March 18, 2006
Box Score
HAMILTON, N.Y. - Unranked Colgate (5-1/1-0 Patriot League) outscored fourth-ranked Navy (5-1/2-1 Patriot League) 4-0 in the fourth quarter to hand the Mids their first loss of the season, a 6-3 decision by the Raiders on a brisk day at Tyler's Field in Hamilton, N.Y. For Navy, it is just its second loss in conference action since joining the Patriot League three years ago.
Four different players scored the Raiders' four goals in the final stanza, including senior attack Brian Robinson whose two-yard strike at 4:49 broke the 3-3 tie and sparked three goals in the final five minutes by Colgate.
Colgate dominated the pace of the game early on as Navy struggled to get the ball on the offensive side of the field. The Mids had multiple clearing opportunities that went awry most likely due to the strong winds and blustery, heavy snow falling in the opening stanza. Navy was 0 for four on clear attempts before finally getting its first offensive possession after four minuteselapsed.
Thanks to an extra-man opportunity, the Raiders got on the scoreboard first when attack Rob Ryan fed senior middie Robert Trasolini for an eight-yard strike at the 8:08 mark in the opening quarter.
Navy knotted the score when junior All-American midfielder Billy Looney (Silver Spring, Md.) slid from the right side of the box to shoot a 10-yarder up the gut at 14:22. Looney gave the Mids a 2-1 lead when he scored on the exact play he scored on four minutes earlier, nailing a left-handed shot with 10:13 to play.
Rookie midfielder Brandon Corp evened the score at two apiece when Matt Lalli tossed Corp the ball from behind the cage and Corp fired in a left-handed shot from eight yards out just before the half.
Looney completed the hat trick when he took a pass from Nick Mirabito (Binghamton, N.Y.) and targeted his shot with 2:03 left in the third quarter and gave the Mids a 3-2 advantage heading into the final quarter.
Navy was held scoreless for the final 17 minutes, while Colgate had an offensive explosion in the final quarter, scoring four goals on eight shots in the final 15 minutes.
Colgate keeper Andrew Jarolimek had one of the strongest performances of his career, warding off nine shots on goal by the Midshipmen, while Navy goalie Matt Russell (Madison, Conn.) stopped five shots.
The Midshipmen return to action next Friday when they play host to Lehigh at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Face-off is slated for 4:00 pm.
G-o N-a-v-y
