Andolina Scores Five Times to Power Lacrosse to First Win in Double OT

HAMBURG, N.Y. – The MCLA Lacrosse team continued their search for their first win of the 2025 season when they traveled to Hilbert College for a non-conference showing with the Hawks. Three unanswered fourth quarter goals by the Trailblazers forced bonus lacrosse for the fans at the Gacioch Family Athletic Center. A headlong dive across the crease by Anthony Andolina sent MCLA back to their bus for a joyous trip home.

THE BASICS:

• Date: Tuesday, March 18, 2025
• Score: MCLA 7, Hilbert 6
• Records: MCLA Trailblazers 1-4 (NAC 0-0) | Hilbert College Hawks 2-2 (AMCC 0-0)
• Series History: This was the first-ever meeting of the teams.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Hilbert scored the first goal of the game nearly seven minutes into the game when Jason Sage (8:06 remaining, assisted by Joey DiMaria). DiMaria was also credited with the helper on Nathaniel Dell's (6:40, DiMaria) goal about 90 seconds later.
• MCLA cut the Hawks' lead back to a single goal with just under 80 seconds left in the opening frame. Junior midfielder Anthony Andolina (Ballston Spa, NY) (1:19, unassisted) was the one to get the Trailblazers on the board. After MCLA picked up a ground ball from an unforced turnover by the Hawks, Andolina found himself in possession of the ball about 20 yards out from the goal. A pick set by freshman midfielder Cameron LaFerriere (Pittsfield, MA) provided enough of an advantage that Andolina could use to breakdown the defender and then spun and fired a shot that found the lower left corner of the cage from about 10 yards out.
• A pair of goals sandwiched around the first intermission by Hilbert's Ty Franko (man-up, 0:36, Bryan Jasrzab) (11:14, unassisted) plus a goal from Kristopher Newman (9:34, unassisted) pushed the host's lead to the largest in the game at 5-1.
• The Trailblazers saw the way the Hawks sandwiched goals around a break and did the same around halftime. Sophomore midfielder Neal Brierley (North Adams, MA) (0:03, unassisted) and Andolina (9:10, unassisted) completed the feat for MCLA. Coming out of an injury timeout with 11 seconds to play in the second quarter, Brierley waited for the whistle and then charged head on into the Hilbert defense before firing off a shot from about 12 yards out into the bottom of the goal.
• Andolina's goal pulled the visitors within a pair of goals after the junior spun through a pair of defenders and shot five hole on the goalie for his second strike of the game
• With about a minute and a half left in the third quarter, Hilbert pulled their lead back out to three with what would turn out to be their final score of the game and was credited to Ethan Barlow (1:26, Franko).
• Andolina and Brierley combined for three fourth quarter goals to force the game to overtime. Andolina scored the first of the three goals with just over eight minutes remaining in regulation, charged through a pair of defenders and whipped a shot from about 15 yards out.
• It was Andolina again scoring, this time with a man advantage. The Trailblazers were cycling the ball around the left side of the Hawk's defensive zone when Brierley passed back to Andolina near the edge of the crease and for a quick shot into the net, cutting the home team's edge to one. The assist was the first of the season for Brierley.
• The game tying goal came with just over two minutes to play in regulation when freshman midfielder Mateo Priest (New Lebanon, NY) forced a turnover that was picked up by sophomore defenseman Ryan Gaynor (Scotia, NY) who found freshman attacker Mark Mageles (Denmark, ME) for a clear. Mageles then found Brierley (2:16, Mageles) in front of the net for a laser shot into the goal. The goal was the seventh of the year for Brierley, and the assist the first for Mageles.
• Following a scoreless first overtime and coming out of a timeout with just over three minutes to go in the second OT, Andolina decided it was time for MCLA to start their long drive back to North Adams when he took a pass from sophomore midfielder Ty Roadcap (Troy, NY) even with the cage, charged towards the front of the net and dove as he shot across the goalie for the game winner. The goal was the team-leading seventh of the year for Andolina and the assist was second for Roadcap.
• Freshman goalie Hayden Schuler (North Towanda, NY) stopped 27 shots enroute to his first collegiate win and improving to 1-2 on the season. Hilbert's Griffin Miller fell to 2-2.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Shots: MCLA 32, Hilbert 51
• Saves: MCLA 27, Hilbert 12
• Faceoffs Won: MCLA 6, Hilbert 11
• Turnovers: MCLA 32, Hilbert 27
• Ground Balls: MCLA 33, Hilbert 43
• Clears: Opponent MCLA 25 for 32, Hilbert 22 for 28
• Man Up Opportunities: MCLA 1 for 5, Hilbert 1 for 3

UP NEXT:

MCLA will be back in action next Wednesday the 26^th when it travels to Celentano Field and Albertus Magnus College for a non-conference matchup with the Falcons. Face-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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