Home Local Sports Salesianum holds off Canadian lacrosse power Hill Academy, 14-12

Salesianum holds off Canadian lacrosse power Hill Academy, 14-12

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Griffin McGovern of Salesianum carries the ball past a defender from Hill Adademy. Screen shot

WILMINGTON — Salesianum scored four straight goals in a two-minute span late in the third quarter, then turned to ball possession and defense in a 14-12 win over Canadian lacrosse powerhouse Hill Academy on April 9 at Abessinio Stadium. It was the sixth meeting between the Sals and Hill, and Salesianum’s second win. The other came in 2018 in Buffalo, N.Y.

The Sals took a 9-6 lead on a Caelan Driggs goal following a long possession to open the third quarter, but Hill roared right back with the next three. The first came on a two-on-one with 7:15 to go, followed by another a minute and a half later. The drive for the tying goal began when a Sals shot hit off the crossbar, with the ball ricocheting high into the air toward midfield. Hill grabbed the ball, went in and scored again at the 5:22 mark.

The Sals, however, did not fold. Rowyn Nurry put Salesianum back on top with 3:46 left in the third on a sharp-angle shot delivered while he was being knocked to the ground. Nurry needed just 18 seconds to strike again, hitting from the goalkeeper’s side on a delayed penalty.

Driggs tuok another turn in the spotlight after that. He whipped a shot past the keeper in a man-up situation at the 2:13 mark to bump the Sals’ advantage to three goals, and he added insurance with 1:41 left in the quarteron a turnaround shot. Hill scored just before the horn to cut the Salesianum lead to three entering the fourth.

Zachary Friend connected on a jumpin turnaround shot with 10:17 left in the game, restoring the four-goal advantage. That was the end of Sallies scoring, but they clamped down on Hill’s attackers, and the Sals’ offense was able to effectively burn time when it had the ball.

Final statistics were not available as of Sunday night. Salesianum improved to 5-0 and are back at Abessinio on Tuesday against Manasquan (N.J.) at 7 p.m.