Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Canisius University Athletics

#Griffs The Official Home of the Canisius University Golden Griffins | #Griffs
Collins_Layne goal versus Air Force 3-2-19
Dean Bogart
13
Winner Air Force AFA 3-2
7
Canisius CAN 2-3
Winner
Air Force AFA
3-2
13
Final
7
Canisius CAN
2-3
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Air Force AFA 2 2 5 4 13
Canisius CAN 2 3 1 1 7

Game Recap: Men's Lacrosse |

Third-Quarter Run Pushes Air Force Past Men’s Lacrosse

Air Force rattled off five unanswered goals to open the third quarter as it took control of the contest on its way to a 13-7 victory over Canisius in collegiate men's lacrosse action Saturday at the Demske Sports Complex in Buffalo, N.Y.
 
August Johnson notched a game-high six points, tallying four goals and adding two assists, to pace the visiting Falcons (3-2). Tim Baker added three goals while Jack Flynn, Trey Lervick and Matthew Schwartz chipped in two goals each.
 
Senior Layne Collins and junior Carter Stefaniak tallied two goals apiece for the Golden Griffins (2-3). Junior Holden Garlent and freshmen Jacob Buck and Isaiah Ricketts accounted for the other three Canisius tallies.
 
Trailing 5-4 at the start of the third quarter, Air Force used a goal from Flynn at the 12:41 mark to tie the game before Lervick and Schwartz struck a little more than two minutes apart to give the Falcons a 7-5 cushion.
 
Air Force would expand its margin to four with goals from Baker and Johnson before Collins scored for Canisius in the final minute of the frame to make it a 9-6 contest heading into the fourth.
 
The Falcons continued to control play in the final frame as it opened the fourth quarter with three unanswered goals in the opening 4:19 of the stanza to take a 12-6 lead.
 
Garlent gave the Griffs signs of life with his second of the campaign with 9:23 remaining, but neither team would find the scoreboard again until Flynn scored with eight seconds to play to determine the final margin.
 
Earlier in the contest, Collins staked Canisius to an early 1-0 lead before Johnson and Baker scored less than a minute apart to give Air Force a 2-1 edge.
 
Stefaniak brought the Griffs level with a man-up goal late in the opening frame to send the teams to the second quarter tied at 2-2.
 
Johnson opened the second-quarter scoring just 26 seconds in to push Air Force back in front, but Buck and Ricketts responded to put Canisius ahead, 4-3, with 9:19 until the halftime break.
 
Johnston notched his second of the frame a little more than two minutes later to tie the game once again, but Stefaniak answered 35 seconds later to stake Canisius to a 5-4 lead and set the stage for the Falcons' third-quarter comeback.
 
Head Coach Mark Miyashita's Postgame Comments
"The first half was a great battle. It was a pretty even game in the first quarter, but in the second we were able to find our groove a little bit and we were able to capitalize on some opportunities that had us feeling pretty good heading into the locker room. We talked about some of the adjustments we wanted to make and what we wanted to continue to do that was giving us some success. Unfortunately, we had too many breakdowns in our systems in the third quarter that allowed them to go on their run that gave them the lead and we couldn't dig ourselves out of that hole. We had too many mental errors, along with some physical mistakes, that contributed to us having 20-plus turnovers for the third game in a row. We cannot expect to win games if that's what's going to happen.
 
"In the third quarter, we got away from what was making us successful. When we were executing the game plan, I thought our defense was doing a good job of keeping their guys at bay and forcing some turnovers. Then we got away from it, and broke down, and they were able to capitalize. We didn't have any answer for it on the offensive end today and it's unfortunate, because we had some great efforts by some guys stepping into roles, like Kevin Eells, who made his first collegiate start. But, we'll look at the tape and use it as a way to get better next week."
 
Game Notes
• Saturday's contest was the sixth between Air Force and Canisius. The Falcons extended their lead to 5-1 in the all-time series with the victory in their first visit to the Demske Sports Complex.
• Air Force out-shot Canisius by a 40-25 margin for the contest, highlighted by a 34-18 margin over the final three quarters.
• Air Force was 15-of-17 in clear attempts for the contest while Canisius was just 15-of-21.
• Canisius was charged with 22 turnovers in the contest, 14 of which came in the second half.
• Stefaniak led Canisius with five ground balls while three players chipped in three ground balls apiece.
• With his two caused turnovers on Saturday, Garlent matched Adam Donner (2012-15) for third place on the Canisius career caused turnovers list (41).
• Senior goalie Brad Nordstrom finished the contest with nine saves.
 
Up Next
• Canisius returns to action March 9 when it faces non-conference foe Robert Morris in a rematch of last season's NCAA Tournament Opening Round contest.
• Opening faceoff from Joe Walton Stadium in Moon Township, Pa., is set for 6 p.m.
 
Print Friendly Version