WILMINGTON — Salesianum’s lacrosse team shook off a game-tying goal by St. Mary’s (Md.) with just six seconds remaining in regulation to defeat the Saints in overtime on a rainy March 27 at Abessinio Stadium. Carson Robins, a senior playing his first season for the Sals, snuck a shot in off the post 88 seconds into the extra session for the winning goal.
It was the first of several games the Sals will play this season against nationally ranked teams. St. Mary’s, located in Annapolis, entered the week ranked 21st in the country by USA Lacrosse Magazine. Salesianum, no slouches themselves, were ranked 24th.
Defense was on display all night long. St. Mary’s killed off a Sallies man-up situation early, and both goalies had a few saves in the opening quarter. But the Saints, after two near-misses for the Sals, got on the board with a sharp-angle shot. They added two more in the final 1:13, including a goal with just three seconds left in the quarter.
Robins started the scoring for the Sals early in the second. Crossing in front of the Saints’ goalie, he sent a shot off the crossbar and in. A big save by Sals goalie Cam Taylor led to the next score, on which Rowyn Nurry fed a cutting Noah Driggs in front of the net. Driggs, who missed all but the state championship game last year with an injury, found the net.
Aggressive stick work and checking kept most of the possession with the Sals, and it paid off with the tying goal. On this one, with 6:09 to go in the half, Robins took a pass from Elliot Dotson and whipped the ball into the net. The score was tied, 4-4, at the half.
Salesianum’s aggressive play was rewarded at the outset of the second half. They worked the ball away from the Saints and quickly headed the other way. Nurry picked up another assist, this time finding Mitch Cummings for a high heater at the 10:42 mark. It was the Sals’ first lead of the evening.
Both goalies came up with big saves through the rest of the third, and Cummings’ goal was the lone one in the quarter. But the offenses had a bit more success in the fourth.
The Saints won the faceoff to open the final quarter, and it paid off with a goal just 45 seconds in. The Sals took advantage of a faceoff violation by St. Mary’s, with Cummings shooting while absorbing some punishment and beating the goalie a mere 45 seconds after the tying goal.
Taylor kept the score tied with a huge save while the Saints were a man up, but the Saints’ goalie matched Taylor with a 10-bell stop at the other end. That led to a counter and a goal for St. Mary’s that tied it again at the 7:51 mark.
Robins earned his hat trick with 6:31 to go, scoring on a man-up situation, with Driggs getting the helper. It appeared that this goal might be the game winner. Salesianum killed off another man-up situation, and they had possession of the ball with less than two minutes remaining. St. Mary’s got the ball back with about 1:45 to go, but Salesianum forced a turnover with less than a minute to go. The Saints returned the favor, regaining control of the ball with about 35 seconds left.
They worked the ball around their offensive end until fewer than 10 seconds remained. A Saint moved toward Taylor, brushed off a check, and fired the ball low and into the net, tying the game at 7-7 and setting off a celebration among the team’s fans who had made the trip from the Maryland state capital.
The Saints had the ball first in overtime thanks to a Sallies faceoff violation. Taylor came up with another big save, and the Sals were off. Talan Anton ran the ball up the field and fed it to Dotson. He spotted Robins alone to the left of the St. Mary’s goalie, and Robins’ shot appeared to tick off the goalie’s stick before hitting the right post and caroming into the net. A large celebration ensue among the Sals, who fell to the Saints last season, 10-7.
Final statistics were not available early Thursday morning. Salesianum improved to 4-0 and will visit Chaminade (N.Y.) on Long Island on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Flyers, ranked seventh in the country, played at Abessinio before the Sals on Wednesday night, falling, 12-10, to another Maryland power, the McDonogh School.
