Colonels Come Back to Stun Eagles in Double Overtime

HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Juniata men's lacrosse team lost a heartbreaker to visiting Wilkes University, 12-11, in double overtime Saturday afternoon at Gibbel Stadium. 

Sterling Bechler had three goals, two assists, four ground balls, and a caused turnover, while Liam Walsh tallied three goals, an assist, four ground balls, and three caused turnovers. Vincent Bechler found the back of the net three times, while Seth Cambell had a goal, three assists, three ground balls, and two caused turnovers. Eli Erickson had two assists and five ground balls, while Reuben Stoll contributed a goal, three ground balls, and a caused turnover. A. John DeFruscio had three caused turnovers and four ground balls, Charlie Newman had three caused turnovers and three ground balls, while Dan Patricco had two caused turnovers and a ground ball. Ryan Madison made 20 saves in goal for the Eagles. 

The Bechler brothers got things started five minutes in, as Sterling found Vincent for the game's opening goal. Wilkes answered a little over a minute later before Walsh scored for the Eagles, and Campbell found Sterling for another as JC led 3-1 after one. 

The Eagles dominated the second, outscoring Wilkes 6-2, including the final three goals of the half. Walsh had a hand in all three, finding Bechler for the first before scoring the final two. Campbell assisted both, and Juniata led 9-3 at the half. 

The Colonels controlled the third quarter, with Wilkes scoring three goals in two minutes and cutting the Juniata advantage to three, 9-6, heading into the final quarter. 

The teams traded goals to start the fourth as S. Bechler scored, and the Colonels scored 41 seconds later. Stoll scored from the right wing off a pass from Erickson to make it 11-7 with a little under nine minutes to play. Over the next seven minutes, Wilkes scored three times to get within one, 11-10. Madison made several impressive stops, with defenders putting their bodies on the line to make stops. With 17 seconds to go, the Colonels broke through with a shot from the top of the cage that sent the game into overtime. 

It was a cagey first overtime period, with both teams having shots on goal. Madison made one save, while Stoll and Erickson had their shots stopped by the Wilkes goalie. 

One minute and 15 seconds into the second overtime, the Colonels attacker ripped a shot from way out front that soared into the bottom left corner of the goal. 

Wilkes outshot Juniata 63-55 while Juniata scooped up more ground balls, 50-39. 

Juniata returns to action at home Wednesday at 6:00 against Elizabethtown.