University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
Towson
Blue Hens Pour Heart Out In 9-8 OT Loss in CAA Semifinals
5/3/2018 10:17:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
AMHERST, Mass. – They were picked last in the CAA Preseason Poll.
They were told they weren't going to win a CAA game.
All year long, the Blue Hens of the University of Delaware men's lacrosse silenced the doubters and that didn't change on Thursday night in the CAA Semifinals. Down four goals in the fourth quarter, the Blue Hens mounted an epic comeback that sent the game into overtime, but eventually dropped a 9-8 heartbreaker to defending league champion Towson.
“I'm honored to the coach of these young men. I've never been around a group like these guys. They battled and competed all year long and that's exactly what they did again tonight,” head coach Ben DeLuca said.
Offensively, senior Will Hirschmann led the way with four points (two goals, two assists), while junior Joe Eisele tallied his fourth hat trick of the season. Sophomore Charlie Kitchen made it 17 consecutive games with a goal with two on the night to finish with 37 on the season, the most since Curtis Dickson in 2009.
Defensively, the Blue Hens were led once again by sophomore Matt DeLuca, who had 14 saves on the evening. Junior Austin Haynes was outstanding, stepping into the X in the second half and finishing with two faceoff wins, four caused turnovers and six groundballs.
“We are forever indebted to this group of seniors for their leadership this season. I'm excited for the future of Delaware lacrosse,” Ben DeLuca added.
The first half was a defensive battle with Hirschmann, Dean DiSimone and Eisele all finding the back of the net, but it was DeLuca's eight first-half saves that kept the Blue Hens within striking distance at 4-3 at halftime.
Towson would pull momentum to their side with three more goals in the third and another in the fourth after Kitchen scored a man-up goal as the Tigers held an 8-4 advantage with under nine minutes remaining.
That's when the Blue Hens went to work with Eisele scoring a man-up goal and Kitchen making a huge play on a Towson turnover and firing home his second goal of the day to make it 8-6 with under five minutes left to play.
Hirschmann found Eisele with 3:49 on the clock for his hat trick and to make it a one-goal game.
Once again, the captain, Hirschmann, stepped up taking a pass from DiSimone and sending a rocket into the back of the net to tie the game at 8-8 with 2:28 remaining.
Delaware would gain possession with under a minute to play, but was unable to find the back of the net as the game headed to overtime.
After Haynes initially won the faceoff, the ball was knocked away and Towson gained possession and found the game winner.
