May 17, 2008

Box Score

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - An NCAA Quarterfinals-record crowd of 17,017 watched Navy's men's lacrosse season come to a close on Saturday as Johns Hopkins' Steven Boyle and Paul Rabil each scored three goals to lead the fifth-seeded Blue Jays to a 10-4 victory over the Midshipmen in the second of two quarterfinals contests played at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Virginia's Ben Rubeor scored the game-winning goal in overtime to lead the second-seeded Cavaliers to an 8-7 win over No. 7 seed Maryland in the opening game of the afternoon.

In a much anticipated rematch from a month ago at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Saturday's affair marked the first time Johns Hopkins and Navy have met in the postseason despite 81 previous meetings. The Mids had high hopes of snapping a streak that has haunted them for the better part of 30 years as the Blue Jays extended their winning streak to 35 in a row against Navy.

Hopkins scored the game's opening goal less than three minutes into the game when 2008 Tewaaraton Trophy finalist Paul Rabil split a pair of Navy defenders and punched a three-yard shot.

Navy would have several possessions after the Hopkins goal, but four of them were cut short by turnovers. The Mids, however, finally made good on their eighth possession when junior midfielder Michael Beggins (Smithtown, N.Y.) fired off a high-to-low shot that made its way past Blue Jays keeper Michael Gvozden with 6:17 remaining in the opening quarter. It was Beggins' fourth goal of the year and first since Navy defeated Mount St. Mary's on Feb. 29.

The Mids took their first lead of the game when senior attackman Nick Mirabito (Binghamton, N.Y.) scored his 23rd goal of the year on a tight angled-shot that managed to thread its way between Gvozden and the near post. The goal gave Mirabito sole possession of sixth on the Mids' career goals leader board with 96.

Hopkins' Boyle scored the first of his three goals with 59 seconds left in the opening quarter to knot the score at two apiece. Boyle ran in from the left wing where he dove to avoid the crease.

Senior faceoff specialist Mikelis Visgauss (Setauket, N.Y.) won the ensuing faceoff and fired in his second goal of the season, giving the Mids what would be their last lead at 3-2. The Visgauss goal came just five seconds after Boyle's equalizer. It goes down in the NCAA record book as the third-quickest consecutive goals scored by opposing teams.

Navy would hold its lead until the 9:08 mark in the second quarter when Boyle scored off an assist from Rabil from the left crease. It was the first of six consecutive goals for the Blue Jays, three each in the second and third quarters.

Johns Hopkins held the Mids scoreless for better than 33 minutes before second-year midfielder Evan Sullivan (Westfield, N.J.) found an open Gregory Clement (Dallas, Texas) who scored Navy's only goal in the final three quarters of play at the 12:42 mark in the fourth.

The Blue Jays salted the game away with two goals in the final 4:25, including an open goal score by Brian Christopher with under a minute to play.

Though Hopkins dominated the scoring column, one would be perplexed to see such a lop-sided score based upon the statistics. Navy led or matched the Blue Jays in nearly every category - shots 35-23, ground balls 28-20, faceoff wins 11-7, turnovers 22-22.

"What that is is a reflection of hustle and effort," said Navy head coach Richie Meade who led his Midshipmen to their third quarterfinals appearance in the last five years. "But in the end it comes down to shooting the ball and we didn't shoot the ball well enough to keep the game managable."

Visgauss was nearly unstoppable in the first half at the faceoff "x," winning nine of the 10 draws. Hopkins' Stephen Peyser came back in the second half to win six of the eight, but it was Navy who won the war at the "x" for just the second time in the last 15 games against the Blue Jays.

Hopkins' Gvozden ended the game with 13 saves and while he made some solid stops, both Meade and Mirabito were disappointed in Navy's shot selection.

"Gvozden played pretty well, but I felt like we shot right at him," said Meade. "They must have some trance over us or something."

Added Mirabito," Sometimes we get away from our game plan and for whatever reason we kept shooting high."

"Offensively, we just didn't play well enough to win," added Meade. "We were creating some good offensive opportunities, but we just weren't finishing. We weren't as sharp, as focused as we needed to be.

"Johns Hopkins has an experienced team and that helped them win the game," added Meade. "I think our inexperience offensively hurt us today."

While Hopkins advances to the national semifinals next Saturday against the winner of Sunday's Duke-Ohio State contest, the careers of 11 Navy players have come to a close. Next Friday seniors Evan Boyle (Wilbraham, Mass.), Gregory Clement (Dallas, Texas), Dan Decker (Randallstown, Md.), Jordan DiNola (Ballston Lake, N.Y.), Matt Guido (North Caldwell, N.J.), Terence Higgins (Chappaqua, N.Y.), Nick Mirabito (Binghamton, N.Y.), Brendan Teague (Annapolis, Md.), Dan Vassar (Littleton, Colo.), Mikelis Visgauss (Setauket, N.Y.) and Roger Wieland (Northport, N.Y.) will receive their diplomas and embark upon a career of a greater cause in the defense of the United States.