 |
 |
|
#1 Colorado State Uses 9-1 Second Quarter to Put Away #20 Chico 20-3
Bellvue, WA
By Alex Smith
March 17, 2004
The Colorado State Rams and Chico State Wildcats had only met
once before on the lacrosse field, but that was in the fall of 2002 in the
Las Vegas Best of the West Tournament. On a night that featured
intermittent rain throughout the game, the Rams and the Wildcats squared off
in their first ever regular season meeting at Bellvue HS in Bellvue, WA.
Chico came into the first of their three Pacific Northwest games ranked #20
and trying to dethrone a #1 Colorado State team that had won 9 games on the
young season. The Wildcats played a very inspired first quarter and trailed
only 1-0, but wave after wave of CSU offensive firepower slowly buried Chico
and Colorado State ran away with a 20-3 victory.
Even though there was only one first quarter goal by both teams, the
lacrosse was not at all sloppy. Chico made the Rams work for their
opportunities by sliding early and throwing numerous checks, but CSU kept
the ball for the majority of the period. Chico goalie Blake Wahrlick (7
saves) was solid in the first quarter, making four stops.
Once again, Colorado State exploded in the second period. Chico’s Matt
Bissell (2 assists) was flagged for an illegal stick penalty at the start of
the quarter to put his team man-down for three minutes. The Rams made quick
work of their chance to get on top of the Wildcats and scored two goals
within thirty seconds to make the game 3-0. Then, just after the man-up
expired, the Rams scored again when Pat Bird (Bishop O’Dowd HS, CA) scored
on a feed from Danny Stevens (Suffern HS, NY) on what proved to be the game
winning goal.
Dave Clark (Cherry Creek HS, CO) continued his excellent play from the
face-off ‘x’ by winning 16 of 23 draws. He was aided by a superhuman effort
from long stick midfielder Mark Plonkey (Golden HS, CO), who scooped up a
game and season high 14 groundballs. Plonkey played perhaps his most
complete game of the season, owning the middle of the field and starting up
offensive possessions. Plonkey got 1 assist and 0 penalties to go along
with his 14 grounders.
Tim Farquhar (Collegiate HS, VA) was a force as a midfielder, scoring 4
goals and adding 1 assist for a five point effort. Nick Stanitz-Harper
(Eaglecrest HS, CO) also had five points as he scored 3 goals and 2 assists.
All in all, this was Colorado State's best game since the Colorado College
effort.
Colorado State’s nine goal second quarter was punctuated when midfielder
Derek Koll (Fort Collins HS, CO) took his defender from the right side of
the goal and stuffed a shot to the short side to make the score 10-1 at the
half. Thomas Robinson (Memphis University School, TN) also scored two goals
in the crucial second quarter run.
Every time Chico scored, the Rams had an answer. CSU’s defense was stellar
again behind a solid effort from all of the longpoles. Pete Jokisch
(Rockhurst Jesuit, KS) had ten saves.
CSU won the final two quarters 4-1 and 6-1 respectively to effectively ice
the game. Bo Everett (Golden HS, CO) had a breakout game by scoring 2 goals
and 2 assists. Once again, the Rams got thirteen scorers in the scorebook.
CSU (10-0) now reaches the stretch run of their long road trip when they
take on the host Washington Huskies on Friday before a game against the #12
Simon Fraser Clan on Saturday. Chico (6-3) will play Gonzaga and Washington
before heading back home to finish up WCLL play.
Game Notes:
- Despite being in the Pacific Northwest, the game against Chico was the
first that saw rain. Considering CSU’s last Spring Break trip to Florida
that saw two games rained out, the Rams got out of the Pacific Northwest
fairly lucky with regard to weather. The games against UW and SFU will be
played indoors on Washington’s campus.
- Mark Plonkey now has 4 goals and 4 assists on the season, good for eight
points.
- Everett’s 4 points was a season high.
- Matt Johns continued his hot streak, scoring a goal in his third straight
game.
- Colorado State got everyone on the roster in the game again. Except for
the game against Sonoma, the Rams have been able to play everyone who
traveled with the team for this road trip in every other game.
Goals by Quarters:
CSU: 1 - 9 - 4 - 6 = 20
CHICO: 0 - 1 - 1 - 1 = 3
Goals:
CSU – Farquhar (4), Stanitz-Harper (3), Johnson, Koll, Bird, Robinson and
Everett (2), Johns, Stevens (1)
CHICO – Poor, Webber, Garrison (1)
Assists:
CSU – Stanitz-Harper and Everett (2), Johnson, Koll, Clark, Plonkey,
Farquhar, Robinson, Chorey and Stevens (1)
CHICO – Bissell (2)
Goaltenders:
CSU – Jokisch (50:00 minutes, 10 saves, 3 goals against), Fitzgerald (5:00
minutes, 0 saves, 0 goals against), Bisnette (5:00 minutes, 1 saves, 0 goals
against)
CHICO – Wahrlick (60:00 minutes, 7 saves, 20 goals against)
Face-Offs Won:
CSU – 17/26
CHICO – 9/26
Shots:
CSU – 42
CHICO – 26
Ground Balls:
CSU – 54
CHICO – 22
Extra Man:
CSU – 3/5
CHICO – 2/3
Penalties:
CSU – 3 for 2:00
CHICO – 5 for 6:00
Attendance: 45 |
|
|
|
|
 |
