FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 31, 2002
Colorado State Men’s Lacrosse

#2 Colorado State Falls Short Against Colorado College (Div. III); Michigan Invitational on the Horizon

#2 CSU at CC (Division III)
Saturday, March 30 2002
Colorado Springs, CO
Washburn Field

Despite jumping out to a 3-1 first quarter lead, Colorado State once again
lost a heartbreaker against CC, their Division III rivals from the south.
Sunny skies and near perfect conditions welcomed CSU into Colorado Springs
as sophomore Kevin Krcek (Troy Athens, MI) made his second start of the
season in goal for the injured Alex Smith. His 17 saves weren’t enough for
the Rams in a disappointing, but equally encouraging 15-11 loss to the Tigers.

CSU once again continued the trend of starting quickly by scoring three of
the game’s first four goals. After CC’s David Shively (5 goals) scored the
opener, the Rams reeled off three straight to take a 3-1 lead in the first.
Defenseman Mark Plonkey (Golden, CO) scored his lone goal on a spectacular
full field dodge just after Ryan Davis (Pittsford, NY) got the scoring
started for CSU. Davis (3g, 1a) added another before the quarter ended and
the score after one was 4-3 in favor of the Rams.

In the second, the athletic Tigers began to show their prowess as they
outscored CSU 6-2. The ball seemed to stay on the Rams’ defensive half for
much of the quarter thanks to some good pressure by the Tigers and four CSU
penalties. Mike Napolilli (Heritage, CO) got the first of his three goals
to keep it close, but CC’s aggressive defense and ride kept the Rams at bay.

CC’s Brady Iandiorro (2g, 3a) had a hand in the first three points of the
quarter as CC stretched its lead to 12-6. After the CC run, CSU would begin
to play some of its best defense of the game holding the Tigers to only
three goals over the last 27 minutes. Napolilli (3g, 1a) and Tim Farquhar
(Collegiate, VA) led the charge for CSU, who cut the Tiger lead to 12-9 late
in the third. Jesse Porter-Henry (2g, 2a) pushed it back to four withanother late goal for the Tigers.

Thanks to an illegal stick by CC midfielder Tony Sorci, CSU would have three
minutes of man-up time to work with to claw their way back into the game.
Just thirty seconds into the opportunity, Napolilli hit the post with an
outside rocket past CC goalie Alex Ficken. Just after that, Jim Hasson
(Boston College, MA) rang another off the post and the ball ricocheted back
to center. CSU did not find the net until Napolilli finally beat Ficken
with just :29 left in the penalty. The Tigers then killed the game clock on
the Rams not allowing another goal after Farquhar’s (2g, 1a) ripper with 9:03 left.

Next up for CSU (5-3 overall, 1-1 league) is an important trip to Ann Arbor,
MI to take on three ranked opponents in the Michigan Invitational.
Michigan, Buffalo and Texas A&M will all be waiting in Ann Arbor to test the
Rams in games with huge St. Louis ramifications.

Box Score:
CSU: 4 – 2 – 3 – 2 – 11
CC: 3 – 6 – 4 – 2 – 15

Goals: CSU: Davis and Napolilli (3), Farquhar and Stanitz-Harper (2),
Plonkey CC: Shively (5), Iandiorro, Porter-Henry and Stephens (2), Russell, Sorci, Turner

Assists: CSU: Priebe (2), Davis, Napolilli, Farquhar, Nelson CC:
Iandiorro (3), Porter-Henry (2), Sorci, Turner

Goalies: CSU: Krcek (60:00 minutes, 17 saves, 15 goals against) CC:
Ficken (59:00 minutes, 16 saves, 10 goals against), Penn (1:00, 0 saves, 1 goal against)

Penalties: CSU: 9/6:00 CC: 7/7:30

Man-Up