WINCHESTER, Va. – The Shenandoah University men's lacrosse team dropped a hard-fought Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) matchup Wednesday night at home, falling 12–8 to Bridgewater College.
The Hornets (5–8, 2–4 ODAC) were led offensively by Cody Griffis, who recorded a hat trick. Matt Daniel, Dylan Foughty, Dylan Taylor, Jake Green, and Dylan Pencek also added single goals for SU. Daniel, Clark Harrity, Taylor, and Josh Boonshaft each tallied assists.
The Hornets controlled the face off X, winning 14 of 24 attempts. Jason Forchetti led the way, going 13 for 22, while Ryan Therkorn went 1 for 2. Shenandoah also narrowly won the ground ball battle, collecting 26 to Bridgewater's 24. Forchetti had a game-high nine ground balls, and Therkorn led the Hornets in caused turnovers with two. Bridgewater edged SU in total caused turnovers, 11–8.
Mark Isabelle played the full game in goal for Shenandoah and recorded five saves.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Bridgewater won the game's opening face off and quickly tested Isabelle, who made an early save to keep the contest scoreless. On Shenandoah's first offensive possession, Griffis buried a shot just over a minute into the game to give the Hornets a 1–0 lead.
The Eagles responded with two straight goals midway through the first quarter to go up 2–1. Late in the frame, following a shot clock violation by SU, the Hornets forced a turnover and Foughty, assisted by Taylor, tied the game at 2–2. On the ensuing face off, won by Shenandoah, Green found the back of the net off a Boonshaft assist to regain the lead at 3–2.
In the final seconds of the quarter, a Bridgewater shot clanged off the post. Pencek picked up the loose ball, sprinted downfield, and launched a long-range shot just past midfield that beat the buzzer and extended the Hornet lead to 4–2.
The second quarter belonged to the Eagles, as they scored four unanswered goals to take a 6–4 lead into halftime.
Bridgewater continued its run in the third quarter with three more unanswered tallies, building a 9–4 advantage. Griffis stopped the run with a man-up goal following an SU penalty draw, trimming the deficit to 9–5. However, the Eagles responded with a goal of their own to enter the fourth leading 10–5.
SU came out aggressively in the final quarter, firing the first six shots and earning another extra-man opportunity. Taylor capitalized on the man-up chance, assisted by Daniel, to bring the score to 10–6. But Bridgewater answered again to make it 11–6.
Daniel and Griffis each scored late for the Hornets—Griffis completing his hat trick—but Bridgewater added a final goal to seal the 12–8 victory.
UP NEXT
Shenandoah heads to Ashland, Virginia, on Saturday for another ODAC matchup against Randolph-Macon. The game is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.
#GoSUHornets
