The Brockport men’s lacrosse team fell to Alfred University 17-11. Despite a comeback push in the third quarter by the Golden Eagles, they couldn’t overcome the first-half Saxon lead until it was too late. Brockport went on a three-goal run in the third quarter but in the closing seconds of the period, Alfred got one back in transition. The Saxons never let the Golden Eagles back in the game from there.
The win was the second in as many years for Alfred. Tim Hubbard took on the Saxons for the third time in his collegiate career on Wednesday.
“(It was a) good experience for both of us, we’re playing these guys in conference next year,” Hubbard said. “This has been an out-of-conference rivalry for, man, years. So, it’s fun to compete.”
For the first time in their collegiate careers, Nick and Nate Askin scored hat tricks in the same game for Brockport. Nick led the team with four goals, all in the second half. Their high school teammate, Daniel Wright had his first career multi-goal game with two goals and Mike O’Brien scored a pair as well. Hubbard led the defense with five ground balls while Gavin Miller got his second start in the Brockport crease and made 12 saves.
“He’s really stepped up for us,” Hubbard said. “I told him vs Oswego; it was his first start – listen you have no reason to be nervous because we’ve got your back – and he’s held it down for us.”
Brockport was the team on top first, Nate Askin got his hands free off a pick from Jackson Worden and sent a shot into the side netting. Unfortunately for the Golden Eagles, it was their only goal of the first half. The Saxons found their way onto a run into the lead thanks to an impressive first quarter from faceoff specialist Hunter Cupp. He won four of the first five faceoffs of the game and dominated through the first half.
Alfred brought even more firepower in the second. They buried two more to complete a six-goal run in the opening minutes of the second before Wright buried a shot on the run to make the score 6-2. Unfortunately for the Golden Eagles, Alfred had another four-goal answer. By the end of the first half, Josh Hauman had a hat trick and Owen Zimmerman had two goals and an assist.
Brockport found an answer at the end of the second quarter, a change at the faceoff dot to Chris Coonan. Coonan won 11 of 16 faceoffs and won his first six draws. He was the catalyst for two late first half goals. Nate Askin scored another for Brockport before O’Brien worked his way down to the crease and sent in a shovel into the near post for the final goal of the half.
The other shoe dropped for Brockport in the third quarter, it was Nick Askin. He scored two goals before finishing his hat trick in the fourth. His three caused turnovers on the ride also brought life back to the Golden Eagles. Askin’s final goal came on a feed from Hubbard.
“I try to hold it down on defense and then when I can push the ball up,” Hubbard said. “You know I like to try to get involved and I was able to hit my boy Askin for that assist and he just made me look good.”
Brockport closed the gap to 10-7 in the third, But the Saxons found a way past Coonan late in the quarter and eventually got their offense the ball on the ride, Kevin Matson buried the last shot of the quarter and gave the Saxons a four-goal cushion they would never look back from.
Brockport will now turn their focus back to SUNYAC play as they take on New Paltz on Saturday, March 30. The opening faceoff is set for 11:30 a.m.
