By Sam MacGilpin
@sam_macgilpin
In the penultimate game of Springfield College men’s lacrosse regular season, the Pride secured their fifth win in their last six games, defeating Salve Regina 17-8 on Stagg Field. The season’s highest-scoring game from Springfield also punched its ticket to the NEWMAC playoffs, with a chance to host a semifinal game as well.
Mason Nocito got the Pride on the board first with a beautiful swim dodge into a 15-yard snipe. Nocito had three goals in the game and an assist to add to his outstanding final season. They did not stop there, as Gage Sperlonga gave Bryan Stensrud a crease dump opportunity, which he cashed in, and Jake Degnan put one in off of a Vincent Scialdone faceoff win in less than 10 seconds after Stensrud’s goal.
With multiple deep possessions by Springfield’s defense, the Pride led 3-0 just 10 minutes in. Salve scored quickly after Springfield’s third goal, but with 14 seconds left in the first, Degnan put a pass on a rope to Stensrud to put the Pride up three heading into the second quarter.
After the Seahawks capitalized on a man-up opportunity, Degnan responded with two goals of his own, with the second coming from a Kevin Tierney pass through three defenders. Nocito put one past Salve’s goalie after Matt Webb set Nocito up perfectly. The Pride’s defense was putting on a clinic in the second quarter, led by junior goalie Kaden Quirk’s four saves in the frame, as Springfield led 7-3 entering the second half.
Springfield head coach Keith Bugbee thought his team controlled the pace throughout the game and acknowledged that in the NEWMAC, you have to be prepared for every game.
“If you don’t show up, definitely lose the game. They’re good enough to beat us, but I think [we’re] better, ” Bugbee said. “We took nice, slow possessions and got off good shots. I think a lot of our success comes from patience.”
Stensrud was patient in the first half, but scored nine seconds into the third quarter after Scialdone won the faceoff. Scialdone had a season-high 10 ground balls and now has an impressive 59 percent faceoff win percentage.
Salve scored a goal to cut the lead to four later in the quarter, but Degnan went high to low, starting a four-goal run by the Pride.
Close defenseman Connor Roberts made his impact felt despite not scoring, most notably in the third quarter, when he took the ball from a Salve attacker and forced a turnover, which led to a Brady Soldo goal. Roberts caused two turnovers and three ground balls in the game, and Bugbee emphasized how important Roberts is to his team.
“It’s really phenomenal what he can do. He’s always composed, never frustrated, and an elite athlete. He means so much to [the team],” Bugbee said.
As time was winding down in the third, Nocito backed down his defender, scored on a bouncer that knotted the top left corner, and let his defender know about it.
With an eight-goal lead in the fourth quarter, Springfield backed off, allowing Salve to go on a 3-0 run.
This gave the Seahawks some momentum, but it was short-lived.
When Salve thought they had another goal, Quirk made a spectacular save with the shot coming from less than a foot away, and a minute later, Stensrud ended the run with a goal. Degnan scored three times in the last seven minutes, capping off a season-high eight-goal day.
Degnan is now the leading scorer for the Pride, and the first-year attackmen received high praise from Bugbee.
“He’s probably our best offensive guy right now, and for a freshman, that’s amazing,” Bugbee said. “He’s not just a good athlete; he’s a good lacrosse player. We should get the ball to that guy.”
With a win against Wheaton next Saturday, Springfield can move to 5-2 in the NEWMAC, and claim the two seed in the conference.
The Pride play the Lyons on April 27 at 1 p.m., and it will also serve as the Pride’s senior day.
Photo by Ella Travaglino