Three Keys To The Game:
- Bona's Matthew DeGirolamo delivered his first career hat trick and Cian Collins added four points.
- St. Bonaventure kept the score at 1-1 through the first quarter, but the nation's No. 2-ranked offense from Hobart broke through with an 8-0 run to take control.
- SBU goalkeepers Brett Dobson and Ben Mazur kept things close with a combined 20 saves.
GENEVA, N.Y. – St. Bonaventure started strong and was able to keep a powerful Hobart offensive attack silent in the early going.
The numbers, though, said that Hobart (8-1, 2-0 NEC) – ranked No. 19 in the latest Inside Lacrosse national poll and No. 20 in the coaches' poll – was due to break out. After all, the Statesmen entered the night on a five-game winning streak with their only loss this year at No. 5 Cornell and possess the second-ranked scoring offense in the country.
And while the Bonnies limited Hobart early and kept a 1-1 tie through 15 minutes, a second quarter explosion allowed the nationally-ranked Statemen to take control and go on to win, 18-8, over the Bonnies men's lacrosse team Wednesday night.
Matthew DeGirolamo posted his first career hat trick to pace the Bonnies while Cian Collins registered a career-high four points on two goals and two assists.
An impressive performance from the Bonaventure defense kept Hobart off the board for over 12 minutes to start the game.
With multiple chances early, the Bonnies finally cashed in with 4:48 left in the first when John Fox worked from behind the net, shaking his defender on the near sideline and wrapping a shot over the keeper's shoulder for the 1-0 lead.
Hobart would not even the score until the 2:34 mark of the first on a goal from Jason Knox that would leave the teams tied after 15 minutes, 1-1.
The Statesmen would show why their offense ranks second in the nation in goals per game with a flurry of scoring to begin the second quarter, however.
Hobart ran off five goals in the first four minutes of the second to re-establish control.
Collins ended the 8-0 run of the Statesmen off an assist from Nik Clinton and Fox painted the net for his second of the day 17 seconds before intermission for a 9-3 score at half.
St. Bonaventure (0-8) accounted itself well again in the third quarter, but Hobart was able to outscore the Bonnies, 4-2, to extend its lead to eight despite the second goal of the game from Collins and another score by Dominic Madlang.
Hobart outscored the Bonnies by a 5-3 margin in the fourth and finished the night with 70 shots, frequently testing the Bona keepers.
Freshmen Brett Dobson and Ben Mazur each again had standout moments in the cage – the net minders split the game with Dobson getting the start and Mazur playing the second half and finished with 10 saves apiece.
For Hobart, Eric Holden, who was 12th in the nation in scoring entering the day, scored four goals to power the attack.
The Bonnies finally return home after nearly a month on the road, hosting Monmouth Tuesday, April 2 in MAAC action. The first face-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.
GAME NOTES:
- DeGirolamo gave the Bonnies their third hat trick this year – Sean Westley delivered one at Siena while Jackson Rose turned in the program record with four goals at Manhattan.
- DeGirolamo is now tied with Westley for the team lead with 10 goals on the year.
- Fox registered his first multi-goal game of the season. He was coming off his first multi-point game of his career when he handed out two assists last Saturday at Quinnipiac.
- Collins now has back-to-back two-goal games after having his first such contest at Quinnipiac last time out.
- Clinton's assist on Collins' goal gave him the first point of his Bonnies career.
- Brendan Luthart posted his first career point on an assist of a goal scored by Matthew DeGirolamo in the fourth quarter.
- Zack Belter was solid defensively, picking up six ground balls and causing two turnovers.
- Two of Bona's last three games have come against nationally-ranked foes – Cornell was slotted No. 5 in the national polls at the time of SBU's game against the Big Red last week.
- Hobart entered the game ranked second in the country with nearly 16 goals per game this year.
.@CoachMearns gives his thoughts on tonight's game at No. 19/20 Hobart and where the #Bonnies are at through eight games as the program continues to build ������️ pic.twitter.com/UX6qLR9NmM
— Bonnies Men's Lacrosse (@BonniesMLAX) March 28, 2019It was a "home" game tonight for Penn Yan, N.Y. native Austin Blumbergs. No. 9 talks about playing in front of family and friends and the #Bonnies effort at nationally-ranked Hobart ��️ pic.twitter.com/imdR00pFfV
— Bonnies Men's Lacrosse (@BonniesMLAX) March 28, 2019������
— Bonnies Men's Lacrosse (@BonniesMLAX) March 28, 2019
Congrats to Matthew DeGirolamo on his first career hat trick tonight! Third of the season for the #Bonnies and one goal off a program record! pic.twitter.com/mBVLKW2HoY- By Scott Eddy, Director of Athletics Communications
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