ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE MEN'S LACROSSE
Wednesday, May 5, 2004

Messiah Defeats Etown 16-8 in MAC Semifinal, Blue Jays Conclude Season 9-6

GRANTHAM, Pa. --- Elizabethtown College's men's lacrosse team made its first post-season appearance ever Wednesday and fell 16-8 on the road to top-seeded Messiah College in the semifinals of the Middle Atlantic Conference playoffs. The Blue Jays, which are in just their third season of competition, conclude the 2004 season with a 9-6 overall record, while Messiah, which, while not currently ranked in the nation's top 20, did receive votes in the latest USILA national poll for NCAA Division III, will advance to host the conference championship Saturday and improves to 12-3 overall with the win.

Elizabethtown started the game strong and held a 3-1 lead at the end of the first quarter. By halftime, the Blue Jays, which were the only MAC team to defeat Messiah in the regular season, clung to a 6-5 lead. Messiah's offense exploded in the third quarter as the Falcons outscored Etown 7-1, and Messiah clinched the win by outscoring Etown 4-1 in the fourth quarter.

Justin Griffey (Aberdeen, MD/Aberdeen) and Matt Newell (Malvern, PA/Great Valley) each scored three goals to lead the Blue Jay offense, and Frankie Puzzangara (Wallingford, PA/Strath Haven) scored a pair of goals for Etown.

Elizabethtown Coll. (9-6) vs. Messiah (12-3)
Date: May 05, 2004 Attendance:331

Score by period      1 2 3 4   Tot
-------------------------------------
Elizabethtown Coll.. 3 3 1 1 - 8
Messiah............. 1 4 7 4 - 16

Elizabethtown Coll. SCORING: GOALS: Justin Griffey 3; Matt Newell 3; Frankie Puzzangara 2.
ASSISTS: Allen Churchman 1; Bryan Miller 1; Frankie Puzzangara 1.

MESSIAH SCORING: GOALS: Reed Horanburg 5; Jono Linebaugh 3; Kevin Dennstaedt 3; Pete McLean 2; Nat Pierce 1; Denny Erb 1; Adam Myers 1.
ASSISTS: Kevin Dennstaedt 2; Jono Linebaugh 2; Reed Horanburg 1; Nat Pierce 1.

Elizabethtown Coll. GROUND BALLS: Drew Ward 5; Chris McCrea 4; Justin Griffey 3; Justin McQuaid 3; Bryan Miller 3; Tim Sieger 3; Mike Dunn 2; Frankie Puzzangara 2; Matt Seiboth 2; Brian Burke 1; Frank Cacia 1; Allen Churchman 1; Ryan Leister 1.

MESSIAH GROUND BALLS: Tosh Tryon 10; Jono Linebaugh 5; Josh Scouten 4; Chris Gilbert 3; Reed Horanburg 3; Matt Wood 3; Mike McLarnon 2; Kevin Dennstaedt 1; Josh Hoffman 1; Pete McLean 1; Lee Penno 1; Nat Pierce 1; Dan Videon 1; Ryan White 1.

SHOTS - ETOWN 34; MESSIAH 47.
SHOTS ON GOAL - ETOWN 17; MESSIAH 30.
PENALTIES - ETOWN 6/5:00; MESSIAH 6/5:30.
MAN-UP OPPORTUNITIES - ETOWN 1-5; MESSIAH 2-3.
FACEOFFS - ETOWN 10-28; MESSIAH 18-28.
CLEARS - ETOWN 19-22; MESSIAH 21-23.

GOALIES - ETOWN: Brian Burke 9-6 (60:00 minutes, 30 shots-14 saves, 16 GA); MESSIAH: Chris Gilbert 12-3 (60:00, 17-9, 8).