The Binghamton men’s lacrosse team moved to 2-2 on the season with a thrilling 9-8 come-from-behind victory over Delaware on Saturday at Delaware Stadium. Bearcats senior midfielder Tyler Perrelle netted the game-winning goal with 19 seconds remaining, capping off a four-goal comeback that spanned the final five minutes.
”Our offense started clicking at the right time for us today,” BU head coach Scott Nelson said, according to www.bubearcats.com. “We’ve been pretty reliant on our defense this season, and they did a terrific job once again allowing just eight goals. Tyler [Perrelle] willed us at the end with a pair of great shots, and I can’t say enough about how hard our team fought.”
The Bearcats found themselves playing catch-up for most of the game. The Blue Hens (2-5) took a commanding 8-5 lead with seven minutes left but suffered serious defensive lapses to allow the Bearcats back into the game.
With less than five minutes left in regulation, Binghamton sophomore attack Tucker Nelson sparked a 4-0 Bearcats run, finding junior attack Matt Springer for a difficult shot into the right corner of the cage. Later in the final period, it was Nelson again who sparked the Bearcats offense, as he delivered a pass to open sophomore midfielder J.T. Hauck, who netted a lefty goal. Nelson finished with a career-high four assists in the win.
With fewer than two minutes to play in regulation, the patient Binghamton offense executed several swing passes to find Perrelle, who tied the game.
In the final minute of the contest, junior goalie Max Schefler moved the ball up for a clear, and Perrelle fired a difficult 15-yard runner to find the back of the net with 19 seconds remaining. The 4-0 run gave Binghamton its first lead of the game. BU junior midfielder Alex Doerflein sealed the victory by winning the ensuing faceoff.
The Bearcats’ charge was sustained by solid defensive plays that stifled the explosive Blue Hens offense in the final period. Schefler had another impressive performance, stopping eight Delaware shots on goal, including one in the final minute of regulation to set up the game-winning goal for the Bearcats.
Perrelle and Springer, who netted two goals apiece, led a balanced offensive attack for the Bearcats. Perrelle’s two scores tied him with Matt McNamara for the program record for career points (97), while Springer’s two goals moved him into second in the category (63) on BU’s all-time list. Doerflein also provided a solid performance off the bench, tallying a career-high 11 ground balls and one assist for the Bearcats.
Nelson was pleased with the effort from many members of the team.
“From the players on the field, to the guys on the sidelines, the attitude was great out there today,” he said in a www.bubearcats.com press release.
Delaware sophomore goalie Chris Herbert saved 16 shots for the Blue Hens, and junior midfielder Connor McRoy, who racked up five points, gave BU trouble throughout the contest.
The Bearcats are next scheduled to travel to Hamilton, N.Y. to play No. 15/16 Colgate in an away match. The Raiders are 8-2 all-time against Binghamton.
Face-off is set for 4 p.m today.