PURCHASE, N.Y. – Playing the team's longest game in a decade, the Manhattanville University men's lacrosse team dropped a heartbreaker in triple overtime on Saturday to Westminster, 11-10. The Valiants battled relentlessly to fight back from a five-goal deficit over the final 20 minutes of regulation and force overtime before ultimately falling in the third extra period, dropping to 1-7 with the loss.
It was the first time the Valiants played into three overtime periods since 2015 when Manhattanville defeated DeSales in five overtimes on April 21.
Nick Corace (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville) had a career game with five goals, his first time surpassing two tallies in a game. The sophomore has been red-hot over the past four games, scoring 11 times since Mar. 14.
Sean Larkin (White Plains, N.Y./White Plains) added a pair of goals to reach the century mark in 62 career games, while
Tyler Berch (Syosset, N.Y./Syosset) also scored twice.
After two scoreless overtime periods, the Titans brought an end to the marathon with 1:27 left in 3OT as Kyler Nigliazzo scored the game-winner off a feed from Jimmy Sentz.
Westminster appeared poised to run away with the contest after outscoring Manhattanville 4-1 in the first quarter. After the Titans scored the three opening goals, Corace began his stellar game with a man-up goal from
Dom Janavey (Shrub Oak, N.Y./Lakeland) after Westminster was assessed a pushing minor penalty with 2:13 left in the first. Evan Wujek reestablished the three-goal advantage for the visitors a minute later to put the Titans up 4-1.
Berch and Corace put up goals for the Valiants to begin the second to make it a one-goal game with 6:23 left in the half, but Westminster responded with Nigliazzo and Jimmy Sentz goals to close out the second quarter to send the game to the half with the Titans up 6-3. Westminster continued the scoring run into the second half as Brady Page scored from Nigliazzo and Anthony Trella in the opening 4:02 of the quarter to spot the Titans a game-high five-goal lead at 8-3.
Manhattanville's attack came to life over the final 5:17 of the third quarter, scoring three times to set the stage for a dramatic fourth. Corace began the run with his third of the game for his first collegiate hat trick before Berch scored via
Dylan Foley (Northport, N.Y./Northport) and Larkin added a solo tally to bring the Valiants back within a pair.
Defense took hold to open the fourth as neither team scored in the first five minutes. Page would break the spell for Westminster with 9:19 left in regulation to put the Titans up by three, but the trio of Corace, Swift and Larkin each found the netting over a three minute span to tie the game up at 9-9 with 5:34 left to go. Ethan Kurtz brought an end to the Valiants' scoring streak with the go-ahead goal with 4:47 left, but Corace delivered his fifth and biggest goal of the day to even things up again 27 seconds later off Berch's assist to send the game to overtime.
Joe Ulzheimer (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) played a career-high 70:33 in the marathon, making 15 saves. The junior goalie stopped the five shots he faced in the first two overtimes before ultimately surrendering the game-winner. Through eight games, Ulzheimer holds a 14.93 goals-against average with 123 saves.
Nick Padovani (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) had a team-leading eight ground balls as the graduate student won ten more faceoffs as his stellar season at FOGO continued.
Aaron Goldstein (Walden, N.Y./Valley Central) added nine more draw wins as the Valiants won 19 of the 26 faceoffs in the contest. Swift added five grounders for Manhattanville while
Anthony Cozza (West Harrison, N.Y./Byram Hills) supplied four.
Speaking of Cozza, his two caused turnovers was one behind
Matthew Newman (Yonkers, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) for the Valiants' defensive effort.
Francisco Rosas (Stratford, Conn./Stratford) also forced a pair of Titan giveaways.
Up Next
The Valiants hit the road next weekend to Virginia, heading to Arlington on Saturday for a contest at Marymount at 11 a.m.
VALIANTS on SOCIAL MEDIA For the latest on Manhattanville Athletics, follow the Valiants via social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads and YouTube. #WeAreValiant #GoValiants
