April 2, 2005

Box Score

DENVER - Sophomore attackman Brandon Barcus (Dublin, Ohio) scored the game-winning goal with 24 seconds remaining in the game to put the University of Denver men's lacrosse team over Harvard, 9-8, this afternoon at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. The Pioneers increase their winning streak to four games (5-2), while the Crimson drop to 4-2.

"It feels good to come out on top against a good Harvard team," said head coach Jamie Munro. "We played hard and persevered to get the win. Different guys came through and made big plays at the right time which shows our will to win."

Harvard jumped out to an early three goal lead before freshman attackman Brett Koll (Fort Collins, Colo.) tallied Denver's first goal of the game off of a feed from senior attackman Greer Hanlon (Libertyville, Ill.). Senior midfielder Scott Davidson (Guilford, Conn.) added one of his own to bring Denver within one goal (3-2) with just over a minute remaining in the first period.

The Pioneers controlled play for most of the second period and rallied to score three goals from senior attackman Matt Brown (Burnaby, B.C.), junior midfielder Adam Goodwin (Columbus, Ohio) and Koll to head into the locker room with a two goal advantage (5-3). The Pioneers out shot the Crimson 12-7 in the second and gathered 10 groundballs.

Early in the third period, Harvard scored two man-up goals from Brooks Scholl and Steve Cohen to tie the game at five goals apiece with 13:07 left in the third after Koll, sophomore defender David Hahn (Aurora, Colo.) and senior defender Christian Anderson (Madison, Conn.) were called for penalties. Hanlon tallied one to give a one goal advantage back to Denver (6-5), but Harvard's Mike McBride tallied a goal to tie the game at six goals each going into the fourth period.

In the fourth period, Harvard scored two goals to leave the Pioneers trailing 8-6 with just over four minutes remaining in the game. Hanlon brought Denver within one off a feed from Koll with 3:10 left in the game. Riding the momentum of the goal, junior midfielder Andrew McCuiston (Birmingham, Mich.) fired one past Harvard keeper Evan O'Donnell to tie the game at eight goals apiece with 35 seconds remaining. Davidson kept it going winning the face-off as Denver pressed hard on offense and Koll dished the ball to Barcus who ripped it past O'Donnell to win the game with 24 seconds left on the clock.

Senior netminder Brian Sanders (Columbus, Ohio) made 12 saves and the Pioneers out shot Harvard 35-30, while the Crimson held a 33-30 groundballs advantage.

Denver will open conference play and hit the road next week for South Bend, Ind., to battle Great Western Lacrosse League foe Notre Dame on Thursday, April 7 at 2 p.m. MT.