ended their offensive drought with Love connecting on a man-up opportunity to bring the score to 12-6.   To round out the game, Jones put up two more saves as Frostburg fired away four more shots but were unable to connect, leaving the final score 12-6 in favor of Bentley.  

Buckwalter led with three goals followed by one from McCallum, Dort Jr., and Love. Sipes, Crumbacker, and Love each earned an assist, as Jones finished the game with a career-high 18 saves.

With the conclusion of this game, Frostburg falls to a record of 3-2 while Bentley moves to a record of 2-1. FSU is back in Bobcat Stadium on Saturday, March 16 at 1 PM as they take on St. Thomas Aquinas for the team's Morgan's Message Game and their first ECC game of the season. For more information visit frostburgsports.com