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RAMS HOLD OFF LAXCATS 9-4 FOR FIRST WIN OF SEASON
Tempe, AZ – Arizona State University Band Fields
By Alex Smith
February 7, 2004
After Arizona’s Jeems Lockridge scored the first goal of the game three
minutes in, Colorado State proceeded to go on a 9-1 run into the fourth
quarter. The Rams were sloppy for much of the game and let the Laxcats back
in it with some questionable on field judgment in the fourth quarter.
Despite being outshot 32-26, the Rams held on for an ugly, but promising,
9-4 victory to start their 2004 season.
The game started out well for the defending National Champs, who used a
first quarter hat trick by junior Nick Stanitz-Harper (Eaglecrest HS, CO) to
open up a 5-1 lead. Sophomore Thomas Robinson (Memphis University School,
TN) scored Colorado State’s first goal of the year with ten minutes left.
Stanitz-Harper’s third goal of the game came with no time remaining on the
clock after he fired an impossible angle shot from the left corner of the
field that bounced off Arizona goalie Charlie Salemi and into the top of the
net. The Rams took 13 shots in the quarter to only 3 by the Laxcats.
The #14 Laxcats were guilty of numerous offsides penalties and violations
during the first two quarters, but the Rams struggled to take advantage,
throwing the ball away and wasting many opportunities to open up a large
lead. Arizona’s zone package was successful in throwing a wrench into
Colorado State’s freewheeling offensive style for much of the game after the
first quarter. Sophomore Michael Murphy (Lake Oswego HS, OR) scored on a
good dodge and dump from Robinson for the lone goal of the second.
The Rams got three third quarter goals to Arizona’s one to take a commanding
9-2 lead into the fourth quarter. But that’s when the game got ugly.
With 8:42 remaining, Mark Plonkey (Golden HS, CO) took a penalty for an
illegal body check and talked his way into a four minute non-releasable
penalty that resulted in his ejection from the game. The Rams were to be
down two men for two minutes and one man for one minute. In retrospect, the
referees made an incorrect judgment about the time served during the first
penalties, and the Rams were forced to play at a severe disadvantage.
During the six on four, the Laxcats peppered the Colorado State net, but
sophomore goaltender Pete Jokisch (Rockhurst Jesuit, MO) was up to the task
in his first start of the season. Jokisch made a career high 14 stops
against the Laxcats, including two sparklers in the second and fourth
quarters.
The Rams killed the four minute penalty by only allowing one goal and held
the Laxcats to one goal for the next four minutes to seal the victory. The
fourth quarter was an especially ugly quarter for the Rams, who only managed
four shots, all of which were off goal.
The Rams (1-0) play the Arizona State Sundevils on Saturday night.
Notes:
- The Rams now lead the all time series with the Laxcats 3-0 in MDIA history
- Mark Plonkey became the first Ram to foul out of a game since Pat Coy
against the University of Michigan in 2000
Statistics:
Goals by Quarter:
CSU – 5 – 1 – 3 – 0 – 9
UA – 1 – 0 – 1 – 2 – 4
Goals:
CSU – Stanitz-Harper (3), Bird (2), Johnson, Farquhar, Murphy, Robinson
UA – Lockridge (2), Seery, Paris
Assists:
CSU – Robinson (2), Johnson, Farquhar, Koll, Plonkey
UA – Paris (2), Seery
Goaltenders:
CSU – Jokisch (60:00 minutes, 14 saves, 4 goals against)
UA – Salemi (60:00 minutes, 6 saves, 9 goals against)
Face-Offs:
CSU – Clark (8/16)
UA – n/a (8/16)
Shots:
CSU – 26
UA – 32
Ground Balls:
CSU – 33
UA – 19
Extra Man:
CSU – 0/4
UA – 2/6
Penalties:
CSU – 7 for 8:30
UA – 6 for 4:30
Attendance: 100 |
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