ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE MEN'S LACROSSE
Wednesday, April 2, 2003

Swarthmore Comes from Behind to Defeat Elizabethtown in Overtime, 9-8

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. --- Swarthmore logged a comeback 9-8 victory in overtime over Elizabethtown at Etown Wednesday. Elizabethtown (3-4) saw a 5-1 halftime lead slowly evaporate as Swarthmore (5-4) went up 8-7 with 4:31 remaining in regulation time. The Blue Jays tied the game with 24 seconds remaining to send it into overtime, but Swarthmore scored the game-winner just 1:21 into overtime.

Elizabethtown held a 2-1 lead at the conclusion of the first quarter as Justin McQuaid (Chester Heights, PA/Strath Haven) and Matt Seiboth (Havertown, PA/Haverford) scored for the Blue Jays within 40 seconds of each other. Etown went up 5-1 by the end of the second quarter, scoring three unanswered goals. Allen Churchman (Aston, PA/Garnet Valley) scored at 13:02, Seiboth added his second goal at 4:17, and Brian Ginter (Newtown Square, PA/Marple Newtown) scored at 1:52.

Swarthmore began its comeback in the third quarter, as Than Court (Harwood, MD/St. Andrew's, DE) scored for the Garnet Tied at 14:03. Etown's lead was soon cut to 5-4 as Joseph DeSimone (Ronkonkoma, NY/Connetquot) scored at 8:24 and 7:54.

Etown widened its lead to 6-4 with 2:05 left in the third quarter when Dave Eshleman (Lancaster, PA/Manheim Township) scored unassisted. Swarthmore cut the lead to 6-5 with 17 seconds remaining in the third quarter on a goal by Paul Chung (Morristown, NJ/Morristown).

Swarthmore tied the score at 10:17 remaining in the fourth quarter on an unassisted extra man goal by Court. Court scored again on another unassisted extra man goal at 8:07 to give the Garnet Tide its first lead of the game, 7-6. The lead was short-lived, though, as Etown's Justin Griffey (Aberdeen, MD/Aberdeen) scored on an assists by Ginter at 6:27. Swarthmore regained an 8-7 lead on an unassisted John Murphy (Moraga, CA/Fairfield College Prep., CT) extra-man goal at 4:31. Another Griffey goal, this time assisted by J.B. Sheridan (Germantown, MD/Senaca Valley), with 24 seconds remaining in regulation time knotted the score at 8-8 and sent the game into overtime.

Swarthmore won the game 1:21 into overtime on an unassisted Court goal, his fourth of the game.

Etown held a narrow 30-29 advantage in shots, and Etown goalie Chris Swierczek (Media, PA/Penncrest) made seven saves, while Swarthmore goaltender Ryan Croken (Mountain Lakes, NJ/Mountain Lakes) made six saves. Etown also held a 41-29 advantage in ground balls, with Churchman leading the team with six scoops. Swarthmore, however, converted three of seven extra man opportunities, with all three extra man goals coming in the fourth quarter. Etown scored on zero of five extra man attempts.

Elizabethtown will return to action at home Friday, April 4 against King's in a 3:30 p.m. Middle Atlantic Conference game.

at Elizabethtown, Pa.
Swarthmore 9, Elizabethtown 8 (OT)
Swarthmore (5-4)    1 0 4 3 1 -- 9
Elizabethtown (3-4) 2 3 1 2 0 -- 8

Swarthmore goals-assists: Court 4-1, DeSimone 2-1, Chryssikos 1-0, J. Murphy 1-0, Chung 1-0.
Elizabethtown goals-assists: Matt Seiboth 2-0, Justin Griffey 2-0, Brian Ginter 1-1, Justin McQuaid 1-0, Dave Eshleman 1-0, Allen Churchman 1-0, Matt Newell 0-2, J.B. Sheridan 0-1, Ryan Smetana 0-1.
Shots: S 29, E 30. Ground Balls: S 29, E 41. Goalie Saves: Ryan Croken (S) 6, Chris Swierczek (E) 7.