By Nate Weitzer @nweitzer7
SUDBURY – Despite key pre-season injuries to goalie Andrew Vona and faceoff midfielder Angelo Venuto, and an already youthful roster, No. 5 ranked Lincoln-Sudbury entered 2019 looking to make strides and build on last season’s 11-7 record.
It would turn out to be a defensive battle on Monday, as the Warriors used their next-man-up approach and found a way to pull out a 6-5 win over a surging No. 14 St. John’s Prep team.
L-S Faceoff man Matt Kreidburg played Prep All-American Craig Yannone nearly even at the faceoff X and goalie Ben Smart made several huge stops in net, as the Warriors (1-0) held Prep scoreless over a 20-minute span from midway through the second quarter until Prep’s Mike Kelly scored to make it a 6-4 game with eight minutes remaining.
Offensively, L-S middie John Herlihy led the charge with three goals (two unassisted) and attackman Matt Ward added a tally to make it a 6-3 game early in the fourth quarter after combining with Nick Mitchell to force a Prep turnover.
The Eagles (1-1) were also stellar defensively with Alex Kreher logging 10 saves in net. Former Reading coach Tom Eighmey, who helped lead the Rockets to a Division 2 state title last year, had his poles playing at a high level.
Pat Keefe was able to score on a wraparound to cut the L-S to 6-5 with 1:16 remaining and Yannone won the ensuing faceoff, but Kelly’s game-tying bid clanged off the crossbar and L-S recovered to run out the clock.
“We’re young everywhere,” said L-S coach Brian Vona. “We have a lot of situational lacrosse to work on. That’s not always the way you want to do it, especially at the end, but we’ll get there. Today was a ‘W’ and we’ll have to learn from these things.”
Game Statistics
Lincoln-Sudbury
John Herlihy – 3 goals, 1 assist
Matt Ward – 1 Goal, 1 assist
Nick Mitchell – 1 Goal
Brendan Toland – 1 Goal
Ben Ohler – 1 Assist
Ben Smart – 7 saves
St. John’s Prep
Mike Ott – 2 goals
Pat Keefe – Goal
Mike Kelly – 1 Goal, 1 Assist
Daniel DeLaus – 1 Goal
Alex Kreher – 10 saves
In-Game Video Clip
L-S takes a 1-0 lead on a nice finish from John Herlihy. @GlobeSchools @bostonlaxnet @masspreps pic.twitter.com/luXAdHhqYL
— Nate Weitzer (@nweitzer7) April 1, 2019
Ben Ohler finds Nick Mitchell for a man-up goal.
L-S 2, SJP 1 late Q1 @GlobeSchools @bostonlaxnet @NotLSBoysLax @masspreps pic.twitter.com/0GZuvoQvVh— Nate Weitzer (@nweitzer7) April 1, 2019
Herlihy nets his 2nd to make it 3-2 L-S early Q2 @bostonlaxnet @masspreps @NotLSBoysLax pic.twitter.com/50S74c27bS
— Nate Weitzer (@nweitzer7) April 1, 2019
Mike Ott with a bouncer for SJP to tie it up, 3-3, with 4:20 left Q2 @bostonlaxnet @GlobeSchools @SJP_Lacrosse pic.twitter.com/q6kikYPkfu
— Nate Weitzer (@nweitzer7) April 1, 2019
Alex Kreher has 7 saves for SJP.
We’re tied 3-3 with 1:26 left Q2 @SJP_Lacrosse @bostonlaxnet pic.twitter.com/ZvvZsJ8x34— Nate Weitzer (@nweitzer7) April 1, 2019
Herlihy nets his third to give L-S a 4-3 lead early Q3 @bostonlaxnet @GlobeSchools @masspreps pic.twitter.com/yclH5nwEFW
— Nate Weitzer (@nweitzer7) April 1, 2019
L-S backup goalie Ben Smart thrust into a starting role due to injury, makes B2B key saves to keep Warriors up 4-3 mid Q3 @bostonlaxnet @NotLSBoysLax @GlobeSchools pic.twitter.com/dAFQFN9zvn
— Nate Weitzer (@nweitzer7) April 1, 2019
Pat Keefe denied by the crossbar.
L-S still up 6-4 w/4:55 remaining @bostonlaxnet @GlobeSchools @masspreps @SJP_Lacrosse pic.twitter.com/odFWXXeiTr— Nate Weitzer (@nweitzer7) April 1, 2019
This time Pat Keefe scores on a wraparound. Prep trails L-S 6-5 with 1:06 remaining. Yannone won ensuing face. @SJP_Lacrosse @GlobeSchools @bostonlaxnet pic.twitter.com/Vuq2G6NjnF
— Nate Weitzer (@nweitzer7) April 1, 2019
Final: Lincoln-Sudbury 6, St John’s Prep 5.
Kelly off the crossbar, nearly tied the game in final seconds.
John Herlihy 3g to lead L-S in a defensive slugfest.@GlobeSchools @SJP_Lacrosse @bostonlaxnet @masspreps pic.twitter.com/8qRkrsJNG6— Nate Weitzer (@nweitzer7) April 1, 2019
