AUBURN - There is always a chance after a big win that a team will face a letdown soon after.
For the first quarter against Corcoran Friday, the Auburn boys lacrosse team didn't look like the team that knocked off West Genesee Tuesday, but by the time the final horn sounded the result was the same.
The Maroons went on a 3-0 run late in the second half that sealed the win over a fast but injury-depleted Cougar squad, 11-7.
“We definitely came out flat today,” said Auburn assistant coach John Montone. “It took a little bit for us to adjust to their zone defense but once the kids realized where the opportunities were they started shooting the ball from outside, which opened up the zone for us to get some looks on the inside.”
Each team started slow, with both squads having trouble establishing a flow on offense or defense. Corcoran (7-6 overall, 4-3 league) hurt its cause with turnovers, and Auburn (10-2, 6-1) couldn't seem to find the seams in the Cougars' defense.
Slowly but surely, the Maroons started to figure it out and ended the game on a 6-2 run. Auburn found its spark late in the third when Bob Brannigan launched a hard shot at Corcoran goalie Andrew Potter, who initially stopped the ball but couldn't hold on.
Mike Fandrich and Matt Festa gave the Maroons a 9-5 lead in the fourth before the Cougars could get back in it.
Attacker Edmund Cathers scored twice to keep things interesting, but Andrew Chadderdon and Connor Entenmann scored a pair of goals to put Corcoran away.
“We're just so hurt by injuries,” said Cougar coach Shaun Smith. “I think we have 19 to 20 bodies that we can use and they ran out of gas, some of them were out there the whole time. We just had some mental lapses and that cost us.”
Corcoran, who began the game missing seven players due to injury, lost another one in the first half after defender Joe Domanski was hit in the throat by a Matt Hoey shot. He left the field by ambulance late in the third quarter.
“When we lost our defenseman, which was our fifth of the year, we have kids who have never played defense before (playing),” Smith said. “We didn't react too well seeing him come off the field on a stretcher. It was a letdown for our kids. We always play a very tough game with (Auburn), so I think that was kind of a turning point.”
While the Cougars' injury situation is extreme, Montone points out that the majority of teams are having problems at this time of year. Auburn lost starter and OCC-bound senior Kevin Festa to a knee injury earlier this season.
Entenmann paced Auburn with three goals and three assists. Brannigan (assist) also scored three times, while Fandrich found the net once and Chadderdon (two assists), Hoey, and Matt Festa had one goal each. Sean Hogan added two assists.
“Once we started adjusting to their zone defense it made it harder for them to cover us and I think that turned it in the game,” Montone said. “Once that happened our defense stepped up and made the stops that they needed to.”
The 21st state-ranked Maroons led in shots 32-24, ground balls 36-20, and face-offs 12-10. Kevin Dyer stopped five shots in the net.
Maroons 11
Cougars 7
The Maroons went on a 3-0 run late in the second half that sealed the win over a fast but injury-depleted Cougar squad, 11-7.
“We definitely came out flat today,” said Auburn assistant coach John Montone. “It took a little bit for us to adjust to their zone defense but once the kids realized where the opportunities were they started shooting the ball from outside, which opened up the zone for us to get some looks on the inside.”
Each team started slow, with both squads having trouble establishing a flow on offense or defense. Corcoran (7-6 overall, 4-3 league) hurt its cause with turnovers, and Auburn (10-2, 6-1) couldn't seem to find the seams in the Cougars' defense.
Slowly but surely, the Maroons started to figure it out and ended the game on a 6-2 run. Auburn found its spark late in the third when Bob Brannigan launched a hard shot at Corcoran goalie Andrew Potter, who initially stopped the ball but couldn't hold on.
Mike Fandrich and Matt Festa gave the Maroons a 9-5 lead in the fourth before the Cougars could get back in it.
Attacker Edmund Cathers scored twice to keep things interesting, but Andrew Chadderdon and Connor Entenmann scored a pair of goals to put Corcoran away.
“We're just so hurt by injuries,” said Cougar coach Shaun Smith. “I think we have 19 to 20 bodies that we can use and they ran out of gas, some of them were out there the whole time. We just had some mental lapses and that cost us.”
Corcoran, who began the game missing seven players due to injury, lost another one in the first half after defender Joe Domanski was hit in the throat by a Matt Hoey shot. He left the field by ambulance late in the third quarter.
“When we lost our defenseman, which was our fifth of the year, we have kids who have never played defense before (playing),” Smith said. “We didn't react too well seeing him come off the field on a stretcher. It was a letdown for our kids. We always play a very tough game with (Auburn), so I think that was kind of a turning point.”
While the Cougars' injury situation is extreme, Montone points out that the majority of teams are having problems at this time of year. Auburn lost starter and OCC-bound senior Kevin Festa to a knee injury earlier this season.
Entenmann paced Auburn with three goals and three assists. Brannigan (assist) also scored three times, while Fandrich found the net once and Chadderdon (two assists), Hoey, and Matt Festa had one goal each. Sean Hogan added two assists.
“Once we started adjusting to their zone defense it made it harder for them to cover us and I think that turned it in the game,” Montone said. “Once that happened our defense stepped up and made the stops that they needed to.”
The 21st state-ranked Maroons led in shots 32-24, ground balls 36-20, and face-offs 12-10. Kevin Dyer stopped five shots in the net.
Maroons 11
Cougars 7
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