Banner Elk, N.C. (March 12, 2007)?After playing in New York on Saturday and traveling a grueling 650-plus miles to North Carolina on Sunday, Manhattan Men's Lacrosse showed no ill effects from its three-day whirlwind of competition and travel during Monday afternoon's affair against Lees-McRae College. The Kelly Green and White cruised to its third consecutive victory, 13-5, as a number of Jaspers recorded career firsts.
Senior Kyle Serbay netted his first goal of the season 3:11 into the contest to give Manhattan and freshman goaltender Mike Reynolds a 1-0 advantage, they would never relinquish. In his collegiate debut, Reynolds made 14 saves to earn the victory. The rookie netminder was flawless during the first quarter of play, which saw the Jaspers build a 4-0 lead.
Multiple-goal efforts from junior Kevin Dorsey, sophomore Marc Labelle, and freshman Matt Ryan helped Manhattan increase its cushion to 9-1 at the break and 12-2 after three periods.
Dorsey, who managed only two goals in all of 2006 as a reserve midfielder, recorded his first career hat trick. After notching a goal and assist in Saturday's victory over CAA member Sacred Heart University, Labelle found the back of the net twice on Monday and also added an assist. Ryan also scored twice for his first multi-goal effort as a Jasper.
The first goal of the second half was also the first of junior face-off specialist Shawn Gorinson's career. Sophomore Sean Marshall set up Gorinson on the play for his first collegiate assist, making the score 10-1. In addition to the goal, Gorinson won eight of ten face-offs taken.
Senior Pat Canty, who also finds himself in the face-off circle from time to time, joined Gorinson in Manhattan's scoring barrage by netting his first career goal.
Lees-McRae used a three-goal fourth quarter to tighten the score. The lone Manhattan goal of the final period came off the stick of Jeremy Marrano who scored off a pass from rookie defenseman Kyle Ochwat. The assist was the first point of Ochwat's young collegiate career.
Junior Jack O'Malley and freshman Matt Slane also scored for the Jaspers who are now 3-1 overall and will travel to Philadelphia, Pa. for their Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opener at Saint Joseph's University on March 17 at 1:00 p.m.
